Kiddipedia
This easy spinach cob loaf recipe 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!
Why We Love This
The epic cob loaf recipe belongs at family gatherings. It’s always one of the first appetisers to go with guests literally ‘scraping the bottom of the barrel’ to get the last dip offerings available!
Cob loaf dips are so quick and easy to prepare, making them a true entertainer’s delight. They’re especially good at pot lucks or Christmas parties.
They even make for a great entrée for a family dinner of 6 – 8 people. You’ll want a light dinner recipe afterwards though, as the dip is surprisingly filling!
What is Cob Loaf?
Cob loaf is a dip served in a bread bowl. It’s a classic Australian party dish, which was super popular in the 80’s but has actually made for over a hundred years. In recent years it has made a huge comeback – and rightly so in our opinion!
Spinach dip loaf is one of the most traditional and popular fillings, right alongside cheese and bacon. Which makes us think, we’d love to serve this up next to our honey baked camembert. We’d definitely be dipping into all three.
Where We Learnt This
Mum’s recipes are always a favourite. They hold that nostalgia of parties, barbecues and just general good times. So of course we went to see her to ask exactly how she makes it so tasty every. single. time.
What You’ll Need
Six simple ingredients really bring together a fantastic dish to impress!
- Cob Loaf – We use a plain white cob loaf from the supermarket. You can also use sourdough, wholemeal or homemade if you prefer.
- 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 – This brings the creaminess to the dish and works so well with the spinach and onion. You can substitute with cream cheese or ricotta if you prefer.
- Mayonnaise – We love Kewpie mayonnaise in everything, as it really takes this cob loaf recipe to the next level. You can substitute with regular whole egg mayonnaise if you prefer, or omit and use more sour cream instead.
- Spring Vegetable Soup Powder – This adds huge flavour to the mix. There’s plenty of salt in here, so you shouldn’t need any extra, but you can add in a crack of black pepper if you want. Sub with other flavours like French onion soup or 2 tbsp of vegetable or chicken stock. For a less salty result, use 1 tbsp of chopped garlic instead.
- Red Onion – The crunch this adds to the dish is wonderful. You can also substitute with other popular options such as spring onion or water chestnuts.
How to Make Cob Loaf
- Prepare the cob loaf:
- Preheat the oven to 110°C / 230°F. Slice 2 cm / 1 inch off the top of the cob loaf using a sharp serrated knife to create a lid. Scoop out the soft bread inside, breaking it up into bite size pieces. Place the bread pieces, hollow cob loaf and the lid onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 5-10 minutes to lightly crisp the bread.
Make the spinach dip:
- 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 as much liquid as you can.
- Place the spinach into a medium mixing bowl. Add in the sour cream, Kewpie mayonnaise, red onion and spring vegetable soup powder. Mix well.
Optional: Cover and place in the fridge for an hour (up to overnight) to allow the flavours from the soup mix to really soak into the dip.
To serve:
- Preheat the oven again to 180°C / 360°F. Spoon 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. Transfer to a large serving plate or platter. Cut the lid into bite size pieces and arrange them around the cob loaf with the bread pieces. Serve immediately.
Wandercook’s Tips
- Serving – For the freshest results, pop the filling into 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 a sheet of 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 and will become increasingly soggy. Best enjoyed fresh!
- Need another dip? Make a quick mushroom pate to serve it up along side for any extra bread. Or whip up our creamy chicken and corn cob loaf dip instead.
Thanks to Wandercooks
The original recipe can be seen here.
