I hope I never go through another bad break-up. I certainly don't plan to. But if the unfortunate day comes when I'm licking my emotional wounds while watching Pretty Woman and ugly-crying on the couch, I will break one break-up stereotype: I'll stay away from the Ben & Jerry's. I'll make myself this Spinach and Artichoke Dip Stuffed Garlic Bread and eat the whole baguette in one sitting instead. Forget frozen desserts, nothing soothes a broken heart quite like cheesy, garlicky carbs, right?
Mind you, I have a theory that feeding James delicious things makes him less likely to get fed up with me. Maybe it's Spinach and Artichoke Dip Stuffed Garlic Bread that helps keep me from bad break-up territory in the first place. It certainly doesn't hurt.
Really, this Stuffed Garlic Bread is a great choice whether you're dealing with a split or making date night dinner. Or having a party. Or feeding the family. Basically, any time that you want to consume the bread and cheese equivalent of pure joy.
How's it made? First, I cut a baguette into 4 pieces and then I use a long knife to hollow out the insides. It's much easier to do than it seems, just cut in a circular shape, remove the knife and set it aside, and then use your hands to push or pull out pieces until you've hollowed out all of the loose bread. Luckily, I had James around to help me out while I snapped some photos!
Next, I need to make the filling. The Spinach and Artichoke Dip is similar to what we're used to eating as an appetizer, but slightly less creamy. I want to make sure it's thick enough that it stays in place in the sliced baguette instead of oozing out all over the place when it's cooked, so I leave out the mayonnaise and sour cream and rely on cream cheese and mozzarella instead. Because I don't wring the spinach out after cooking it, it gives just off just enough liquid to thin the cheeses without making things watery or messy.
Then it's time to stuff the baguette. I use a spoon to help push the filling inside of the baguette quarters, making sure that the Spinach and Artichoke Dip is well-packed.
Once I fill the bread, I line up the pieces so that they match up to create one big baguette on a cutting board. Then, I slice the baguette with a sharp knife, making sure not to apply too much pressure and push out the dip filling. Once it's sliced, I slide the stuffed bread off of the cutting board and onto a long piece of heavy duty aluminum foil.
Now I've got some tasty stuffed bread, but it's certainly not garlic bread. I microwave some butter and minced garlic together and brush the mixture aaaaaalllllll over the baguette, letting it drip down in between the slices and spreading over any remaining garlic bits that remain at the bottom of the buttery bowl. Then it's time to wrap it up tightly and bake all of that deliciousness together.
I bake the bread all wrapped up for 15 minutes, and then unwrap it and cook for 5 more minutes to get the top to brown just slightly. Once it's cooked, I grate some parmesan on top, sprinkle with some torn basil leaves, and then dig in.
If you can manage to eat just one slice and share the rest, please share with me your willpower secret. Because I eat almost half of the baguette every single time I make this.
Give the bread a go, serve it at a party, or for dinner with the One Pot Penne Alla Vodka with Sausage from earlier this week! You're going to love it. When you try it, don't forget to take a photo and tag it with #hostthetoast on Instagram or Twitter.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip Stuffed Garlic Bread
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 20 slices
Description
Adapted from Recipe Tin Eats
Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- ½ tablespoon oil
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 (10 oz) bag baby spinach leaves
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Parmesan cheese, grated, to top
- Fresh basil leaves or parsley, torn, to top
Instructions
- Cut the baguette into 4 pieces. Use a long knife to cut out the insides, leaving some bread along the edges. Pull out the loose bread to leave hollow bread quarters. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the artichoke pieces and cook for one minute. Reduce heat to medium, add in the spinach, and cook until wilted, turning often.
- Mix in the cream cheese and mozzarella, and let it melt entirely. Fold in the green onions and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Stuff the baguette quarters with the spinach and artichoke dip, using a spoon to help pack the dip.
- Once the bread is stuffed, transfer it to a cutting board. Line up the quarters so that they fit together as they did before the baguette was cut. Slice the baguette into slices that are approximately 1" thick.
- Tear a piece of heavy duty foil that is about 5-6 inches longer than the baguette. Slide the baguette slices off of the cutting board and onto the foil, keeping them together.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter and minced garlic. Loosely cover the top and microwave for a minute, or until the butter is fully melted. Brush the garlic butter over the baguette, allowing some to drip down between the slices. Make sure to get all of the minced garlic on top of the bread.
- Wrap the foil around the bread and bake for 15 minutes. Unwrap the bread and bake for 5 minutes, or until the top browns slightly.
- Remove from the oven, top with parmesan cheese and torn basil or parsley leaves, and serve warm.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
Jon says
This looks amazing!
I was wondering what temperature settings and time you'd recommend for reheating this recipe? I'm thinking of making it at home and bringing it over to a friends place. Or would you recommend I fill the bread and bake it at my destination?
Thanks,
Jon
Morgan says
Bake it at home, wrap in foil, transport, and reheat at 350 for 5-10 minutes (until warmed through). Hope you enjoy it!
Rhonda says
Do you think I can stuff the bread and refrigerate until tomorrow without it getting the bread mushy???
Sarah @ Through The Painted Door says
This is so perfect in every way! I love the idea of the dip being in the bread. I am definitely making this as soon as I can get to the grocery store!
Brian says
This looks killer!
I bet if you stuck it in the freezer after stuffing it, before cutting, you could avoid potential squeezing out 🙂
Brenda Mallia says
You are brilliant this was the best advice…Thanks for sharing
Samantha says
Made this twice now.
The first time my boyfriend got a ciabbata (sp?) loaf on accident, and the flavor was awesome, but the bread was super hard to pull apart, and in turn very messy. The second time I did the shopping, and got a french bread loaf. and it was so much easier to cut and serve. I also added some red pepper flakes on top, and added a little roasted garlic in the actual mix, and it was a hit! So easy, definitely going to be one of my new "pot luck" brings.
Kiara says
Made this. PERFECT in every way
Kiara says
I saw it on Buzzfeed by the way 🙂
El says
Can you make this and freeze it? If you can - how long would you bake it from frozen? or would you thaw it out?
kaitlyn says
I would love to hear if anyone has ever made this ahead of time and how it was done. Possibly frozen as suggested above.
Sue says
I made this recently and put 1/2 of it in the fridge for the next day. I reheated it in the microwave. It was still good, but the bread was a bit soft as a result of the heating method. If I were to make it ahead again I would probably microwave it first (to get the center up to temperature quickly) and then pop it in the oven to re-crisp the bread.
I would try making a batch for immediate eating and freezing 2 pieces to see how the cream cheese and sour cream fare.
Feldhaus says
I've made this bread a few times. Store it in the oven wrapped. Reheat slices in the toaster oven. Love it with a salad for lunch.
Jamie says
Were you able to find out if freezing worked? I made this a day too early and don't want it to get soggy!
Iris says
This is soo delicious... it would have never occurred to me to stuff a baguette, but this is really brilliant. And you can be so creative with it. For example, I replaced the spinach and artichokes with bacon and mushrooms and sharp cheddar instead of mozzarella... so good 🙂 Thanks for this recipe!
Sue says
Excellent recipe, thank you so much! Husband and I both loved it, and can't wait to try some tasty variations including adding parmesan cheese and/or pickled jalapenos 🙂
Kirsten says
Oh god, made it here via the Buzzfeed video on Facebook tonight and been perusing your website ever since (ha! drooling more like!) Loooove it! And this bad boy is going right with a plate of homemade spinach arrabiata tortelloni next weekend *grins* Thank you!
Amy says
Has anyone tried making the dip the night before and refrigerating, and then stuffing at the time you want to bake? Could that be done, or would the dip become watery?
Morgan says
That should be fine, Amy!
Cindy says
The video shows garlic powder being added into the filling, but does not list it in the ingredients on the recipe. How much garlic powder goes in please?
Morgan says
Hi Cindy,
The video is an adaptation of this recipe, made slightly differently. I don't recommend using garlic powder, personally =)
Mona says
OMG!! I am making this now however I just realized, NO FOIL! :/ is the recipe doomed??
Morgan says
I've never tried making it without foil. I'd think that it wouldn't quite heat through evenly, but I don't think it'd be doomed!
Dawn says
Can I use *gasp* frozen spinach? I am also wondering about making ahead but I like the idea of making the dip and preparing the bread then stuffing/baking just before I need it. BTW Thank you Morgan! Looking forward to finding more great recipes on your site!
Dolores says
Dawn, I am using frozen spinach too!!! I am going to squeeze the defrosted spinach through some cheesecloth until it's almost totally dry, before adding it to the artichokes; and then just heat it for a few minutes. I'm making the filling tonight & stuffing the bread tomorrow, right before we're ready to have it! Hope it's good, enjoy 🙂
Morgan says
Frozen spinach will be fine, as long as it's wrung out well! I hope you enjoy it!
Jennifer Stephens says
I had this at church last night, and I could have eaten the whole thing myself I do believe. I love this as a dip, and it was absolutely heavenly inside the bread. Thank you!!
Pam Matoba says
Are the artichoke hearts marinated, or not?
Morgan says
No, you're going to want to just use regularly canned artichokes here, Pam =)
Rachel says
What if I didn't slice it until after it was baked? Has anyone tried that?
Peta Akester says
I sliced it up into decent sized but smaller slices BEFORE adding the dip into the middle, and it worked perfectly, and avoided everything squeezing out as you slice it 🙂 then placed them all next to each other in the tray and put a slice of baking parchment on top of the foil, then wrapped it all up as per instructions - perfectamundo 🙂
Clare Gallagher says
So, I just made my second batch. This time, I chopped the spinach up finer as the last time guests were having an issue with long spinach strands.
I added a clove of garlic to my oil. Sauteed my Artichoke hearts. Added my spinich etc. Then I found a bit of sour cream and added it. Now it is amazing.
I made the batch up first. Will put in the refridgerater till tomorrow. Then I will get everything ready, heat and enjoy. Also, when you are scooping out the bread, make sure your ends are hollow. You don't want some overflowing and others with nothing.
Just make sure you don't overcook it. It gets tough. (the bread that is).
I might just eat some tonight. (like the Villagio commercial).
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Becky says
Can you make this recipe and eat it like dip without stuffing bread?
Morgan says
Yes you can =)
Becky says
I just realized I bought marinated artichokes 🙁 think they'll be ok to use?
Tintti says
Heh. I had a baguette so long it didn't fit in my oven and still only about 1/3 of the stuffing fit in. What kind of monster baguettes you have there in the US? 😀
Nichole Hart says
I've made for 3 yrs running I double the recipe yet I still stuff 4 baguettes with dip left over. What size baguettes are you using (asking blogger). And each baguette isn't giving me 20 slices. I need to know where she's buying her bread.
I also stuff the night before and bake the next morning to bring to my gathering or the next evening. My family and friends fight over it. Hence doubling the recipe.
Morgan says
Hi Nichole! I have bought the long french baguettes at whatever local grocery store I happen to be near-- usually it's ShopRite. However, less pieces of a thicker bread also do well, and I have made it with shorter loaves as well! I hope that helps 🙂 Also I am so glad that your friends and family enjoy it so much!!
Cari says
So I made these ahead of time to take to a potluck tomorrow. I stuffed the baguette and it's sitting in my fridge to bake tomorrow. I'm afraid that once it's reheated and served, the pieces will be impossible to pull apart and it will stretch like one big mozzarella stick. Please tell me this isn't going to happen!
Morgan says
People should have no problem pulling them apart, Cari! =) I've never had any issues!
Debby says
Can I make this and freeze it? Has anyone tried?
Danielle says
I made this for the holidays and it was AMAZING!! Everyone ate it up so quickly, and it’s super easy to make. Definitely give it a try you will not be disappointed!
Courtney says
Do you think this could be made without the mozzarella? I want to make a vegan version for a friend and can easily do so for the cream cheese and butter, but have a hard time finding good vegan mozzarella. It looks amazing, can’t wait to try it!!
Kim says
Okay. This is serious. I’ve made this recipe about 6 or 7 times. Each time it has come out perfect and delicious! I’m obsessed with this bread and it’s my go to recipe for gatherings. Every time I make it people rave about it and ask for the recipe! It is always gone by the end of the night. It’s always huge hit! Thank you so much for this recipe!
jpt says
I'm going to Panera on my way to home for a baguette. Hoping the test recipe works I'd like to make it for xmas this year
SG says
This is my second time coming back to this recipe- it is definitely greater than the sum of its parts! The first time I made it for a party, and it was gone in seconds. Now it’s just my family for dinner and I’m expecting the same- YUM YUM YUM
Leslie says
I saw a similar recipe many years ago (40) in a local paper. I lost the paper cutting. I believe that the bread crumbs from hollowing out the loaf were folded into the filling. There was a lot of garlic in the recipe too. What are your thoughts on this