Caribbean Recipes
Browse our collection of Caribbean recipes — 12 dishes with photos, cook times and nutrition. Find your next favourite Caribbean meal.
Trinidad Callaloo Soup
Trinidad Callaloo Soup is a vibrant, hearty dish brimming with bold Caribbean flavors, where tender greens like callaloo or spinach mingle with creamy coconut milk, earthy thyme, and a fiery habanero kick. The soup balances rich, savory depth from salt pork or bacon with bright, herbal notes from scallions and garlic, all simmered into a velvety broth that’s as comforting as it is invigorating. Each spoonful delivers a taste of the tropics—creamy, spicy, and deeply satisfying—making it a standout dish for both weeknight dinners and festive gatherings. Worth the effort for its layers of flavor and the way it effortlessly transports you to sun-drenched shores.
Caribbean Chicken Thighs
Tender chicken thighs marinate in a vibrant blend of pineapple and lime juice, garlic, and fiery jalapeño, balanced by warm cinnamon and allspice with a touch of brown sugar. The result is juicy, caramelized meat with a bright, tangy heat and subtle tropical sweetness. Whether grilled or baked, the dish delivers bold, island-inspired flavors that make every bite feel like a getaway. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a weekend cookout, it’s a simple yet unforgettable taste of the Caribbean.
Caribbean black bean and sweet potato soup
This hearty Caribbean black bean and sweet potato soup delivers a rich, velvety texture balanced by bold, earthy spices. The sweet potatoes melt into the broth, while the black beans add a satisfying chew, all tied together by the warmth of cumin, garlic, and a hint of Scotch bonnet for a slow-building heat. A splash of coconut milk rounds out the dish, creating a creamy, aromatic bowl that’s as nourishing as it is vibrant. Worth the effort for its layers of flavor and the way it transforms simple ingredients into something deeply comforting.
Caribbean Truffle Pie
Ahoy mateys! Ready to set sail on a culinary adventure with my Caribbean Truffle Pie recipe? Get your coconuts, cream cheese, and limes ready, 'cause we're about to make a dessert fit for a pirate king! Ingredients: - 2 cups shredded coconut - 8 oz cream cheese - 4 egg yolks - 1/4 cup flour - 1 cup heavy whipping cream - 1 package lemon pudding mix - 1 lime - 2 tbsp lime juice - 1 tsp lime peel Instructions: 1. Mix shredded coconut, cream cheese, egg yolks, flour, heavy whipping cream, lemon pudding mix, lime juice, and lime peel in a bowl. 2. Pour mixture into a pie crust and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. 3. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. Anecdote: One time, I accidentally added salt instead of sugar to a dessert. Let's just say it wasn't my finest culinary moment! Pro tip: For an extra tropical twist, sprinkle some toasted coconut flakes on top before serving. It adds a delicious crunch! Now go ahead, whip up this Caribbean delight and let your taste buds dance to the rhythm of the islands! Bon appétit, me hearties!
Peppermint White Chocolate Fudge
This creamy white chocolate fudge gets its signature holiday flair from a bright peppermint punch and a dusting of crushed candy canes. The velvety texture melts on the tongue, while the cool, refreshing flavor balances the richness of the white chocolate. Each bite delivers a festive crunch from the candy topping, making it a crowd-pleasing centerpiece for any celebration. Worth the effort for its effortless elegance and nostalgic holiday charm.
Coconut Drops
A Jamaican street classic that needs only three pantry staples. Fresh coconut is boiled with brown sugar and ginger until the mixture thickens into a sticky, caramel-toned mass, then dropped by spoonfuls onto parchment to harden into chewy nuggets with a warm ginger kick. Every Kingston vendor has their ratio — this one leans sweet.
Trinidadian Channa
The chickpea filling that fuels Trinidad's famous doubles — enjoyed here as a standalone snack. Canned chickpeas are simmered with curry powder and garlic until they absorb every bit of spice and turn irresistibly fragrant. Eaten hot from the pan in a paper cup, this is Port of Spain street food at its most essential.
Kassav
The staple flatbread of Haiti and the French Caribbean, made from nothing but cassava flour, coconut milk, and a touch of sugar. Cooked dry in a skillet, it develops crisp edges and a chewy center with a faint coconut sweetness — eaten as a snack, with coffee, or broken into pieces to scoop up stews. Simple, ancient, and deeply satisfying.
Jamaican Festival
Jamaica's beloved fried dough fingers — golden outside, pillowy inside, and subtly sweet from a blend of flour and fine cornmeal. Festival is the classic companion to jerk chicken and escovitch fish at roadside stalls, but eaten solo straight from the fryer, barely cooled, it holds its own as one of the island's most comforting snacks.
Guava Dulce Bites
Concentrated guava sweetness in a two-ingredient confection from Cuba and Puerto Rico. Guava pulp is cooked down with cane sugar until it reaches a dense, jammy paste that sets firm as it cools — then cut into small bites with a deep tropical perfume. Similar to the paste sold in vacuum packs across Latin America, but made fresh in your kitchen.
Tilín Tilín
The sesame seed brittle that rattles in paper bags at Dominican and Puerto Rican corner stores. Toasted sesame seeds are folded into hot caramelized sugar with a whisper of ginger, poured thin, and cracked into shards once cool. Nutty, crunchy, barely sweet — one shard leads immediately to another.
Boule Patate
A Haitian dessert found at holiday tables and street stalls alike — mashed sweet potato and brown sugar rolled into balls and coated in shredded coconut. The natural creaminess of Caribbean sweet potato holds the shape without any binding agent, while the coconut coating adds texture and a tropical aroma that makes these instantly recognizable.