Creamy Spinach Cob Loaf Party Dip

This creamy Spinach Cob Loaf dip is the ultimate party food perfect for the festive season. Its baked in the oven for 10 minutes and can be served hot or cold.

Recipe Highlights

• An Aussie classic and perfect for your next party
• Creamy and cheesy on the inside with crusty bread to scoop the dip
• Flavors of garlic, basil, butter, spinach, and tasty cheese
• No Cream Cheese or French Onion Soup needed!
• Serve it hot or cold
• You can eat the bread bowl
• Add in bacon bits, diced water chestnuts, or extra spices

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Bread Loaf: You'll need a a cob loaf for this recipe. If its not available, a good substitute would be ciabatta or any other rustic round loaf.
• Spinach: I like using frozen spinach because I prefer the softer texture.
• Garlic: crushed garlic, garlic paste or garlic powder will work
• Onion: Diced onion is best, although you could use onion powder
• Cheese: I use tasty cheese, and any hard grated cheese will work, although low fat may not be as creamy
• Milk: Full fat milk is recommended to achieve a creamy dip.

What is a Cob Loaf

A cob loaf is a round bread, resembling a large bowl with its top cut off and insides hollowed out. The bread chunks are arranged on a tray, and the creamy cheese filling, cooked on the stove, is poured into the hollowed bread bowl.

Baked for around 12 minutes, the result is a warm and crusty exterior with the bread chunks ready to scoop up the cheesy goodness, making the cob loaf essentially a dip in a bread.

Serve cob loaf with other Appetizers or party favorites like Jalapeno Poppers, Chicken Wings and Popcorn Prawns.

How To Make

Prepare Bread

1. Cut the top of the cob loaf and set bread top aside as it will be needed later.
2. Hollow out the bread loaf, by picking out the inside of the bread in chunks and place on a baking tray

Make Filling

1. Cook onion, garlic & spinach: Heat a pan on medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until onion starts to soften. Add spinach and gently stir through heating for a minute, then remove from heat and set aside.
2. Make paste with flour and butter: In a separate pot, set on high heat and melt the butter. As the last of the butter melts, remove from heat and add the flour, stirring through with a spoon to make a paste.
3. Add milk to create creamy sauce: Place pot back on stove on high heat and add 1 cup of the milk, whisking to break down the paste and to thicken the milk. As the milk starts to thicken consistency, add the second cup of milk and stir continuously for 2 minutes. Add in the grated cheese, garlic and diced basil and stir through for a couple minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken.
4. Add Spinach mixture into white sauce: Add spinach/onion/garlic mixture to the creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper, stirring through. Once combined, remove from heat

Bake

1. Pour the hot dip into the hollowed cob loaf. Arrange the bread chunks and bread lid on the baking tray around the bread bowl
2. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees C/350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, gently stir the cheese spinach sauce with a spoon and serve immediately.

How To Eat Cob Loaf

• The best way to eat cob loaf is with your fingers. 
• This is not fancy or fussy food.  It's a dip, so dig into the bread pieces and use them to scoop up  the dip into a good old mouthful.
• When all the bread pieces have been eaten, eat the bread bowl starting from the top, scooping the dip as you tear off chunks.
• Add celery sticks, carrot sticks and other vegie sticks to platter for dipping

Common Questions

Add Ins

1. Bacon: Upgrade your spinach cob loaf with ½ to 1 cup of diced, crispy bacon for a smoky crunch that perfectly complements the richness of spinach and cheese.
2. Black Pepper: Elevate flavor with a dash of freshly ground black pepper, adding subtle warmth to the dip.
3. Parmesan Cheese: Enhance richness with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, bringing a nutty and savory depth to the creamy spinach filling in your cob loaf.
4. Water Chestnuts: Introduce crunch with chopped water chestnuts for texture and mild sweetness.

Recipe Tips

• Thoroughly Drain the Spinach: Frozen spinach tends to retain moisture, and excess water can make your cob loaf soggy. After thawing the spinach, be sure to squeeze out as much water as possible. You can use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to press and drain the spinach effectively.
• Experiment with Cheese Varieties: While cheese is a star player in a spinach cob loaf, consider experimenting with different cheese varieties to find your perfect blend. Mix in options like mozzarella, Parmesan, or even a touch of cream cheese for a richer and more diverse flavor profile.
• Serve at the Right Temperature: Allow your spinach cob loaf to rest for a few minutes after baking before serving. This gives the filling a chance to set slightly. While it's delicious warm, serving it piping hot may cause the filling to be too loose. Finding that sweet spot between warm and set will ensure a perfect slice every time.
• Make Ahead: the spinach dip can be made ahead of time and added into the bread bowl when you are ready to bake it.
• Transporting the Dip: put the top of the loaf (the lid) on the bread bowl. Place everything on a tray, including bread pieces and cover securely with foil.

I have made and eaten this recipe many times over the years and my favorite way to serve this creamy dip is at room temperature.  So its not too hot, and not cold. It really is the perfect appetizer for family gatherings. I love dipping the warm chunks of crusty bread into the gooey cheesy spinach dip and eating all the way down to the bread bowl!

More Aussie Classics

• Chocolate Coconut Date Balls
• Chocolate Weetbix Balls
• Healthy Caramel Slice
• Banana Pikelets
• Tuna Mornay Pasta Bake
• Salmon Fritters
• Corn Fritters

Creamy Spinach Cob Loaf Dip

Kim MorrisKim

This Spinach Cob Loaf is the ultimate party food perfect for the festive season. Its baked in the oven for 10 minutes and can be served hot or cold.

4.86 from 7 votes

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Course Appetizer

Servings 5

Calories 401 kcal

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

½x1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 Cob Bread Loaf
• ▢ 1 packet Frozen Spinach - (250 grams or 1 cup)
• ▢ ¼ cup Butter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons flour
• ▢ 2 cups Milk
• ▢ ½ cup grated cheese
• ▢ 1 teaspoons crushed garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon diced basil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

Bread:

• Begin by slicing off the top of the cob loaf, cutting about a quarter down from the top, leaving three-quarters of the loaf intact. Set the top aside; you'll need it later. Hollow out the cob by scooping out chunks of bread, placing them on a baking tray.

Filling:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F. On medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in a pan until the onions soften. Add spinach, stir briefly to heat, then set aside.
• In a separate pot, melt butter over high heat. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir to create a paste. Return the pot to high heat, add one cup of milk, whisk vigorously to break down the paste and thicken the milk. Repeat with the second cup of milk, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.
• Add grated cheese, garlic, and diced basil, stirring for a few more minutes as the sauce thickens. Introduce the spinach/onion/garlic mixture, season with salt and pepper, and stir until well combined. Remove from heat.
• Pour the creamy filling into the hollowed-out bread bowl. Place the bread chunks and the lid around the bread bowl on the baking tray. Bake at 180 degrees C/350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Once out of the oven, gently stir the cheese-spinach sauce, and serve immediately. Enjoy the gooey goodness!

Notes

• • Bread Loaf: You'll need a a cob loaf for this recipe. If its not available, a good substitute would be ciabatta or any other rustic round loaf.
  • Spinach: I like using frozen spinach because I prefer the softer texture.
  • Garlic: crushed garlic, garlic paste or garlic powder will work.
  • Onion: Diced onion is best, although you could use onion powder.
  • Cheese: I use tasty cheese, and any hard grated cheese will work, although low fat may not be as creamy.
  • Milk: Full fat milk is recommended to achieve a creamy dip.
• Tips: 
  • Thoroughly Drain the Spinach: Frozen spinach tends to retain moisture, and excess water can make your cob loaf soggy. After thawing the spinach, be sure to squeeze out as much water as possible. You can use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to press and drain the spinach effectively.
  • Transporting the Dip: put the top of the loaf (the lid) on the bread bowl. Place everything on a tray, including bread pieces and cover securely with foil.
    Make Ahead: the spinach dip can be made ahead of time and added into the bread bowl when you are ready to bake it.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 11gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 12gSugar: 5g

Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.

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