Tomato-Herb Spaghetti with a Kick
plus Spinach & Toasted Garlic Panko
- Milk
- Wheat
We’ve given classic red-sauce spaghetti a serious glow up! You’ll add in a dose of rich, tangy crème fraîche for velvety richness, a punchy pinch (or two) of crushed chili flakes for heat, a generous handful of spinach for color (and vitamins, why not?), and best of all, a crispy, crunchy toasted garlic-thyme panko topping that, along with a shower of Parmesan, takes this simple, comforting bowl of pasta to the next level.
Ingredients
¼ ounce
Thyme
1 unit
Tomato Paste
5 ounce
Spinach
2 tablespoon
Crème Fraîche
(Contains: Milk)
2 clove
Garlic
3 tablespoon
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Tomato
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains: Wheat)
1 teaspoon
Chili Flakes
6 ounce
Spaghetti
(Contains: Wheat)
Not included in your delivery
2 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Peel and mince or grate garlic. Dice tomato into ½-inch pieces.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add panko, half the garlic, and half the thyme sprigs; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a plate and discard thyme sprigs. Wipe out pan.
• Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve ¼ cup pasta cooking water (1⁄3 cup for 4 servings), then drain.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for panko over medium-high heat. Add diced tomato, remaining garlic, and remaining thyme sprigs; cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato is lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Carefully remove and discard thyme sprigs. • Add tomato paste to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in ¾ cup plain water (1 cup for 4 servings) and as many chili flakes as you like. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has slightly thickened and diced tomato is softened, 2-4 minutes. • Add spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, 1-3 minutes. • Turn off heat; taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
• Return pan with sauce to medium heat. Add drained spaghetti and cook, stirring in splashes of reserved pasta cooking water as needed, until pasta is thoroughly coated in sauce, 1-2 minutes. • Remove from heat and stir in crème fraîche. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. TIP: For a richer pasta, stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) along with crème fraîche.
• Divide pasta between shallow bowls. Top with toasted panko and Parmesan and serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many enjoyed the spicy kick, but some found it bland; consider adjusting chili flakes to taste and adding extra garlic for depth 🌶️.
- Ease of prep: Simple and quick to make, with the seasoned panko topping adding a nice crunch and texture.
- Suggestions: Add more tomatoes or tomato paste for a richer sauce; consider including mushrooms or shrimp for extra flavor and substance.
- Portions: Some felt it needed more sauce; others wished for additional protein to make it more filling.
- Veggies: The spinach was a hit for many, adding color and nutrients; chop it finely for better integration.
Reviews from our home cooks
This is a very nice dish, and the seasoned panko was a very nice touch! It needs more tomatoes, though; 1 is definitely not enough! We augmented with some from our pantry. Also, sadly, only about 1/4 of the spinach was usable 4 days after the delivery arrived.
Another 4 Star recipe! We loved the crunchiness of the Panko, and the "kick" from the chili flakes!
Never thought one tomato some garlic and cream could make such a tasty dish. The chili flakes are a must....I used them all.
Loved that it has a light creamy sauce plus the addition of spinach is an awesome vitamin-rich addition and takes nothing away flavor profile-wise.
The way the thyme was used in this so briefly felt a little wasteful, but it really did taste delicious. I ended up plucking a few of the stems to mix in with the breadcrumbs for a little extra thyme flavor. I also happened to have a surplus of shallots in my kitchen so I chopped one up and sautéed it with the tomatoes. That was also a great addition.
Fabulous and very easy. The additional texture of the panko on top was perfection.
I really enjoyed the spaghettis. My family likes spicy and it's nice that I can control the heat.
I liked this one quite a bit, but I felt it needed more vegetables, so I added mushrooms. I also added sliced almonds along with the panko because I had extra from another meal. The thyme gave it a good flavor, but I also would have liked a veggie stock packet included with this one. For the "kick" I use maple syrup to sweeten instead of the chili flakes, which I never use.
Tomato flavor didn't come through, just got the kick at the end. I think the instruction to add plain water (not the pasta water) messed with the sauce as it never thickened because there was nothing in the pan to thicken.
Real creme fraiche made this one way way better than the usual Hello Fresh recipe that uses sour cream and/or cream cheese in place of more appropriate dairy products. I wasn't excited about yet another tomato based pasta, but this one didn't suck as much as most.
