Bread Machine Spinach Bread with Parmesan
Sneak Peek: Bread Machine Spinach Bread with Parmesan offers a rich caramelized onion flavor with Parmesan overtones. Chopped spinach pieces add color without making the bread green. Use a bread machine for mixing and kneading, then bake in the oven for a superior crust and beautiful appearance.
Are you looking for a bread recipe that’s out of the ordinary but easy to make? With the convenience of a bread machine (or a stand mixer–see notes in the recipe for details), you’ll find the process as enjoyable as the outcome.
This Spinach Parmesan Bread is perfect for jazzing up your sandwiches or simply enjoying with a dab of butter or, even better, browned butter.
Five Reasons To Love This Bread
- Only ¼ cup of fresh spinach needed
- Caramelized onion and Parmesan flavor
- Light and fluffy texture
- Try with raspberry jelly
- Makes delicious croutons
Dig out your bread machine and prepare to bake a loaf that offers a delightful twist on your everyday bread. As usual, the recipe directions are for mixing and kneading the dough in a bread machine, then shaping by hand and baking in a conventional oven. See the recipe notes for directions for making this recipe by hand or with a stand mixer.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- MILK:
- Adds richness, browns crust
- Best: Whole milk
- Substitutes: Nut milk, water + dried milk
- NO need to warm the milk because of the heat-producing friction of the bread machine paddle(s)
- BUTTER:
- Substitute: Any vegetable oil (e.g., olive oil)
- Use cold butter–chopped finely
- GRANULATED SUGAR:
- Substitute: honey(check moisture during kneading).
- TABLE OR SEA SALT:
- Reduce, but don’t omit
- Add ¼ tsp more if using Kosher salt
- SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE:
- Quality matters
- Substitute: Romano
- INSTANT MINCED ONION:
- Important flavor component
- See more info below
- BREAD FLOUR:
- More protein, stronger gluten
- Substitute: All-purpose flour + Vital Wheat Gluten (added according to the directions
- WHEAT FLOUR:
- Wheat flour adds nutrition
- Adds substance to an otherwise very soft bread
- YEAST:
- Use instant yeast
- Substitute: active dry yeast
- SPINACH:
- Fresh spinach = best choice
- Avoid frozen or cooked spinach (risk of green dough)
What Is the Difference Between Instant Chopped Onions and Minced Onions?
The onion flavor in this bread is distinctive and a major flavor in this loaf due to the instant chopped onions. Why use dried onions instead of fresh onions?
Three differences between instant chopped onions, dried minced onions, and fresh onions
- Dried onions eliminate the moisture problem inherent in using fresh onions.
- The flavor is more intense in dried onions. “During processing, onion flakes take on richer, sweeter, toastier flavor than fresh onions.”
- Look for dehydrated chopped onions as opposed to dried minced onions, which are smaller in size and not as flavorful. In most recipes, it might not matter, but the larger dehydrated chopped onions are prettier in baked bread.
Spelt Version of Spinach Bread
I recommend you use whole wheat or spelt in this recipe. I have fallen in love with spelt whole-grain flour in the last year. The taste is milder than the regular whole wheat flour you find at the local grocery store. Unfortunately, most grocery stores don’t carry it. I buy mine at Winco, where they stock it in the bulk bin section. You can always order spelt flour (paid link) from Amazon.
- Substitute 1 cup (120 g) finely ground spelt whole grain flour for 1 cup (123 g) of bread flour.
- When using spelt, I prefer to substitute one and a half tablespoons of olive oil for the butter and one tablespoon of honey for the sugar.
How To Make the Dough for Bread Machine Spinach Parmesan Bread
If the dough bounces off the sides or rides around on top of the post(s), add more water, one tablespoon at a time, allowing a couple of minutes for the water to absorb before adding more.
If the dough is very sticky and won’t pull away from the sides, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, allowing a couple of minutes before adding more to allow the dough to absorb the flour. Read more about this secret to making better bread with a bread machine.
Shaping the Dough
Alternate plan: Divide the dough into two equal parts and make two loaves using 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pans or make one loaf for a 10 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Parting thoughts: If you have leftovers, this bread makes wonderful croutons. Cube the stale bread, spray with butter, and bake on a cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes at 350˚F.
Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Bread Machine Spinach Bread with Parmesan
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (114 g) milk
- ½ cup (114 g) water
- 1½ tablespoons (21 g) butter
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (27 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ tablespoon (10 g) instant minced onion
- 2 cups (240 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (113 g) whole wheat flour
- 1½ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¼ cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh spinach leaves
Instructions
Dough
- Place ½ cup (114 g) milk, ½ cup (114 g) water, 1½ tablespoons (21 g) butter, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup (27 g) grated Parmesan cheese, 1½ tablespoon (10 g) instant minced onions, 2 cups (240 g) bread flour, and 1½ teaspoons instant yeast into the bread machine pan. If possible, weigh the flour.
- Select the DOUGH cycle and press START.
- Open the lid and check the dough after it has mixed for 1-2 minutes. Ensure the paddle(s) is engaged, and the dough is starting to clump into a ball.
- After 15-18 minutes, open the lid again and check the moisture level of the dough. It should be sticky enough to stick to the sides, then pull away cleanly. If the dough is bouncing off the pan walls or riding on top of the paddle like a top, add more water one tablespoon at a time until the dough is slightly tacky.
- If the dough is too wet, and doesn’t pull away from the sides cleanly, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Read more about this surprising trick for making good bread in a bread machine.
- When the machine beeps that it’s time for add-ins, add ¼ cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh spinach leaves to the dough. If your machine doesn’t have a beep, add it in the last 3-4 minutes of the kneading phase.
Shaping
- When the DOUGH cycle completes, check to ensure the dough has doubled in size. If not, leave it in the machine to rise until it does. When doubled, remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. (I use a floured silicone mat for easy cleanup.)
- Knead lightly and shape into a smooth round ball.
- Use your hands and a rolling pin to roll into a rectangle approximately 9×11 inches. Make sure any large, visible bubbles are pressed out.
- Starting with the short end closest to you, begin rolling the dough to make a loaf. Don’t stretch the dough or leave spaces between the layers. Pinch the seam shut. Then, pinch the ends shut and pull them towards the seam. If you are confused, watch the video.
- Grease the pan beforehand unless otherwise instructed by the manufacturer. Place the dough into a 10 x 5-inch loaf pan (paid link) with the seam side down. Use your flat palms to gently but firmly press the dough into the pan as evenly as you can.
- Cover with a cheap shower cap or tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm place (75-78˚F) until the dough peeks over the edge of the pan no more than 1 inch. Preheat your oven to 350˚F about 15 minutes before you think the bread will be ready to bake.
- Bake at 350˚F for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 200˚F.
- Allow the loaf to cool for 15 minutes before turning the bread onto a cooling rack. Let the loaf cool for at least an hour before slicing.
Notes
- In a heavy-duty stand mixer, add the ingredients to the bowl in the specified order.
- Begin mixing on low speed until all the ingredients are moistened.
- Switch to a dough hook attachment and increase the speed to 2 or 3.
- Continue beating/kneading until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, typically about 5-10 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place.
- Once risen, gently deflate the dough and shape it as directed in the recipe.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl until they form a shaggy ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
- Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic, which may take around 10-20 minutes, depending on your experience.
- Place the dough ball in a greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to double in size.
- After rising, gently deflate the dough and shape it according to the recipe’s instructions.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.