Jamaican Dishes: 12 Foods That Are [Ridiculously] Tasty
Jamaican dishes are so flavorful that they hit you with spices, rich textures, and everything the country has to offer. From jerk chicken to curry goat, every bite has a new taste.
And because of the country’s deep culture of African, Indian, Chinese, and British influences, it is a boiling pot of flavor.
Some dishes taste best when made at home, like rice and peas simmered in coconut milk or a pot of oxtail bubbling away on a Sunday afternoon.
Others, like patties fresh from a bakery or escovitch fish served beachside, are best enjoyed out.
My granny is Jamaican, so I am thrilled to share some of her must-try dishes. I grew up with food that was seasoned heavily with pimento, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper.
As someone who lives and breathes Caribbean flavors, I’ve tried every dish on this list and stand by each one.
1. Ackee and Saltfish
You haven’t truly tasted Jamaica until you’ve had ackee and saltfish. The island’s national dish.
It is filled with sautéed onions, scotch bonnet, tomato, saltfish ackee, just to name a few. You know she is making this dish on a Saturday morning when you hear some Dennis Brown “Hear I come.”
Most of the time, I make ackee; they are fresh, but the canned ackee isn’t that bad, and you can find them in most Caribbean or international stores.
2. Jerk Chicken
What, you have not tasted jerk chicken? I don’t believe you. Jerk chicken is one of Jamaica’s most popular dishes.
Jerk chicken is unlike any grilled chicken you’ve ever tasted—it’s smoky, spicy, and ridiculously tasty.
It is deeply woven into Jamaican culture, often served at family gatherings, street festivals, and weekend cookouts. This chicken has scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, thyme, scallions, and a few secret touches passed down through generations.
3. Curry Goat
There are many curry recipes in Jamaica, but one of the best is curry goat. It is again very popular, so you can find it everywhere you look.
However, if you want the authentic curry experience, you will have to make it yourself. The dish has Jamaican curry, which is a different mix compared to Chinese or Thai curry.
It has goat thyme, garlic, and Scotch bonnet peppers. The meat is then browned and simmered until tender, often with potatoes and carrots.
4. Brown Stew Chicken
Brown stew chicken is one of those Jamaican dishes that’s all about comfort. Similarly, it’s a staple in many homes, especially on a Sunday.
The chicken is seasoned generously, then browned until the edges caramelize, and finally simmered in a rich gravy with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
Arguably, the most satisfying part of brown stew chicken is the gravy. I usually eat it with white rice and fry plantains on the side.
5. Oxtail
Since 1993, oxtail has been popular in my home. Now, you will find oxtail everywhere. As a result, the price for oxtail has risen, but I still enjoy it stewed, in mac and cheese, pizza, and even soups.
The best oxtails are slow-cooked. I love it when the meat falls off the bone. My blog has many recipes for oxtail. I have a recipe for stew oxtail and even oxtail patties.
6. Callaloo
Callaloo is a fan favorite in both Jamaica and Trinidad. While I prefer the Trinidadian version the most, nothing beats a homemade callaloo.
It’s made with amaranth or taro leaves and is steamed down with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and Scotch bonnet pepper. Some folks add saltfish, others toss in okra or coconut milk.
I grew up eating callaloo with boiled dumplings or a slice of hard dough bread. Now, I pair it with rice and brown stew chicken.
7. Escovitch Fish
Everyone loves a good Escovitch fish. Not enough credit is given to this dish.
This dish has fried fish topped with a spicy, tangy pickled vegetable sauce. It’s usually made with whole snapper, seasoned and fried until golden, then drenched in a mix of vinegar, onions, carrots, and Scotch bonnet peppers.
It is a good as it looks. My favorite recipe to follow is from CaribbeanPot.com.
8. Jamaican Patties
Jamaican patties are one of those grab-and-go patties I crave when I want something warm and flaky.
These pastries are stuffed with seasoned ground beef, chicken, or veggies in a turmeric-tinted crust that flakes.
They’re sold everywhere, but homemade always tastes the best. For a recipe that I love to follow, I recommend Immaculate Bites’ Jamaican Beef Patties—it’s flavorful, authentic, and easy to follow.
9. Rice And Peas
This dish honestly makes the greatest side dish.
Rice and peas is one of those dishes I grew up eating on Sundays. This beloved side pairs fluffy rice with red kidney beans (or gungo peas), cooked in coconut milk, scallions, garlic, and Scotch bonnet.
It’s the backbone of Jamaican meals and is served with everything from jerk chicken to curry goat.
10. Festival
I haven’t had Jamaican festivals in a while, but now I want some.
It’s a slightly sweet fried dumpling made with cornmeal and flour. You will love how crispy the outside is, and it’s soft inside. Perfect for jerk chicken and escovitch fish.
Festival is a side dish that makes dinner more flavorful and takes 30 minutes to make.
11. Stew Peas
I am in love with Jamaican stew peas.
This dish is simple to make and goes with basically everything. No matter what you eat, stew peas with; that taste is amazing.
Stew peas have red kidney beans, coconut milk, and salted meat with beef or pigtail plus spinners, those tiny flour dumplings that soak up all the flavor.
12. Bammy
Alright, Bammy will forever be one of my favorite sides to pair with fried fish. It has grated cassava, soaked in coconut milk, and then fried golden and crispy.
So if you want something traditional, comforting, and ridiculously good, then this needs to be one of the Jamaican dishes you try this week.
