French Onion Monkey Bread with Ricotta Spinach Dip
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What’s Up, Hungry People
Get ready to monkey around with this insanely easy monkey bread! All the flavors of French onion soup are wrapped up into an appetizer perfect for any party – monkey bread is finger food at its finest.
Served with a simple ricotta and spinach dip, your guests will be picking away at this bread until there’s nothing but crumbs left on the plate. Homemade dough makes all the difference in this recipe, but you can always use canned dough as a substitute if you’re ever in a baking pinch.
Gimme all your onion-y goodness!
Here’s What You Need
- Flour: The base for our homemade dough.
- Vegetable oil: Adds moisture and helps bind the dough.
- Egg: Gives structure and richness to the dough.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the bread.
- Water: Activates the yeast and helps form the dough.
- Sugar: Feeds the yeast, helping the dough rise.
- Active dry yeast: The leavening agent that makes the dough rise.
- White onion: The star ingredient for the French onion flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness to the onion topping.
- Beef broth: Infuses the onion mixture with deep, savory flavors.
- Thyme: Adds an aromatic herbaceous note to the topping.
- Mozzarella: Melts between the dough layers, adding gooey cheese goodness.
- Parmesan: Adds a sharp, nutty finish to the baked bread.
- Ricotta cheese: Provides creaminess for the dip.
- Tostitos spinach dip: A convenient, flavorful addition to the dip.
- Shredded mozzarella: Adds extra cheesiness to the dip.
Let’s Cook
Start by making the dough. In a small bowl, whisk together warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it rest for ten minutes until it gets nice and frothy. This is a sign that the yeast is alive and kicking.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together flour and salt. Add vegetable oil, stirring until the mixture looks crumbly. Next, add the egg and mix until the flour forms clumps. Slowly pour in the water and yeast mixture. Beat on low until a thick dough forms and the bowl looks clean. Cover the bowl with a towel and place it in a warm, humid spot until the dough has doubled in size.
Make the Onion Topping
While the dough is rising, let’s tackle that French onion topping. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the sliced onion in butter until golden brown. This takes about 30 minutes, but it’s worth the wait. Add beef broth and let it simmer for another 30 minutes until the liquid reduces by half. Stir in thyme and set the mixture aside to cool.
Shape and Assemble
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. On a floured surface, knead the dough for 3-5 minutes until smooth. Use a dough cutter to divide it into 30-40 small pieces. Grease a springform pan, round cake pan, or bundt pan. If you’re using a springform or round cake pan, place a 4-inch ramekin in the center to create a ring. Make sure to grease the ramekin’s sides.
Arrange the dough pieces in the pan in a random, overlapping pattern. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella between the layers. Pour the cooled onion mixture over the top, using a spatula to spread it evenly.
Bake It Up
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the bread for 20-30 minutes, until it’s golden brown and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Prepare the Dip
While the bread is baking, mix together the warm spinach dip, ricotta cheese, and shredded mozzarella. Chill this mixture until you’re ready to serve.
Finishing Touches
Once the bread is done, remove it from the pan. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan and fresh parsley over the top. Place a ramekin filled with the dip in the center of the bread ring.
Tips for Perfect French Onion Monkey Bread
- Proof Your Yeast: Make sure your water is around 110°F. Too hot, and it will kill the yeast; too cold, and it won’t activate.
- Caramelize Those Onions: Don’t rush this step. The onions need to be golden brown to develop that rich, sweet flavor.
- Dough Consistency: If the dough feels too sticky, add a bit more flour. If it’s too dry, add a splash of water.
- Layering Cheese: Don’t be shy with the mozzarella between the layers. It adds a gooey, cheesy pull to every bite.
- Serving Warm: This monkey bread is best served warm. If needed, you can reheat it in a low oven (around 200°F) before serving.
This French onion monkey bread with ricotta spinach dip is a guaranteed hit at any gathering. The savory, caramelized onion topping paired with the warm, cheesy bread will have everyone reaching for more. The homemade dough brings an extra touch of love, but in a pinch, store-bought dough works just as well. Serve this alongside the creamy ricotta spinach dip, and watch it disappear before your eyes. It’s a fun, tasty, and interactive appetizer that’s sure to impress. So, grab some friends, enjoy the cooking process, and dig in, Hungry People!!
French Onion Monkey Bread with Ricotta Spinach Dip
Equipment
- silicone brush
Ingredients
FOR MONKEY BREAD:
- 3 cups flour
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups water 110°F
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 package active dry yeast
FOR ONION TOPPING:
- 1 white onion sliced thin
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ cup mozzarella shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan shredded
FOR RICOTTA SPINACH DIP:
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup Tostito’s spinach dip heated
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Start with the bread ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Rest for ten minutes or until the yeast is frothy.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour and salt. Stir in the vegetable oil to form a crumbly meal, then stir in the egg until the flour is clumpy.
- Slowly stir in the water/yeast mixture. Continue to beat on low until a thick dough forms and the bowl is no longer dry. Cover with a towel and place in a warm, humid place until the dough has doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the French onion topping. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in butter until golden brown – about 30 minutes. Add the beef broth and let simmer for another 30 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the thyme. Set aside to cool.
- When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. On a clean surface dusted with flour, knead the dough for 3-5 minutes, until smooth on the outside. Use a dough cutter to cut the dough into 30-40 individual pieces.
- Grease a springform pan, round cake pan, or bundt pan. If using a springform or round cake pan, place a 4-inch ramekin in the center to create a ring. Grease the ramekin around the sides, if using. Let the dough rise for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the dough pieces into the pan in a random, overlapping pattern. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella between layers. Pour the onion mixture over the top and use a spatula to spread it evenly across the top.
- Bake the bread for 20-30 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and cooked through in the center. It will start to pull away from the sides when it is finished.
- While the bread cooks, stir together the warm spinach dip, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Chill until ready to serve.
- Remove the bread from the pan. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan and fresh parsley over the top of the bread. Fill a ramekin with the dip and place it in the center of the bread ring. Serve warm and enjoy!
