Air Fryer Cob Loaf is a guaranteed party starter that feeds a crowd! Quick and easy to make with a creamy spinach and cheesy bacon filling this cob loaf dip will be a huge hit. Using the air fryer saves time, frees up space and delivers mouth watering can't get enough eat the filling by the spoonful results.
Recipes like the Spinach And Bacon Cob Loaf, Camembert Cob Loaf, French Onion Cob Loaf and the Bacon And Cheese Cob Loaf give us a wide variety of cob loaf flavors.
The Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip, No Mayo Spinach Artichoke Dip, Smoked Trout Dip and the Green Olive Dip are other easy dip recipes.
🤍 Air Fryer Cob Loaf Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:
- Entertaining: if you are having a bbq or friends over a cob loaf will be an excellent way to start the food side of things. Hugely popular and an Aussie favorite, there is a reason they are at every Christmas party.
- Space saver: using the air fryer to make the cob loaf not only saves time but it also frees up the oven. So it is a great way to enable the making of multiple recipes at once and save the oven space for another dish.
- Crowd pleaser: store bought dip has its time and place. But rarely are store bought dips enough to feed a crowd unless you purchase multiple and have a variety of dips. One of the best things about this air fryer cob loaf is its ability to feed a large number of people at the same time.
🥗 Air Fryer Cob Loaf Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Soup mix.
- Red onion.
- Frozen spinach.
- Bacon: store bought diced bacon is the easiest choice.
- Sour cream.
- Cheddar cheese.
- Cream cheese.
- Cob loaf.
😉 Substitutions
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post:
- Soup mix: you can use either French onion soup mix or Spring vegetable soup mix.
- Red onion: you can use a brown onion if you have it and not a red one.
- Frozen spinach: you can use fresh spinach if you prefer to. In which case I would use the food processor to chop it up to avoid having full spinach leaves in the dip.
- Bacon: omit the bacon if you want it to be a vegetarian dip.
- Sour cream: you can use the equivalent amount of Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream if you wish to.
- Cheese: you can grate the cheese yourself or save time by using a store bought grated cheese. We want one with a bit of bite to it like colby cheese, tasty cheese or a blend with parmesan cheese and pecorino romano. Mozzarella cheese can be in the mix but we don't want it to be a stand alone cheese as it is rather mild in flavor.
- Cob loaf: you can make this in a baking dish if needed.
👩🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Cob Loaf
We start the recipe by dicing the onion and preparing the cob. You will need a sharp knife and chopping board to begin.
- Dice the onion (Photo 1)
- Prepare the cob loaf (Photo 2)
- Slice the extra bread bits (Photo 3)
- Cook the onion, bacon and spinach (Photo 4)
Next slice the top and extra bread bits like you see in the photos above.
Then cook the onion, bacon and spinach.
🍳 Recipe For Cob Loaf
- Add the cheese mixture to a bowl (Photo 5)
- Microwave (Photo 6)
- Add the soup mix (Photo 7)
- Stir to combine (Photo 8)
Next add the cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar cheese to a heatproof jug and place in the microwave. Use high heat and microwave for 2 ½ minutes. Then carefully remove, place on a heatproof surface and stir until the cheese is fully melted.
Once done add the cooked bacon, onion and spinach to a large mixing bowl and pour in the melted cheese mix. Sprinkle in the dried soup mix and stir to combine.
Next transfer the combined filling into the prepared cob loaf like you see the photos below.
- Transfer the dip into the bread bowl (Photo 9)
- Wrap in foil (Photo 10)
- Cook (Photo 11)
- Remove foil, add bread bits (Photo 12)
Wrap the cob loaf in aluminum foil and place into the air fryer basket (or on the wire rack if using that model). Cook for 10 minutes then gently remove the foil.
Baste the border of the cob loaf with olive oil, add the extra bread bits to the basket and spray them with oil also.
Then air fryer the cob for a further 5 minutes.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
When the dip is cooked through and the bread is all toasty and browned it is time to get it out there.
If you want to garnish it with freshly chopped chives or green onion you can, or a sprinkle of red chilli flakes.
Or simply pop it in the middle of a large serving platter, put all of the extra bread bits around and you are good to go.
Of course if you want to add some healthy options carrot, celery or capsicum strips can be thrown on the plate also.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Store leftovers in a sealed, airtight container. These then need to be refridgerated. Then can be reheated once and are best served heated or warmed through.
How to Reheat
Reheat leftovers by placing them on a place and microwaving for 1-3 minutes until warmed through.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- Size: not all air fryers will fit a cob loaf. If which case you can use the oven if you want to make a large (regular size one) or use small bread rolls and make mini cob loaves.
- Overfilling: we want to avoid over filling the cob loaf. This is because we don't want the dip to smear over the foil as well as not making the dip too heavy and risk creating holes in the base.
- Method: the reason why this dip takes less time to warm through than a traditional oven baked cob loaf is because we use the microwave to melt the cheese mixture. If you skip this step then you will need to air fryer the cob loaf for longer to ensure that the dip is thoroughly warmed through.
- Lifting and moving: you want to try and avoid holding the cob loaf by the edges or top of the bread as doing so doesn't support the (heavy with all of the filling) base. Instead use a flat silicon turner and slide this under the base so that it is supported and then have your serving platter right next to the air fryer so you can place it straight onto the plate.
🤓 Air Fryer Cob Loaf FAQ's
A cob loaf will take 15 minutes in an air fryer.
Yes, you can use aluminum foil in the air fryer.
If using the air fryer to cook cob loaf it is recommended to wrap the loaf in foil. This prevents the dip surface from becoming too brown. After the initial covered cook time we can then remove the foil and cook under covered to crisp up the bread.
😍 More Easy Party Recipes
The food is the most looked forward to party of any part of any party right? In which case you need lots of ideas. Here are some more with a wide variety of times, methods and flavors to get your party started right.
- More dips: Black Olive Dip, Kalamata Olive Dip, Gherkin Dip, Honey Walnut Cream Cheese, Honey Pecan Cream Cheese.
- More cheese recipes: Cream Cheese Pepper Jelly, Baked Brie With Red Pepper Jelly, Baked Feta With Honey.
- Vegetarian recipes: Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Bites, Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates, Goat Cheese Log, Caramelised Onion Tarts.
- Meaty ideas: Chicken Ribs, Slow Cooker Cheese And Bacon Bread, Caramelised Onion Sausage Rolls.
- Feeds a crowd recipes: Baked Camembert Platter, Olive Platter, Grazing Platter, Egg And Croissant Bake.
- Put on a platter: Chilli Tomato Jam, Tomato Bacon Jam, Bacon Crackers.
Adrianne
PIN and save this recipe for later!
Hunger still got you? You can SUBSCRIBE to receive the latest recipes, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Cob Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cob loaf Note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large red onion skin peeled and diced
- 1 cup bacon diced, Note 2
- 250 grams/8.8 oz frozen spinach
- 250 grams/8.8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 300 grams/10.5 oz sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup cheddar cheese Note 3
- 40 grams/1.3 oz French onion soup mix Note 4
Instructions
- Preheat: if your air fryer model requires preheating, start with this step.
- Cob loaf: use a knife and chopping board to slice the top off the cob loaf leaving a 1 inch border. Then pull the soft bread from the insides taking care to leave a solid bread base.
- Spinach mixture: place a large frying pan onto the stove top, turn the heat to high and add the olive oil. Next add the diced onion and bacon then cook for 2 minutes. Then add the frozen spinach and cook until it thaws and stir to consistently combine with the bacon and onion.
- Cheese mixture: add the cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar cheese to a large heatproof jug (or bowl). Microwave on high for 2 ½ minutes then carefully remove from the microwave and stir until the mix is consistently melted.
- Combine: add the cooked bacon, onion and spinach to a large mixing bowl. Then add the melted cheese mix. Sprinkle in the dried soup mix and use a spatula to stir and combine.
- Fill: transfer the combined filling into the hollowed bread bowl and use the spatula to spread it across evenly with a top that doesn't go above the bread border.
- Wrap: next wrap the cob loaf in aluminum foil.
- Cook: put the foil covered cob loaf into the air fryer and cook at 160 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Uncover: once the initial cook time is up, carefully remove the covered cob loaf from the air fryer and remove the foil. Then gently place it back into the air fryer. Next brush the border of the cob with olive oil, add the extra bread bits to the air fryer basket and spray with olive oil. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
- To serve: gently remove the cooked cob loaf from the air fryer (support the base) and place it in the middle of a large serving platter. Spread the extra bread bits around the base and serve.
Video
Notes
- Note 1 - Cob loaf: with or without sesame seeds, your choice. You will be able to get this from Woolies or Coles or the local bakery. You can grab a second cob loaf is you want to as well for extra serving bits and pieces.
- Note 2 - Bacon: I find using store bought diced bacon the most easy and convenient. That way you simply throw it in the pan and there is not need to chop bacon rashers. You can do the same or use your favorite bacon. Or if you want the dop to be vegetarian you can omit the bacon.
- Note 3 - Cheese: you can grate the cheese yourself or save time by using a store bought grated cheese. We want one with a bit of bite to it like colby cheese, tasty cheese or a blend with parmesan cheese and pecorino romano. Mozzarella cheese can be in the mix but we don't want it to be a stand alone cheese as it is rather mild in flavor.
- Note 4 - Soup mix: this is a small packet of dried soup mix. You can use either French Onion Soup Mix or Spring Vegetable Soup Mix.
Belinda says
You know we are going to try this. It looks so good!
Adrianne says
Thanks Belinda 😊.
Kathy says
Made this on the weekend for the family. So good!
Adrianne Jamieson says
Great to hear, thanks Kathy! 😊
Melissa H says
Came out great!!
Adrianne Jamieson says
Thanks Melissa 😊.