Spinach Artichoke Pull-Apart Bread
Well-drained spinach keeps the bread crisp. I tuck a cool, creamy spinach-artichoke filling into small pieces of pizza dough, then bake them into a wreath that guests can separate without a knife.…
Ingredients
- 1 pound prepared pizza dough
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
- 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts, drained
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator and let it sit covered at room temperature for 30 minutes; relaxed dough stretches without snapping back. Set the softened cream cheese aside at the same time. Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
- Thaw the spinach completely, place it in a clean kitchen towel, and twist firmly over the sink until no more liquid runs out. This is essential: wet spinach will steam the dough from inside and leave the wreath heavy instead of crisp.
- Press the artichoke hearts between paper towels to remove surface moisture, then chop them into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch. The small pieces distribute evenly and prevent the filled dough from tearing.
- In a medium bowl, stir the softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Fold in the squeezed spinach, chopped artichokes, mozzarella, garlic, Parmesan, and salt until evenly combined. The mixture should hold a soft mound on a spoon; if it looks loose, chill it for 10 minutes before filling.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment and place a 5-inch ovenproof ramekin or small bowl in the center. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, turn out the dough, and divide it into 16 equal pieces; use a kitchen scale if available, aiming for about 1 ounce per piece.
- Working with one dough piece at a time, flatten it into a 3-inch round, keeping the center slightly thicker than the edges. Place 1 level tablespoon of filling in the center, pull the dough up around it, and pinch the seam closed firmly. Roll gently between your palms until smooth, then check that no filling is exposed.
- Arrange the sealed dough balls seam-side down around the ramekin, leaving about 1/4 inch between neighboring pieces. Make a single even ring rather than stacking the balls; the dough will expand and join during baking while the center remains open for serving dip.
- Brush the tops and sides of the dough balls with the melted butter, using all of it. Scatter the remaining Parmesan over the ring, concentrating it lightly on the tops so it browns without burning at the edges.
- Bake on the center rack for 24 to 28 minutes, rotating the sheet once after 15 minutes for even browning. The bread is ready when the tops are deep golden, the seams have expanded together, and the underside sounds hollow when tapped lightly; if the tops darken before the center is baked, tent loosely with foil and continue for 5 minutes.
- Leave the wreath on the baking sheet for 8 minutes before moving it. This short rest lets the melted cheese set and keeps the filled pieces from collapsing when pulled apart.
- Transfer the wreath, still surrounding the ramekin, to a serving board. Fill the warm ramekin with marinara or additional spinach-artichoke dip if desired, and serve warm by pulling off individual pieces. For a holiday table, place the wreath in the center just before guests arrive so the crust stays crisp.
Watch the Spinach Artichoke Pull-Apart Bread cooking video
← Back to all recipes · View full recipe
← Back to 5StarCook home