Caribbean Recipes You Can Easily Make At Home


Caribbean recipes are full of heart and soul. Dishes and cuisines from the islands of the Caribbean incorporate influences from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and more, which brings flavor fusions like no other.

You don't have to be at an all-inclusive resort to get great Caribbean food. Most Caribbean recipes can be easily made at home, and there is no need to overspend on specialty ingredients. These recipes are designed for sharing with friends and family.

From jerk chicken with rice and peas, a favorite from Jamaica, to callaloo soup from St. Lucia, there is a dish for every occasion and a flavor for every taste bud in our list of Caribbean recipes that you can easily make at home.

Get ready to be inspired. Your stomach will be rumbling by the end of this list.

Callaloo Soup

First of all, how fun is callaloo soup to say out loud? This soup is a firm favorite recipe on the small island of St Lucia. The vegetable callaloo is leafy green, a cross between kale and spinach. High in protein, callaloo is perfect for vegetarians.

Callaloo soup makes a great light lunch or appetizer to a main meal. Infused with turmeric, garlic ,and fresh ginger this soup is abundant in flavor and super healthy too. You will also need some coconut milk to thicken the soup as well as sweet potato and a tin of black-eyed peas for texture and a carbohydrate kick.

You can make a batch in under and hour, so if you’re pressed for time, get cooking callaloo soup.

Braised Oxtail with Butter Beans

This classic Jamaican recipe is loved by islanders and can be found on many menus around the world. Typically a tough cut of meat, oxtail, when marinated in garlic, chili, and soy sauce then slowly braised, becomes so tender and soft it feels like you're eating a prime cut. For those seeking great flavor on a low budget, this braised oxtail dish is a must.

The butter beans add an extra layer of texture to the dish and compliment the melt-in-your-mouth oxtail perfectly. Serve it all up with a generous helping of coconut rice and braised oxtail and butter beans will fast become your favorite Caribbean recipe to make at home.

Baighan Chokha

Baighan Chokha? Caribbean? Surely not. If you think this sounds more like an Indian dish, then you would be right. Baighan Chokha has its roots the northern state of Bihar, India, but this recipe has crossed the oceans to Trinidad and has been lovingly adapted into an Indo-Caribbean delight.

An incredibly easy to make meal at home, Baighan Chokha requires few ingredients and next to no kitchen flair. Looking to impress your friends at a dinner party with an ultra simple dish? Baighan Chokha is your answer.

To serve four people all you need is one large egg plant, a few cloves of garlic, a tomato, and some chili for that Indo-Trini kick. Baighan Chokha is another great recipe for aspiring Caribbean chefs who need serve up dinner in a hurry. Including preparation time, this dish takes just 20-minutes to make.

Lechon Asado

Having visited Jamaica, St Lucia, and Trinidad now it is time to take a visit to Cuba. Lechon Asado is a classic Cuban meal that oozes flavor and will certainly have you coming back for second helpings.

Pork is the most popular meat of choice in Cuba, and lechon asado is all about the meaty marinade. Jam packed with zesty flavors you will need oranges, zested and juiced, as well as a generous helping of cilantro, mint, and lime for this marinade. You should add a hearty splash of olive oil, for good measure.

For the fullest of flavors, leave your pork joint to rest in the marinade overnight allowing the citrus juices to really sink into the meat. Lechon asado can be served up hot from the barbecue or roasted, depending on what style of dining suits you.

Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas

For our final dish, we will return to Jamaica with the island’s most popular dish, jerk chicken with rice and peas. The jerk marinade has a multitude of variations and every household and every chef will add their own twist. That said, the basic flavor combination remains the same.

You can make the jerk marinade as spicy or as zesty as you like by adding more or less chili and lime. The mix also features fresh spring onion, garlic, thyme (which compliments the chicken wonderfully), soy sauce and brown sugar.

For a more Caribbean vibe, add coconut milk when you cook the rice and add the peas in after.

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Kylie Morrow

About Kylie Morrow

Born on the tropical island that is Saint Lucia affords a never-ending source of inspiration. In the past 13 years, Kylie loved to work with various newspapers, magazines and blogs in the Caribbean.