Meet Australia’s favourite dip!!! This Spinach French Onion Cob Dip is made using a French Onion Soup mix and is served in a cob bread loaf. It is unapologetically retro, gloriously unfashionable, breaks every real-food rule I preach, and is completely addictive!!
Spinach French Onion Cob Dip
This dip has been a fixture at Australian gatherings for decades, and when you take one bite you will understand why!! It is a French onion dip with spinach stirred through it that is famously served in a hollowed out cob loaf, a round crusty bread loaf that doubles as an edible serving bowl. Ripping into the dip-soaked bread at the end is the best part!!
And if you grew up in Australia, you already know that there is one sacred rule about this dip – it must, I repeat MUST, be made using a packet of French onion soup mix rather than caramelising onions yourself. Now is not the time to get snobby on me and insist you’re going to make it from scratch, Australia does not approve! Some things are perfect exactly as they are, and this Spinach French Onion Cobb Loaf Dip is one of them. 🥰
(PS Save onion caramelisation efforts for this Homemade French Onion Dip, it is truly worth every minute!)
Ingredients in Spinach French Onion Cob Dip
This dip is such a staple in Australian households there is a recipe on the back of the French Onion soup packet – 1 packet soup mix, 300g/10oz sour cream, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 box frozen spinach. I personally find it too salty, the French onion flavour overpowering, and it’s too heavy on mayo-grease. My version uses half the mayonnaise and has a whole block of cream cheese for extra creaminess and a more balanced, less salty flavour.
French Onion Soup Powder (40g/1.4 oz) – You need one whole packet of French onion soup powder. Unlike my retro French Onion Soup Dip, salt-reduced won’t work here, you will find the dip under-seasoned. We need all the salt!
Cob bread loaf – This is a round crusty bread that’s sold here in Australia. I prefer a sourdough one because it’s sturdier, so the bread pieces don’t fall apart when dipped and the bowl itself is solid. Choose one on the smaller side, around 25cm/10″, so the dip fills the bowl right to the top. If you can only find a large one (some are mega!), make your bowl shallower. 🙂
⚡️Newsflash – it doesn’t have to be round! If you can’t find a round cob loaf, any bread loaf will be fine. A small to medium sourdough or pana di casa would be terrific.
⚡️Another newsflash! Bread doesn’t have to be present! You can even serve the dip in a regular bowl and pile crackers, chips, veggie sticks on the side. 🙂Frozen chopped spinach – You could sauté fresh baby spinach or English spinach instead, but I never have and probably never will, not for this dip!!
Mayonnaise – I recommend using whole egg mayonnaise which has a smoother flavour, less vinegary and less sweet than regular mayonnaise. I like S&W and Hellmans. Kewpie would also work.
Sour cream – The recipe calls for 300g / 10oz which is one of the standard size tubs we get here in Australia. If you have a 250g/8oz one, just top up with yogurt or more mayonnaise rather than getting a whole second tub just to use a bit. Substitute with a thick plain yogurt and an extra dollop or two of mayonnaise.
Cream cheese – This is not an ingredient listed in the back-of-packet recipe for Spinach French Onion Dip. But I like to use it because it gives the dip a lovely velvety, rich dip texture without using copious amounts of mayonnaise. If you don’t have it, you can substitute with an extra 1/2 cup each of mayonnaise and sour cream.
That’s it! No salt, no pepper, no fresh anything. How good is that! 😉
How to make Spinach French Onion Dip
I use a “make it now” method because I never seem to have the foresight to plan ahead to allow things to soften or thaw. But, if you are more organised than me, you can skip the microwaving steps. 🙂
1. The dip
Soften cream cheese – Put the cream cheese in a microwave-proof bowl and break it up roughly into 8 or so chunks using the wooden spoon you plan to mix the dip with. Microwave for 30 seconds on high, then mix until it’s smooth and quite loose, like sour cream.
Add the sour cream, mayonnaise and French Onion Soup powder, and give it a good mix.
Thaw and squeeze – Thaw the frozen spinach in the microwave – it takes me 1 1/2 minutes on high. Then grab handfuls and squeeze out excess water.
Mix in spinach – Add the spinach into the dip and mix. Dip, done! You culinary genius, you!! 🥳
3 hour rest – Put the bowl in the fridge for 3 hours (or even overnight) to let the flavours meld.
Pour the dip into the cob loaf bowl (below) and serve with the bread pieces on the side for dipping!
warm baked version
I usually serve this dip at room temperature, but there is something very cosy about serving it warm from the oven! I loosely wrap the dip filled bread with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Oil spray and salt the bread pieces, scatter around the unwrapped cob dip and bake for a further 15 minutes until the bread pieces are lightly browned. I’ve popped these directions in the recipe card too.
2. cutting the Cob loaf bowl
You can cut the bread bowl out using this method no matter what shape your bread is. You can even do this with individual bread rolls – imagine that! Your very own cob dip, all to yourself!! 🎉
Cob loaf bowl – Cut the lid off the cob bread (about 2.5cm / 1″). Use a bread knife for this, it’s easiest!
Cut circle – Cut a circle into the bread, leaving a 1.5 – 2cm edge and base (0.6 – 0.8″) . Take care not to cut all the way through the base.
Score the middle of the bread into 2.5cm / 1″ squares.
Pull the pieces out to create the bowl.
Cob loaf dip bowl, done! 🎉
Cut the lid into 2.5cm / 1″ pieces.
Ripping into that bread bowl!
I recommend adding some crackers or chips on the side too (or, I suppose, veggie sticks), because you’ll end up with more dip than the bread alone can handle . My favourite is plain crinkle cut potato chips. They go SO WELL with French Onion flavoured dips – try it once and you’ll be converted for life!
And don’t forget, while ordinarily you feel a sense of sadness as you see a bowl of dip nearing the end, with a cob loaf dip it’s actually cause for celebration. Because now you get to rip apart the dip-soaked bread bowl!! Frankly, some would argue this is the whole reason we made the dip in the first place – and I would find it difficult to disagree……🥰
There you go. A great Australian classic. Brilliant in its simplicity. Don’t overthink it. Just embrace the powder.
Hope you get a chance to try it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Spinach French Onion Cob Dip
Ingredients
- 1 packet (40g/1.4oz) French onion soup mix powder, full salt (not low salt)
- 250g/8 oz cream cheese , full fat
- 300g/ 10oz sour cream , full fat (or 250g/8oz tub + top up with yogurt or extra mayo)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise , whole-egg or Kewpie
- 250g/8 oz frozen chopped spinach , thawed (I microwave), excess water squeezed out with hands (Note 1)
- 1 cob loaf (crusty round bread), preferably sourdough, or other shape loaf, about 25cm/10oz wide (Note 2)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE:
- Warm cream cheese then mix well to soften. Mix in mayo, sour cream and soup, then spinach. Fridge 3 hours, serve in bread bowl!
FULL RECIPE:
- Soften cream cheese – Put the cream cheese in a microwave-proof bowl and use a wooden spoon to roughly break it up into 8 or so chunks. Microwave on high for ~30 seconds then mix well until it is soft and loose, like sour cream.
- Mix – Add the sour cream, mayonnaise and soup powder, mix well. Then stir in spinach.
- Fridge 3 hours – Refrigerate, covered, for 3 hours (or overnight) to let the flavours meld.
- Bread bowl – Using a bread knife, cut a lid off the bread (about 2.5cm/1" thick). Cut around the inside of the loaf, leaving a 2cm/0.8" border and base. Score the bread inside the ring into 2.5cm/1" squares, then pull the pieces out with your fingers to create a bread bowl.
- Serve – Take it out of the fridge 1 hour prior to serving to take the chill out and loosen (if needed, warm slightly in microwave). Give it a good mix, pour into the bowl and serve with the bread pieces on the side for dipping. I recommend providing extra dippers (crackers, chips – my favourite is crinkle cut plain potato chips) as there is more dip than bread!
Warm baked version
- Loosely wrap the dip filled bread with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Olive oil spray bread pieces and season with pinch of salt. Scatter around the unwrapped cob dip and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the bread pieces are lightly browned. Serve warm!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Jaffle
Dip. ✅ Outfit. ✅ We are World Cup ready – Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi oi oi!!
Those kiddie size hats were a great find because the sweat band idea I had in my head didn’t translate quite as well in real life….
Who knew golden retriever puppies had so much flappy skin on their face!!
Meanwhile, Dozer is up in the Big Sky Kitchen, sniggering, telling Jaffle I told you it was coming!!! 😂
He was really suffering from overheating in that kimono – so much polyester!! 😂
Many folks here are having those retro bread bowl flashbacks! A taste of nostalgic history – this recipe used to be on the back of the Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix (though I recommend Spring Vegetable, as it has higher ratings) and box. There is a baked version and a bread bowl version still on the Knorr (soup, etc.) Mix website, for those who are racking their memories for that old fave. The version I remember combined the two – mixing, resting, heating in the bread bowl. In the U. S., we add a can of drained artichoke hearts, julienned water chestnuts for a little crunch, and a cup of mozzarella and some parm, rest it a while, then fill the bread bowl & pop it in the oven at 400° for 15 minutes. The top was cut and hollowed out underneath; it’s bits added to the mountain of bread fro the bowl. For those who love tackling the bowl bottom, I would often add a generous layer of shredded cheese (always self-grate real cheese; the preshredded is awful) to the bottom before filling, as it would melt in the oven, giving those who were patient a cheesy, creamy reward at bowl’s end. Of course, it is also customisable. Add crumbled bacon bits, etc. This dip was always a fave and pretty close to perfect as it is though. If you want Everyone at the party to love you, bring one of the Spinach bread bowl dips AND Nagi’s Jalapeno Popper Dip. Hopefully this tour of 80’s history will appease some of those retro memories…and cravings! Make a different version each week and find your old fave again! (Such a simple dip bringing back so many delicious memories)
Jaffle sitting there so well-behaved in his wrist cuffs and hat proves my point made in earlier posts – when it’s the right one, you know. “He is the One.” –Morpheus re: Neo (a.k.a. New!) Or to quote a jazz piece, New light thru old windows.
I wonder if it has been mentioned yet – but the how-to video does not appear in the post on any browser that I have tried. That area is blank.
Hi Zita, I just checked again and it was ok! I’m sorry you’ve been having problems… – N xx
Hey Nagi, I also get this problem in Firefox where it’s just a blank space on the website. I don’t know why but I find it does sometimes work in other browsers!
I totally sympathize with your sport enthusiasm comment. I am a Canadian (I should probably remain anonymous) and the only thing I hate more than ice hockey is North American football!
But I have cooked for many a Grey Cup and Stanley Cup party and will try this yummy sounding recipe for the next one.
Or maybe I’ll just make it for myself and binge watch Bridgerton lol!
He he YES Bridgerton and dip is definitely more up my alley!! Hoping new season coming out soon!! – N xx
Loved ot
Jaffle – SORRY – and I know you worked SO hard to enthuse our guys in Seattle! But we have another go next week. Dozer will have some more tips for you over the next few days . . . hope Mommy has something nice for you to eat and you may get out for a walk . . . 🙂 ?
It was so disappointing!!! I was so hopefully we’d get there in overtime!!
Well, I very much appreciate Tony Popovitch but methinks he made a ‘technical’ error in benching his best players. Jaffle better put his soccer gear on again next week ! Meanwhile enjoy the weekend!
Sorry Jaffle but the USA beat Australia today (7/19). However, you’re the real winner. You are just so darn cute but you look like a Sharpei in that one picture. Dozer is probably having a good laugh thinking ‘yep mum’s doing it to you too.’
It was a great game!! I got up early for it 🙂 Jaffle was spared the outfit at that early hour on a Saturday morning!!
Well what goes around comes around. I remember this was my girlfriends go to party plate in the 80’s /90’s her variation on the,spinach was a tin of salmonsalmon i think (it couldve been a tin of tuna) she made it exactly as you did. She wasnt fond of cooking but man o man she knew her salads, dips and quick party eats tricks. I’d never heard of cob loaf until I met her😄. Thanks for bringing back this memory of my gf. Now im going to have to make it and go visit someone!😄
I always love hearing about everyone’s variations on retro classics!! – N xx
Oh Nagi! I loved reading your narrative about the French onion cob dip as much as I love the dip!! 😂 You’re a national treasure!
Hi Nagi,
Great recipe as always. Just a question for your readers though, the version of this dish that I’m familiar with from my childhood is served hot (and obviously doesn’t have mayonnaise, I think perhaps some cheddar melted through for gooiness). I thought that was the way everyone did cheese and spinach cobb loaf dip, is this just a South Australian thing?
Hugs to Jaffle 💛
Maybe it is a South Australian thing Michelle, because ‘in my day’ the lid wasn’t cut up – it sat on whole, then the loaf would be wrapped in alfoil and popped into the oven for maybe 1/2hr, remove the alfoil and cook for another 1/2hr to crispen up the loaf 🤤 and yes, no mayo, just grated cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, French onion soup packet and whatever else you wanted to chuck in (crispy bacon or salmon/tuna and sweetcorn were my choices).
Really!! And what did you do – did everyone rip into the lid to tear it up??
I do like it hot too!! Thank you for the reminder Michele, I’ll pop that tip into the recipe as an option! – N xx
Aww Yvonne, thank you! I do love a good nostalgic retro recipe 🥰
We always warm and crisped up in the oven, has any on else had it that way, thanks
Ah yes, I meant to pop that in as a tip!! Thanks Gwen!! – N xx
🤣😂 couldn’t stop giggling over the headband pic!!!! So funny!! 🤣 can’t believe how well (for a puppy) he has taken to sitting still with with the costumes on. Dozer has obviously had a word to him regarding what the rules are 😂. Love it!!!
Yes I have made this dip for years but I always heat mine. It certainly is a fave here in oz!! Go the Socceroos ⚽️
He actually wasn’t even bothered by the headband at all!! 😂 It actually wasn’t that tight, it just didn’t sit properly on his head so it was squishing all his face fat!!
I got a recipe similar to this from a Canadian visitor in the 1980s. It is always a hit and I think the cream cheese would help, thank you for sharing. The only major difference was that the Canadian recipe included slivered almonds which helped with the texture and to balance out the spinach leaves.
Ooh! I can imagine the soft crunch of almonds in this!
Hello Nagi, opened your new recipe and thought how appropriate today. The Aussies are in fine form here in Seattle. Everyone seems to be having an excellent time. Singing, dancing and having the occasional brew.🤭
I can’t say I’m much of a soccer fan, but the gang was in full force last night for our baseball team the Mariners. I will try to send a pic.
I love to read all the wonderful Dozer stories and now new puppy pictures and stories.
Thank you
Oh wow, you’re from Seattle!! The atmosphere must’ve fantastic. 🙂 Aussies love a good sporting event!! Thank you for the lovely message about Dozer. ❤️
We call this spinach dip in the US. Have you ever tried with water chestnuts? Fresh is best. They add a nice crunch.
Love all the dogs in outfits pics. Jaffle looks like a shar pei with that headband on. LOL! Dozer is laughing his paws off!
I have! I must be honest, I didn’t get it!! But I’ve never used fresh, only canned. I can only imagine how much better fresh would be!
I’ve made something similar here in the US but add chopped artichoke hearts and serve in pumpernickel round. Yum!
But as always I have to check out the latest photos. Jaffle has some big paws to follow. The boys are so cute in their outfits. Thanks for sharing,
Thanks for sharing. I love your pics of the pups (past and present). They make me smile every time. This little guy is going to be a big boy-adorable💕
Jaffe is adorable! Love all that puppy chub! Keep those pics coming ☺️ We have a recipe almost identical here in the US. We just call it spinach dip. The only difference is we use vegetable soup mix instead of onion and add diced waterchestnuts. The usual serving method is in a pumpernickel bread bowl. So you see, almost exact! It’s one of my favorite dips too! Someone always brings it to every gathering and we’ll even fight over who gets to bring it because it’s so easy! Thanks for sharing Australia’s version, it looks delicious! 😋
We love you Nagi! Jaffle is living the life! Thank you for the dip recipe! Enjoy your weekend!
YUM!!!!
Love a good Cob Dip. Only thing I do differently is lightly toast the bread pieces. Yum.
Oh my goodness, that Jaffle post was so adorable and funny 😂 I’m sure Dozer is having a chuckle! We love your recipes and everything you and what you do, not to mention your doggos ❤️