Spinach Artichoke Pull-Apart Bread

If some version of pull-apart bread hasn’t made it into your fall game-day rotation, it’s time to give it a try. This creamy, warm, no-utensils-neccesary bread with a built-in version of spinach and artichoke dip is great for a crowds and always goes FAST.

Is the weather cold where you are? It’s officially shifted to winter here, and I’m finding myself in a constant state of need for cozy layers. All the blankets and sweatshirts and extra warm socks I can find.

And the perfect things to go with multiple layers is a cozy couch, something fun on TV (say, a football game if that’s your speed) and a plate of warm, cheesy goodness hot out of the oven. 

We’ve been making pull-apart bread for a few years now. It made our Christmas spread a couple years ago in Spain with just a classic parmesan + herb + butter combo. Since then, we pull it out any time we have an extra round of bread around or if we need something easy for a snack-ish crowd.

And though the bread itself is pretty straightforward, there’s one little secret that really puts the whole thing over the top.

It’s this….an initial drizzle of garlic butter poured down deep into all those nooks and crannies

Because that drizzle of garlic butter before the other toppings get piled on? It means that at the end of all the pulling-apart involved in eating this, there is a savory, garlic and buttery base of bread waiting.

This bread? It’s great to the very last, cheesy, delicious bite.

Even little hands agree.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Spinach Artichoke Pull-Apart Bread

This creamy, warm, perfectly-portioned bread with a built-in version of spinach and artichoke dip is great for a crowds and always goes FAST.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Appetizer, Vegetarian

Servings: 8 -12 servings

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz) Round of Bread, Italian or sourdough
• 3 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp Butter (use salted butter, or add salt once butter is melted)
• 2 cloves + 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 10 oz Frozen Spinach (use spinach labeled "leaf" or "chopped")
• 8 oz Artichoke Hearts, finely chopped (thaw first, if using frozen)
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Use a serrated knife to cut slits roughly 1 1/2-inch apart across the bread front top to bottom and left to right, stopping before you slice all the way through the bottom (see photo above). Place bread in the center of the sheet pan.
• Combine 3 Tbsp butter, 2 cloves of chopped garlic and parsley in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until butter is completely melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour melted butter over the bread, moving the rows aside so that the butter gets down into the base of the bread.
• Heat the remaining 3 Tbsp of butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When melted, stir in spinach and remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Saute until garlic is fragrant and excess liquid has cooked off the spinach, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in artichokes and continue to cook until warmed through.
• Remove the pan from heat and stir in mayonnaise, parmesan and mozzarella. Stuff filling into bread (this is easiest to do with your hands, but you can use a spoon if you're feeling classy).
• Cover bread loosely with a piece of foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake bread until the top is crisp and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Serve immediately.

Meanwhile back at the ranch…

I was going to make some slow-cooker apple sauce over the weekend so imagine my surprise when I found a pajama-clad toddler had turned the bowl into her nest.