Creamy Instant Pot Rasta pasta tossed with Caribbean-style jerk chicken, shrimp, and crunchy bell peppers. This meal is full of flavor, it’s quick to make, the sauce turns out so rich, and it’s spicy!
Rasta pasta is a very popular recipe on my website, it’s one of my readers’ favorite recipes so I added to share an Instant Pot version with you and it’s as good as the stovetop version.
What is Rasta Pasta?
Rasta pasta comes from the Rastafari culture in Jamaica, it’s a very comforting pasta dish that has all the cream and cheese that you need to feel good. It also has a strong flavor, and a lovely spicy kick that will make you want to have this pasta all the time!
The bell peppers are either sauteed or roasted, and they’re just tossed along with the cooked pasta and grilled chicken in a creamy and cheesy sauce. This pasta recipe makes a wonderful dinner dish that you will love!
Rasta Pasta Ingredients + Tools Needed
- An Instant Pot. I have this Instant Pot, it’s my favorite!
- I love these stainless steel measuring cups and use them every time I cook, as well as those measuring spoons.
- Chicken breasts. And shrimp if you decide to add it.
- Mixed bell peppers – Use whatever colors you have available.
- Pasta – use any type of small pasta. I like to use penne, fusilli, or even bow tie pasta.
- Green onions – or scallions. They are optional and will be stirred in the pasta but they give a lovely flavor to the dish.
- Jerk seasoning – homemade or store-bought, just make sure that it’s a really good one. Low-quality jerk seasoning will result in bland tasting sauce and pasta.
- Vegetable stock – make your own in the Instant Pot. Here’s an easy Instant Pot vegetable stock recipe that I make all the time. It’s healthier, cheaper, and free of unnecessary/harmful ingredients and added sodium.
- Double cream and parmesan cheese – The 2 ingredients that will make your rasta pasta super creamy and delicious!
- Garlic, oil, and vegetable stock.
How to Make Rasta Pasta in the Instant Pot?
- Heat oil in the pot on SAUTE mode, and add chicken strips followed by Jerk seasoning. Cook for a few minutes, the chicken does not need to cook through as we will pressure cook it later. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the pasta over the chicken, followed by vegetable stock to slightly cover the pasta.
- Cover with the lid, and set the vent on SEALING position.
- Press on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (this depends on what model of Instant Pot you’re using), and then set the timer at 5 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure, then cook for 5 minutes.
- Once it’s done with the cooking, quickly release the steam and carefully open the lid so that the steam doesn’t get in your face. It’s important to do a QR, otherwise, the pasta will be overcooked.
- Once you open the lid, give the pasta a quick stir and check the amount of the liquid, it’s too much as if the pasta is too covered in liquid then you can discard a small amount.
- Season with more jerk seasoning then add cream, parmesan cheese, and sliced bell peppers. Give everything a quick mix, and cover with the lid (any lid).
- Allow the food to steam for a few minutes, this will slightly cook the bell peppers but they will stay crunchy and melt the parmesan cheese.
- Open the lid, add sliced green onion and give the pasta another stir. Serve warm.
Can I Make This Rasta Pasta Dairy-Free?
You can omit the heavy cream and the parmesan cheese, and use full-fat coconut milk or crushed tomatoes instead.
How to Make This Dish Vegetarian?
Leave the chicken and the parmesan cheese out.
Shrimp and Chicken Rasta Pasta
There’s also a popular version of this dish with shrimp. If you would like to add shrimp, just saute it before cooking the chicken at the beginning of the cooking process then take it out and set it aside.
Add in the shrimp to the pasta along with the cream, parmesan, and bell peppers.
Shrimp cooks very quickly, so if you leave it to be pressure cooked along with the chicken it might be overcooked and have a rubbery texture to it.
What Kind of Pasta to Use to Make This Dish?
I recommend using penne, rigatoni or bucatini, but you could also use pasta shapes like fusilli or macaroni.
How to Reheat the Leftovers?
I add a little bit of water to the pot to the pasta, and press on SAUTE. Stir the pasta while it’s being heated until you get the desired consistency and the chicken and pasta are warmed up.
More Easy Instant Pot Dinner Ideas
- Taco Pasta
- Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Florentine Pasta
- Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms
- Firecracker Chicken
- Creamy Mustard Chicken
- Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Instant Pot Rasta Pasta
Recipe Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tbsp for sauteeing chicken
- 2 chicken breasts about 1 lbs (450 grams) – cut into strips
- 3 tablespoons jerk seasoning 1.5 tbsp to season the raw chicken, and 1.5 tbsp to season after pressure cooking
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock
- 4 cups (400 grams) dried pasta
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream or double cream
- ½ cup (80 grams) parmesan cheese grated
- 3 bell peppers preferably in different colors – sliced
- ½ cup green onions sliced
- 10 jumbo shrimps optional – if using* see notes
Instructions
- Heat oil in the pot on SAUTE mode, and add chicken strips followed by Jerk seasoning. Cook for a few minutes, the chicken does not need to cook through as we will pressure cook it later. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the pasta over the chicken, followed by vegetable stock to slightly cover the pasta.
- Cover with the lid, and set the vent on SEALING position.
- Press on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (this depends on what model of Instant Pot you’re using), and then set the timer at 5 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure, then cook for 5 minutes.
- Once it’s done with the cooking, quickly release the steam and carefully open the lid so that the steam doesn’t get in your face. It’s important to do a QR, otherwise, the pasta will be overcooked.
- Once you open the lid, give the pasta a quick stir and please check the amount of the liquid, it’s too much as if the pasta is too covered in liquid then you can discard a small amount.
- Season with more jerk seasoning then add cream, parmesan cheese, and sliced bell peppers. Give everything a quick mix, and cover with the lid (any lid).
- Allow the food to steam for a few minutes, this will slightly cook the bell peppers but they will stay crunchy and melt the parmesan cheese.
- Open the lid, add sliced green onion and give the pasta another stir. Serve warm.
Notes:
- I recommend using penne for this recipe, but you can also use rigatoni, bucatini, fusilli, macaroni or farfalle (bow tie).
- This dish is spicy with the amount of jerk seasoning added, so if you don’t like much spice then consider adding just half of the amount.
- To make this rasta pasta dairy-free, you can omit the heavy cream and use full-fat coconut milk or crushed tomatoes instead.
- If you would like to add shrimp to this dish, just saute it before cooking the chicken at the beginning of the cooking process then take it out and set it aside. Add in the shrimp to the pasta along with the cream, parmesan, and bell peppers.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Kris says
So yummy. Curious how much 1 serving is?
Maryann says
Does doing a QR spray out a lot of starch and make a mess? It’s the only thing stopping me from trying this.
Diana says
If your Instant Pot works as it should, then it shouldn’t.