Veggie Rasta Pasta twists the traditional dish by swapping meat for veggies. This one-pot meal is perfect for weeknights, packed with creamy, spicy Rastafarian flavors.
Rasta Pasta is such a fun dish to make, the name is inspired by the multi-colored bell peppers which are known as "Rasta Colors" that came during the Rastafarian movement in the 1930's. This dish and its variations have a lot of history.
Speaking of variations, this one is my favorite by far. It's non-dairy and packed with veggies making it perfect for those with allergies who still want to enjoy the delicious restaurant quality flavor of Jamaican cuisine.
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Why This Veggie Rasta Pasta Is So Good
One Pot Meal: Dishes and clean up are a breeze because everything is made in one pot. We've been making this along with our similar Creamy Jerk Shrimp Pasta on the weeknights after work and school routinely.
Plant Based: The veggie rasta pasta is completely free of all dairy and meat.
Versatile: It's extremely easy to make this pasta your own. Get creative and add different types of vegetables depending on what you have on hand already. You could even add vegetable based protein like tempeh or marinated tofu.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Pasta - Penne is most commonly used but any pasta you have on hand can be substituted. If you're not using penne you may need to adjust the cook time.
Coconut Milk - The full fat unsweetened version is perfect for thickening up pasta sauces, especially in my Gochujang Pasta recipe. If you try using light coconut milk, the sauce may not thicken up like it's supposed to.
Veggies - We use bell peppers, mushrooms, and spinach.
Seasonings - Nutritional yeast is used to be a cheese substitute. We frequently use it in our Chickpea Broccoli Soup to incorporate cheesy flavor without all the calories. If you don't have this on hand you can substitute with freshly grated parmesan cheese which is commonly used in the traditional recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Pro Tip
Make your own jerk seasoning and adjust the spiciness based on your own preferences. I love using this homemade jerk seasoning recipe because the ingredients are simple and you get the perfect balance between sweet and savory. To make it more mild, gradually add the cayenne and black pepper and taste as you go making sure not to add too much or omit all together.
How it's Made Step by Step
Step 1. Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Once heated add the garlic and bell pepper and cook until tender. About 4-5 minutes.
Step 2. Add the green onion, vegetable stock, penne pasta, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, jerk seasoning, and mushrooms. Stir until all the ingredients are well distributed.
Step 3. Bring to a simmer and cook with the lid partially covered for about 12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir every few minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking.
Step 4. Once done set aside and stir in the spinach and juice from 1 lemon or lime. Place the cover over the pot and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Ways to Serve
This veggie rasta pasta is a hearty meal on its own, but if you want to make it feel more complete try serving it with a Refreshing Beet Cucumber Salad or Watermelon Beet salad to cool down the spicy from the jerk seasoning.
You could even top with some 15 Minute Blackened Chicken Tenders to incorporate extra protein and bring on more spicy flavors.
Commonly Asked Questions
Traditionally, bell peppers, jerk seasoning, heavy cream, and cheese. This recipe substitutes coconut milk and nutritional yeast for the heavy cream and cheese to save on calories and maximize nutritional benefits.
Jamaican. The original recipe dates back all the way to 1985 when Lorraine Washington made the dish famous.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat either on the stove covered over medium heat or in the microwave for 30 second intervals until heated through. Be sure to add a splash of water or broth to loosen up the sauce and keep the pasta fresh and flavorful.
You can also freeze the pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw in the refrigerator completely before reheating.
More Delicious Vegetarian Pastas Like This
If you tried this Veggie Rasta Pasta or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
One Pot Veggie Rasta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 orange bell pepper halved then sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper halved then sliced
- 1 red bell pepper halved then sliced
- 2 green onions roughly chopped
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 13.66 oz can full fat coconut milk
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
- 1 handful spinach
- 1 lemon or lime squeezed
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Once heated add the garlic and bell pepper and cook until tender. About 4-5 minutes.
- Add the green onion, vegetable stock, penne pasta, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, jerk seasoning, and mushrooms. Stir until all the ingredients are well distributed.
- Bring to a simmer and cook with the lid partially covered for about 12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir every few minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking.
- Once done set aside and stir in the spinach and juice from 1 lemon or lime. Place the cover over the pot and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Kate
This is one of our favorite weeknight meals because there's minimal clean up and it can be made in just one pot! I love adding different veggies like broccoli, chopped green beans, or even carrots when I have extra on hand.
Kamallie
This recipe is the bomb!!!!!!!!!!!
Kate
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Kamallie robinson
Definitely giving this one a try