Learn how to make this delicious spinach dip in bread recipe that can be served with bread or crackers!
Jump to RecipeI came across this recipe for spinach dip stuffed French bread a few years ago and decided to make it on a whim. Best. Decision. Ever.
Seriously, though, I love this stuff! Warm, melty cheeses, fresh bell peppers, a kiss of pesto… all within fluffy French bread. *drool*
My family actually made this spinach dip stuffed bread for dinner this past Mother’s Day, since I (and they, haha) like it so much.
While it may not be the most diet-friendly food, I feel like it’s still a reasonable enough dish to have fairly regularly. It is loaded with veggies after all. 😉
How to Make Baked Spinach Dip in Bread
First, turn your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit so it can preheat.
Then go ahead and saute 1 diced red bell pepper, 1 diced onion, and 1 minced clove of garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once the veggies are softened, add in the spinach (10-12 ounces of frozen spinach that has been thawed, drained, and squeezed to get as much water out as you can), 2 tablespoons of pesto, ½ teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, ¼ teaspoon of paprika, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and ½ cup of mayonnaise. Stir it all together.
Reduce the heat to low and add in 4 ounces of cream cheese, ½ cup of sour cream, 1 cup of grated parmesan (the stuff in the can is fine), and ½ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir it all together and let it get nice and melty! MmmMm! Turn off the heat.
Now take the loaf of French bread and cut a sort of trough out of the middle. I do this by cutting a long rectangle straight down the center of the loaf (without going through the bottom) then pulling that section of bread out, carefully tearing off the bottom part. Set aside the portion of bread you just removed for now.
Next, take that ooey, gooey cheesy goodness and put it all in the cavity in the French bread, spreading it out evenly. Top with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.
Bake it in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, you can cut the removed portion of bread into smaller pieces that you can use to dip in/scoop up the spinach dip filling when it’s time to eat.
Serve with the extra bread or crackers.
We usually have it for dinner, so we cut it into sizeable portions (six pieces from one loaf), but if you’re serving it with other things, then I’d recommend cutting it into smaller portions.
*Tip: hold the spinach dip stuffed French bread with tongs while you cut it so that you don’t burn your fingers trying to hold it still. 😉
So what do you think, would you eat this spinach dip stuffed French bread recipe for dinner, too, or prefer it as an appetizer/party snack?
Baked Spinach Dip in Bread
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10-12 oz frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed to drain out as much moisture as possible)
- 2 Tbsp pesto
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonaisse
- 4 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream or light sour cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese the stuff in the can is fine
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Turn oven to 350°F so it can heat up.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the onion, pepper, and garlic in the oil until the veggies are softened.
- Stir in the spinach, pesto, Worcestershire, paprika, salt, pepper, and mayo.
- Reduce the heat to low, and add the cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan, and cheddar cheese. Stir until it's melty. Remove from heat.
- Hollow out the French bread so that it's like a long bowl or trough.
- Pour the cheesy spinach mixture into the hollowed out bread and spread it evenly.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Serve with the bread that was removed from the French loaf and crackers.
