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Home » Recipes » Main Courses

Creamy Jamaican Jerk Shrimp Pasta

Published: May 5, 2021 · Modified: Mar 16, 2023 by Nicole B.

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45 minutes

If you’re a fan of creamy and spicy shrimp pasta sauces, you’ll love this creamy Jamaican jerk shrimp pasta dish. It has an incredibly flavorful sauce that’s made with a homemade jerk seasoning spice blend.

Jerk shrimp pasta on a plate with a spoon.
Jump to:
  • Why make this recipe?
  • What is Jamaican jerk seasoning?
  • Is jerk seasoning spicy?
  • Recipe notes and questions:
  • How to make jerk shrimp pasta:
  • How to serve it:
  • How to store leftovers:
  • More delicious pasta recipes:
  • Full Printable Recipe

Why make this recipe?

This is a fantastic dish that tastes like a lot of work went into it but that’s actually very easy to make. The jerk spice blend gives the shrimp and the creamy tomato sauce a delicious and complex spicy flavor. A little bit of brown sugar adds just a hint of sweetness that’s balanced by fresh and fragrant lime zest and lime juice.

What is Jamaican jerk seasoning?

In the context of food, the term jerk refers to a style of cooking that originated in Jamaica. It involves a dry rub or marinade made with herbs, spices and a little bit of sugar.

Jerk spice blends are made with many of the spices typically found in Caribbean cuisine, such as allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and hot chili pepper.

For my take on Jamaican jerk seasoning I used:

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Jamaican jerk seasoning spices on a plate.
You need onion powder, allspice, garlic powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar for the jerk seasoning.

To make the blend, simply stir all ingredients together.

Dry jerk seasoning blend in a glass bowl.

Traditionally, the dry-rubbed or marinated meat or seafood is cooked over a wood fire but for the recipe here I sauteed the marinated shrimp in a cast iron pan. This makes the preparation a lot easier and still produces an amazing-tasting result.

For another great jerk-marinated shrimp recipe, also try these bacon-wrapped shrimp with jalapeno!

Is jerk seasoning spicy?

Yes, jerk seasoning is quite spicy! Traditionally, the ingredient responsible for the heat in jerk seasoning is scotch bonnet, a pepper more than 10 times hotter than a jalapeno. Since scotch bonnets aren’t easy to find, I used crushed red pepper flakes in my seasoning blend. Red pepper flakes are readily available and are just as capable of adding a hefty amount of heat. If you want to make the dish less spicy, simply reduce the amount of red pepper flakes in the seasoning.

Recipe notes and questions:

Can I use a jerk seasoning blend from the store?

Yes, you can, if you want to. Just be sure to get the blend from a dedicated spice shop to ensure quality and freshness.

What pasta is best for this recipe?

This is a very saucy dish and I find that medium pasta shells are best suited for it. The shells are like tiny cups that can hold the sauce in them.

What kind of oil should I use?

Use a neutral-flavored oil for this dish, such as vegetable oil or canola oil, or a mild olive oil.

What size shrimp is best for this dish?

Any size shrimp will work for this recipe because you will cut the shrimp into bite-sized chunks before cooking.

Do I have to use a cast iron pan?

No, I just prefer to cook with cast iron but you can use a non-stick pan instead.

How to make jerk shrimp pasta:

See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!

Jerk shrimp pasta preparation in four steps.

Step 1. Mix oil and shrimp with the jerk seasoning. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Step 2. While the shrimp are marinating, cook the pasta.

Step 3. Heat oil in a pan and saute diced onion. Add the shrimp along with any marinade that’s still in the bowl and cook until the shrimp are beginning to turn pink.

Step 4. Add chicken broth, tomato paste and heavy cream. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened a bit. Stir in lime zest and lime juice.

How to serve it:

Mix the pasta into the sauce and season to taste with more fresh lime juice. Sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves (about 1 small sprig per portion) and serve.

How to store leftovers:

Store pasta and sauce in separate, airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

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  • Meatball-stuffed pasta shells with tomato sauce in a round baking dish.
    Stuffed Shells with Frozen Meatballs and Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce
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Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Thanks!

Full Printable Recipe

Jerk shrimp pasta on a plate with a spoon.

Creamy Jamaican Jerk Shrimp Pasta

The Spice Train
This easy, creamy Jamaican jerk shrimp pasta dish is made with a spicy and creamy tomato sauce that's full of flavor.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Main
Cuisine American, Jamaican
Servings 4
Calories (estimated) 885 kcal

Equipment:

  • measuring spoons and cups
  • mixing bowl
  • knife and cutting board
  • rubber spatula
  • plastic wrap
  • large pot
  • colander
  • lime zester
  • large cast iron or non-stick pan
  • wooden spoon

Ingredients:
  

For the jerk seasoning:

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the shrimp pasta:

  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon neutral oil (such as vegetable oil, canola oil or light olive oil) divided
  • ¾ pound raw shrimp,* thawed, peeled, deveined and cut into bite-size chunks
  • 3 cups uncooked medium pasta shells (8 ounces)
  • ¼ cup finely diced yellow onion (you need about ⅓ of a small onion for that)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup tomato paste**
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon lime zest
  • ½ teaspoon lime juice, more to taste
  • leaves from 4 small sprigs of fresh thyme, roughly chopped

Instructions:
 

For the jerk seasoning:

  • In a large bowl, stir together all jerk seasoning ingredients.

For the shrimp pasta:

  • Mix 1 tablespoon oil into the spice mix, then add the shrimp and stir around until well coated. Cover the bowl and marinate the shrimp in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  • While the shrimp are marinating, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta.
  • Once the shrimp had 20 minutes in the marinade, make the sauce:
  • Heat the remaining oil in a large cast iron or non-stick pan, then add the diced onion and saute until translucent (~2 minutes).
  • Stir in the shrimp along with any marinade that's still in the bowl and cook until the shrimp are just starting to turn pink (3-4 minutes).
  • Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened a bit (about 5 minutes after it started to simmer).
  • Stir in lime zest and juice and season to taste with more lime juice. Mix the sauce with the pasta, sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves and serve.

Notes:

*You can use any size shrimp you like because you will be cutting them into bite-size chunks.
**If you opened a can of tomato paste and are looking for things to do with the rest of it, here are some delicious recipes using tomato paste.

Nutrition Information (Estimated):

Calories: 885kcalCarbohydrates: 95.6gProtein: 75.1gFat: 22.7gSaturated Fat: 9.4gCholesterol: 578mgSodium: 990mgPotassium: 724mgFiber: 5.5gSugar: 7.4gCalcium: 277mgIron: 6mg

Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.

Keywords: creamy jerk shrimp pasta, jamaican jerk seasoning, jerk shrimp pasta

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