Spinach Cob Loaf is a classic Aussie party dip and such an entertainer's delight. You'll need just 6 easy ingredients, and your friends will be begging for the recipe!
Slice around 2 cm / 1 inch off the top of the cob loaf, and remove the soft bread inside. Break it up into bite size pieces and place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Add the lid and empty cob loaf and pop the tray into the oven for 5-10 minutes to lightly crisp the bread.
1 cob loaf
Lay two sheets of paper towel on a plate and place the thawed spinach in the middle. Wrap up into a tight ball and squeeze out the extra water.
250 g spinach
Unwrap the spinach and place in a medium bowl. Next, add in the sour cream, Kewpie mayonnaise, red onion and spring vegetable soup powder. Mix together until combined well.
1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise, 1 red onion, 1 spring vegetable soup mix
Optional: Cover and place in the fridge for an hour (up to overnight) to allow the flavours to develop further from the soup mix.
When Ready To Serve
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 360°F.
Scoop the spinach dip into the cob loaf and place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 5 minutes to slightly warm the dip. Remove and place on a large plate. Cut the lid into bite size pieces and add them and the remaining bread pieces around cob loaf dip. Serve immediately.
Serving - For the freshest results, pop the filling in the bread just before serving. You can make the spinach filling the day before to save on time if you need.
Storage - If you need to transport the dip, you can cover the loaf and pieces with aluminium foil to keep everything fresh on arrival.
Leftovers - Any leftovers (doubt there will be!) won't keep well, as the dip soaks into the bread over time, so we recommend you throw it out.
Ingredients:
Cob Loaf - Plain white works well from the supermarket. You can also use sourdough, wholemeal or homemade.
Spinach - Frozen spinach works a treat here. We used half a bag (250g) and thawed it quickly in the microwave in about a minute or two, before breaking it apart with a fork. You can also use fresh spinach, just chop it up and steam or boil it first, then use as per normal in the recipe once cooled.
Sour Cream - Substitute with cream cheese or ricotta if you prefer.
Mayonnaise - Substitute with regular whole egg mayonnaise if you prefer, or omit and use more sour cream instead.
Spring Vegetable Soup Powder - Substitute with French onion soup or 2 tbsp of vegetable or chicken stock. For a less salty result, use 1 tbsp of chopped garlic.
Red Onion - Can sub with spring onion or water chestnuts.