Healthy Caribbean Recipes

Find healthy, delicious Caribbean recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Spicy Jerk Shrimp

Rating: 5 stars
5
Here's a shrimp sheet pan supper that's roasted and caramelized to perfection! The pineapple in this recipe makes a sweet sauce that balances the heat of the Jamaican jerk seasoning.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Rating: 4.94 stars
1
Blackened salmon is great in a sandwich with a spread of mashed avocado and low-fat mayonnaise plus peppery arugula leaves, cool tomato slices and zesty red onion. We grill our Cajun-style salmon so there is no need for any added cooking oil. Catfish makes an excellent stand-in for the salmon but you'll want to use a grill basket if you have one to keep the fish from breaking apart.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pineapple Smoothie

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
A touch of pineapple-orange juice concentrate adds even more pineapple flavor to this refreshing smoothie.
By Patsy Jamieson

Slow-Cooker Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice)

Rating: 5 stars
1
This one-pot chicken dinner, inspired by the traditional dish of Spain and Latin America, comes together easily in the crock pot. The instant brown rice is added near the end, to keep it from overcooking.
By Laura Walsh

Jerk Chicken & Pineapple Slaw

Rating: 5 stars
1
Ready in under 30 minutes, this spicy chicken dish with sweet pineapple slaw is perfect for any night of the week.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Pineapple & Avocado Salad

Rating: 5 stars
5
This refreshing, simple Cuban salad recipe captures the flavors of the tropics. Serve alongside spiced chicken or pork, with rice and beans.
By Darra Goldstein

Puerto Rican Fish Stew (Bacalao)

Rating: 4.78 stars
5
Bacalao, salted dried codfish, is the defining ingredient in traditional Puerto Rican fish stew, but salt cod requires overnight soaking and several rinses in cool water before it can be used, so we opt for fresh fish in this quick version. Serve with crusty rolls to soak up the juices.
By Scott Rosenbaum

Curried Fish

Rating: 4 stars
7
Though curried goat, chicken and shrimp are more popular in Jamaica than fish, food journalist Jacqui Sinclair's curry with mild mahi-mahi is a delicious and light alternative. Serve over rice.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Cuban Cauliflower Rice Bowl

Rating: 5 stars
5
In this riff on a healthy grain bowl recipe we use cauliflower rice instead of another whole grain like brown rice to cut back on carbs and load up on veggie servings. A simple citrusy mojo sauce drizzled on top gives this easy lunch or dinner a Cuban flair.
By Carolyn Casner

Blueberry-Banana Smoothie (Batido)

Rating: 5 stars
3
Refreshing and colorful fruit smoothies called batidos are served at Cuban snack bars all over Florida--try this recipe with blueberries and banana for a vacation in a cup.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Instant-Pot Mojo Pork

Rating: 5 stars
3
In Cuba, lechon asado (roast pork) is marinated in mojo, a citrus-herb sauce. In this Instant-Pot pork recipe, the pressure cooker infuses similar flavor into pork shoulder. No pressure cooker? Braise the meat in a large pot in a 300 degrees F oven for 4 to 5 hours.
By Breana Killeen

Broiled Ginger-Lime Chicken

Rating: 4.25 stars
7
Flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and lime, this marinated chicken recipe is a favorite in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. Serve with rice or couscous and black beans.
By Kathy Gunst
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Inspiration and Ideas

Caribbean Bowls

Caribbean Bowls
Rating: Unrated
2
This tropical dish is made complete with Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. Pork, rice, and beans combine with pineapple and red onion in a delicious honey-lime vinaigrette.
Virgin Banana Pina Colada

Virgin Banana Pina Colada
Rating: Unrated
1
This lower-calorie, nonalcoholic version of pina colada uses ripe bananas blended with fresh pineapple and coconut milk. Serve it in festive tropical-drink glasses.
Pork Picadillo

Pork Picadillo
Rating: Unrated
3
Fish with Coconut-Shallot Sauce

Fish with Coconut-Shallot Sauce
Rating: Unrated
6
Pressure-Cooker Chicken & Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Pressure-Cooker Chicken & Rice (Arroz con Pollo)
Rating: Unrated
3
Fresh Mint Mojito Cocktail

Fresh Mint Mojito Cocktail

Cuban Beef Picadillo over Plantain Mash

Ground beef cooked with tomatoes and briny olives can be found all over Latin America. This is a favorite Cuban variation served over plantains, starchy vegetables that look like giant bananas. You can also serve the picadillo over rice or potatoes, so this easy dinner recipe is versatile too.

All Healthy Caribbean Recipes

Hawaiian Steak Fajitas with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Rating: 5 stars
1
Prepeeled pineapple, presliced peppers and onions and fresh pico de gallo help this quick, healthy dinner recipe come together in a flash. Chicken tenders are a good substitute for the steak if you prefer. Blend up some margaritas and call it a party.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Crab Cake Burgers

Rating: 4.58 stars
11
These burgers have a true crab flavor that isn't masked by fillers or strong seasoning. Serve on a bun with tartar sauce or with a lemon-juice-dressed salad of greens, sprouts and sliced peaches. This recipe works best with convenient pasteurized crabmeat, usually found in the refrigerated case near the fish counter. If you prefer lump crabmeat, cut it into small, uniform pieces.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sauteed Snapper & Shrimp with Creole Sauce

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
In this island-inspired fish recipe, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes and wine complement the shrimp and fish. Serve this healthy fish recipe with brown rice, couscous or quinoa to soak up the fragrant sauce.
By Kathy Gunst

Caramel Cream Cheese Custard (Flan de Queso)

Rating: 4.33 stars
3
Every panaderia (bakery) in Puerto Rico has many flavors of flan, from vanilla to guava. Reduced-fat cream cheese gives this version a rich, comforting texture.
By Scott Rosenbaum

Sweet Potato Pudding Cake

Rating: 4.5 stars
6
This cake was inspired by the one of the most popular Jamaican desserts, sweet potato pudding. Traditionally, raw shredded sweet potatoes are used, but we found that sweet potatoes sold in the U.S. don't provide the same texture as those in Jamaica. Instead, we mix mashed sweet potato with eggs and flour to get a slightly different, but equally delicious, cheesecake-like result.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Black Bean & Mango Salad

Coleslaw mix--a combination of shredded cabbage and carrots--makes this healthy lunch salad recipe quick to prepare. The coleslaw-bean mixture can also be used as a delicious taco topping.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Mango-Passion Fruit Smoothie

Tangy passion fruit pairs well with mango in this tropical-flavored smoothie.
By Patsy Jamieson

Rose Mojito

A homemade simple syrup fragrant with delicate rose petals is an easy way to elevate cocktail hour. Find dried rose petals online, or in the bulk herb section of well-stocked supermarkets and natural-foods stores.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Banana-Kiwi Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
Put away any preconceived notions of Grandma's fruit salad. This unusual combination of tropical fruit in a savory shallot vinaigrette will have you dreaming of the tropics.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Caribbean Couscous Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
Mango, bell peppers, and black beans combine with whole-wheat couscous in this Caribbean-inspired grain salad. The ginger-lime dressing has a touch of cayenne pepper and provides just the right amount of zing!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Caribbean Tofu with Black Beans and Rice

Grilled slices of tofu are marinated in a pineapple-cilantro mixture and served with black beans and brown rice in this Caribbean-inspired main dish. Be sure to use extra firm tofu to prevent it from breaking apart while cooking this flavorful recipe.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Hawaiian Turkey Sliders

Grilled pineapple tops flavorful turkey burgers to give this easy slider recipe Hawaiian flair.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Jamaican Escovitch Fish

This is a traditional way that fish is served in Jamaica that is similar to the escabeches of the Spanish-speaking islands. It is traditionally served with bammy (also spelled bammie), a cassava flatbread, but I like to eat it with rice to better soak up the marinade. This recipe makes four cups of pickled vegetables: You can use it all or reserve some and use the leftovers as a complement to other fish or meat dishes or in sandwiches. Read more about this recipe in the article This Tangy Escovitch Fish Connects Jamaica to Its Spanish Past.
By Jessica B. Harris

Coconut-Rum Banana Bread

Rating: 5 stars
2
In this island-inspired whole-wheat banana bread recipe, coconut, brown sugar and ginger come together for a wonderful twist to make this our new favorite healthy quick bread.
By Kathy Gunst

Jerk-Spiced Chicken with Charred Pineapple Salsa

Jamaican jerk chicken is traditionally marinated at least overnight and then grilled low and slow for fall-apart tenderness. Here, we coat chicken in store-bought seasoning but cook it in a pan for a faster version. Searing pineapple caramelizes its natural sugars and releases some of its juices—making for a more flavorful salsa that plays beautifully with the seasoning on the chicken.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Banana Corn Fritters

Rating: 3.75 stars
4
Savory, smoky and slightly sweet, these are great with roast pork loin, a hearty bowl of black bean soup or barbecued chicken legs and coleslaw. Dotted with creme fraiche, they make an exotic appetizer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Caribbean Chicken & Pineapple Kebabs with Banana Salad

Rating: 4.6 stars
4
A Caribbean-inspired marinade for these chicken-and-pineapple kebabs is flavored with pineapple juice, soy sauce, plenty of spices and spiked with rum. It's moderately spicy from the use of jalapeño, but not nearly as spicy as the well-known jerk marinade, which uses the extremely hot Scotch bonnet chile. If spicy-hot is not your thing, leave the jalapeño out or use half. The creamy banana salad is a soothing counterpoint, but skip it if you like.
By Bruce Aidells

Quick Pepperpot Soup

Rating: 3 stars
3
Jamaican pepperpot soup is usually a long-simmered preparation made with tough cuts of meat and vegetables. This version uses quick-cooking sirloin instead to get it on the table fast. If you're not a fan of beef, try the soup with shrimp instead.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Fresh Peach Mojito

Enjoy the refreshing and summery taste of ripened peach and zesty lime in this refreshing cocktail, with or without alcohol.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Puerto Rican Sofrito

Sofrito is a flavorful cooking base for all sorts of dishes. It has countless variations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. This Puerto Rican sofrito contains tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell pepper and cilantro. Make a batch to use for flavoring rice, stews and much more. Try it in Mofongo Dressing for Thanksgiving (see Associated Recipes).
By Illyanna Maisonet

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Unlike many black bean soups, this one is pepper-packed and leaves the beans intact for a more interesting texture. It's equally delicious served on its own or over rice.
By Lisa Holderness Brown

Cherry Piña Colada Smoothie

Cherries add tangy flair to the traditional piña colada flavors of pineapple and coconut in this healthy fruit smoothie recipe that will have you dreaming of a beach vacation.
By Breana Killeen

Bananas Foster

This famous New Orleans banana dessert recipe gets a kick from rum (we like dark). Impress your friends with this healthy fruit dessert tonight!
By Kathy Gunst

Bell Pepper, Bok Choy & Pork Stir-Fry

Rating: 5 stars
1
This healthy pepper and pork stir-fry recipe has a citrusy mojo sauce. Because stir-fries cook up quickly, have all the ingredients prepped and next to the stove before you turn on the heat. Serve over brown rice or rice noodles.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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