5 Delightful St. Thomas Recipe Favorites

So, after a recent trip to dazzling St. Thomas, you’re missing the rich flavors that helped make your vacation so memorable. St. Thomas recipe favorites are impossible to forget, including fish so fresh it was caught the same day you enjoyed it. 

St. Thomas favorites, such as Creole-style grilled fish and patés, are unforgettable taste sensations that had you smiling so hard your cheeks hurt. 

Well, here at the Wayward Passage Hotel, we want to help you remember not only the incredible flavors you experienced on the island but also how those flavors can bring back vivid memories of St. Thomas’s turquoise waters, its vibrant wildlife, unique shopping experiences, and its fascinating history. 

To help you cast your mind back, here are some amazing St. Thomas recipe favorites that will have you feeling like you are in a dreamy haze, back on the island.

1. Creole-style Grilled Fish

This mouth-watering recipe includes fresh mahi-mahi or red snapper, marinated and grilled, then topped with a sauce featuring thyme, garlic, lemon or lime, onion, bell pepper, tomato, Creole spices, and Scotch bonnet pepper. 

Creole-style grilled fish is a recipe served at popular restaurants all over the island, and will have you fantasizing you are back in St. Thomas in no time. 

For a delicious step-by-step recipe, follow this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLUswmK9H2o&t=20s.

1. Johnny Cakes

These balls of fried bread featuring both salty and sweet flavors are addictive. According to Virgin Island Food Tours, Johnny Cakes originated as “Journey Cakes” because they were long-lasting and easy to carry for enslaved workers and travelers (https://vifoodtours.com/savor-this-johnny-cakes/). 

Workers would often eat these fish or meat-stuffed treats on the way to and from work. Throughout the years, the name eventually morphed into “Johnny Cakes.”

For an authentic USVI recipe, look no further than this one: https://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/st-croix/caribbean-johnny-cake-recipe/.

1. Paté

Locals pronounce this delicacy as “pah-tay,” and it is popular with locals and tourists alike. 

Similar to British pasties or Spanish empanadas, USVI patés are handheld pies stuffed with savory meats and vegetables, surrounded by golden pastry. 

Popular at festivities such as the St. Thomas Carnival, you can also purchase them as a snack at certain eateries on some of the island’s beaches. 

St. Thomas patés are known for their more traditional, thicker, more flaky, deep-fried pastry, compared to St. Croix’s patés, which are more bubbly and airy. 

For an excellent recipe you can make at home, take a look here: https://tasty.co/recipe/virgin-islands-pates.

1. Kallaloo/Callaloo Soup

Kallaloo soup is a rich, leafy green soup believed to have originated in West Africa and to have been brought to the Caribbean by enslaved peoples. 

This soup has since been adapted to use local ingredients, including spinach, fish or crab, okra, and is often served with fungi, according to Virgin Islands Food Tours (https://vifoodtours.com/kallaloo-a-taste-of-crucian-heritage/). 

Kallaloo soup has many steps and can be complicated, but it is considered extremely satiating. 

It is thought the soup may bring good fortune if eaten on “Old Year’s Night,” or December 31st. 

For a satisfying version of this recipe, look no further than this one: https://cruzanfoodie.com/foodiefriday-kallaloo/.

1. Sorrel Tea (Caribbean Spiced Hibiscus Tea)

Sorrel Tea is a popular spiced hibiscus tea often served at Christmas time. It is served chilled and may contain rum. The tea is simmered with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and orange or pineapple peel, and then sweetened with sugar.

You can easily find dried sorrel online at websites like Amazon.com. For a luscious sorrel tea recipe, try this one: https://www.butterbeready.com/caribbean-sorrel-tea/

Please note that sorrel tea can be healthy, but for some, it should be limited or avoided. According to Medical News Today (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318120), women who are breastfeeding or pregnant, people with low blood pressure, and those taking certain medications for diabetes or hypertension should take care, as it could cause adverse effects. 

These recipes are the perfect addition to your weekly lineup of savory dinners that will please everyone at your table. Inspired by the flavors of St. Thomas, they’ll transport you back to your favorite island getaway for a little while.  

When you’re ready for the real thing again, book your next St. Thomas escape at the Windward Passage Hotel!