Our Jerk Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo draws inspiration from Jamaican rasta pasta. It features an authentic Alfredo technique, with a subtle jerk flavor and jerk shrimp on top for a smooth, spicy fusion pasta dish ready in under 20 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Dinner, Pasta
Cuisine: Caribbean Inspired, Fusion Food, Italian Inspired, Jamaican Inspired
Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoon jerk marinade in a small bowl. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. The water should taste like sea water; using about 1 tablespoon of salt for every 4 cups of water. Drop the pasta in the water cook about until very al dente, pliable but still has a tough texture (about 2 minutes less than the package instructions)
Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of butter in a saute pan or large frying pan with high sides, over medium-high heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning once, until bright orange, lightly caramelized and just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
Without cleaning the pan, return it to low heat. Remove 1 1⁄2 cups of pasta water and set aside. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of jerk marinade, ¼ cup of pasta water, and remaining 8 ounces of butter. Stir with a whisk or tongs to emulsify the butter, water, and jerk.
Add the fettuccine noodles and toss to coat in the butter sauce. It will be creamy and glossy. Add additional pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, if necessary to get a creamy consistency.
Add the Parmesan, a handful at a time, stirring after each addition, until melted and blended into the butter sauce. Again, add pasta water, 2 tablespoons at time, to maintain a very creamy consistency.
Add the jerk shrimp into the fettuccine alfredo and toss to coat in the sauce. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and grated parmesan. Serve family style in a large bowl, or plate individually.
Notes
Scroll up to view a visual walkthrough of the recipe.Pasta Water: The creaminess of this recipe is a direct result of the starchy, salty, pasta water. I can state the importance enough of reserving pasta water for the sauce. If for some reason, you forget and drain the water, you can substitute with heavy cream.Parmesan: Only use good quality, freshly grated, Parmigiano Reggiano for this recipe. Pre-grated or imitation parmesan will not melt and emulsify properly for the alfredo sauce.Noodles: The fettuccine can be substituted with spaghetti, parpadele, or other long pasta noodle.
If using frozen shrimp, ensure to thaw it, either in the fridge or cold water, before marinating.