Creamy Spinach Dip Sourdough (Print Version)

Warm spinach and cheese blend nestled in a crusty sourdough bread bowl for cozy gatherings.

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Bread

01 - 1 large round sourdough loaf (approximately 1.32 pounds)

→ Dip Base

02 - 9 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
03 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
04 - 7 ounces sour cream
05 - 4.2 ounces mayonnaise
06 - 2.6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 5.3 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1 small onion, finely diced
10 - ½ teaspoon salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 350°F and allow it to fully preheat.
02 - Slice off the top of the sourdough loaf and carefully hollow out the center, keeping a ¾ to 1-inch thick shell intact. Cube the removed bread for serving.
03 - In a large bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella, minced garlic, diced onion, salt, pepper, and nutmeg into a smooth mixture.
04 - Fold the thoroughly drained spinach into the cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
05 - Spoon the dip mixture into the hollowed sourdough loaf. Place the filled loaf and the bread cubes on a baking sheet.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the dip bubbles and the top turns golden.
07 - Garnish the dip with chopped fresh chives, if using, and serve immediately with the toasted bread cubes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bread bowl does half the impressing for you—guests will remember the presentation long after the last bite.
  • It's creamy without being heavy, thanks to the balance of sour cream and Parmesan that keeps things bright.
  • You can have this bubbling hot and ready in under 45 minutes, which means no stressing in the kitchen while people are arriving.
02 -
  • Drain your spinach obsessively—I learned this the hard way when a watery dip separated and looked more like soup than dip.
  • Don't skip the softening of cream cheese; it distributes smoothly and prevents a grainy texture that'll disappoint you halfway through.
  • The bread bowl will absorb some dip while it bakes, so make your mixture slightly thicker than you think it needs to be.
03 -
  • Make the filling up to a day ahead and refrigerate it; you'll only bake it when guests are about to arrive.
  • If your bread bowl feels unstable, wrap the bottom in foil before filling so it doesn't tip over in the oven.

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