Rasta Pasta

Alyssa Gardner-Vazquez, TFFJ’s Senior Farmer Educator at MLK Jr. Educational Campus, drew on her Jamaican heritage to bring this recipe to the after-school program. It connects students with Caribbean flavors and creates space to talk about food and culture.

All year, we feature recipes from many regions so students see themselves and learn from one another. Our TFFJ twist is Swiss chard: more greens in the bowl and colors that echo red, gold, and green.
This is one of the many ways we’re building a just food system for all.

Adapted from Easy Vegetarian Rasta Pasta by Deirdre Gilna, The Fiery Vegetarian.

Ingredients (TFFJ Produce Highlighted 🌿)

• 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and green)
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 2.5 Tablespoons jerk seasoning
• 4 large heads of Swiss chard 🌿
• 1 pound pasta (453 grams)
• ½ vegetable bouillon cube*
• 1 cup cream cheese (240g)
• ½ cup grated parmesan (45 grams)

Directions

1. Put the water on for the pasta and salt it generously. Slice the peppers and onion into thin strips and mince the garlic.
2. Separate swiss chard leaves from stems. Chop the stems and tear the leaves into smaller pieces.
3. Put the pasta on to cook, following the package directions. Add the oil to a large deep pan and heat on medium-high. When hot, add the peppers and onions and fry for 5-7 minutes until the peppers have softened slightly and the onions are soft and lightly browned.
4. Add the garlic and swiss chard and fry for one minute, stirring often.
5. Add the jerk seasoning and fry for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the toasted spices are very fragrant.
6. Reserve two cups of pasta water. Add one to the pan along with the crumbled half a stock cube and the cream cheese.
7. Break up the cream cheese with a wooden spoon or spatula and stir it into the sauce. Repeat until the cream cheese has been incorporated into the sauce.
8. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan.
9. Add the cooked, drained pasta and toss with the sauce and vegetables until well-coated. Add some of the remaining cup of reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce to your liking.
10. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!