Experience the best gluten free low carb focaccia made with almond flour. The nooks and crannies hold onto delicious olive oil dipping sauce like little spoons, delivering the perfect bite! Serve it as an appetizer for your next intimate gathering.
[This post has been sponsored by Carapelli®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Herbed Focaccia With Olive Oil Dipping Sauce
Have you ever been to Whole Foods Market? I love that store. The closest one to me is over an hour away in fabulous La Jolla, but we don’t mind the trip. We make a day of it browsing upscale boutiques and galleries, dining alfresco, and visiting the seals at Children’s Cove. It makes for a fun and relaxing day.
We don’t make it to Whole Foods often, but the sheer variety of fresh high quality products they carry is second to none. It’s where I go to purchase specialty items for an intimate gathering with friends or a nice piece of sustainably caught fish. And who am I kidding, the store is gorgeous! I enjoy walking around and looking at the sheer volume and variety of goods.
As a person who watches her carb intake, walking past the artisan breads section at Whole Foods is particularly difficult! Luckily, I enjoy making my own breads at home from natural wholesome low carb ingredients like almond flour, which I use in this delicious herbed focaccia recipe.
Good quality olive oil makes great tasting focaccia, so I was thrilled to find Carapelli® Extra Virgin Olive Oil at Whole Foods in the cooking aisle. The striking bottle drew me in, but I really love that it’s organic and non-GMO. I grabbed their Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil, too.
Onto the recipe for this delicious gluten free low carb focaccia made with almond flour…
We’ve all been to nice Italian restaurants and enjoyed eating focaccia with an olive oil dipping sauce. I love how the nooks and crannies in the bread hold onto the olive oil and spices like tiny spoons, delivering the perfect bite! My almond flour focaccia has the same nooks and crannies and this dipping sauce rivals any restaurant style olive oil dipping sauce.
It’s near impossible to replicate the stretch and texture gluten gives traditional bread doughs, but this recipe comes pretty close. Not only is it as delicious as a traditional focaccia recipe, I’d argue it’s healthier, too. It’s the perfect low carb bread for those of us looking for gluten-free alternatives. You’ll be proud to serve this recipe to family and friends as a pre-dinner appetizer, at a wine party, or even an olive oil tasting (more on that later).
The recipe is simple and only requires 6 ingredients; Mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, eggs, leavening, salt, and almond flour.
The ingredients are combined in a food processor to make a dough.
Then the focaccia dough is spread onto a parchment lined pan. Don’t forget to dimple the dough. Spoon just a little olive oil dipping sauce over the top - it doesn’t need much.
Bake, cool, cut and enjoy!
The bread is soft in texture with lots of little holes.
I divided my focaccia into fourths from top-to-bottom and into thirds across lengthwise, yielding 12 pieces. Cutting each piece into three, results in the perfect size for dipping into the olive oil sauce.
The herbed focaccia with olive oil dipping sauce was the highpoint for our small low carb soiree. I placed a variety of specialty meats, cheeses, and olives on a medium-sized cutting board, filling in with almonds. Half of the focaccia pieces were sliced horizontally for open-faced-sandwiches. The other half were sliced into thirds to make rectangular pieces perfect for dipping into the flavorful olive oil.
Serve the split focaccia with a beautiful sandwich-spread for the sandwiches along with a nice vegetable tray with selected low carb vegetables and a low carb dip. Or, the dipping sauce can be drizzled over the bread in lieu of a spread. The focaccia and dipping sauce, a charcuterie board, and a vegetable tray made for the perfect afternoon lunch.
P.S. The olive oil dipping sauce also makes a great sauce for grilled vegetables or a marinade for bocconcine (small balls of fresh mozzarella). Also, try it drizzled over caprese salad!
JUST FOR FUN: I live in a grape producing area of California. Wine tasting with friends is a popular pastime, but so is olive oil tasting. Yes, olive oil tasting. Like grapes, olive varieties have their own distinct flavors and are blended to bring out certain flavor characteristics. You can host your own olive oil tasting party at home and it’s lower in carbs than a wine tasting! Make sure to serve this bread and select good quality organic extra virgin olive oil like Carapelli®.
Visit Carapelliusa.com for more great ideas and recipes using their organic extra virgin olive oils.
Gluten free Low Carb Focaccia with Olive Oil Dipping Sauce is 3 Net Carbs Per Serving
This simple gluten free low carb focaccia is perfect for small gatherings. The nooks and crannies hold onto a delicious olive oil dipping sauce like little spoons, delivering the perfect bite!
- 2 cups part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 ouces cream cheese
- 2 cups super-fine almond flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil dipping sauce (below)
- 2/3 cup Carapelli® Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh minced parsely
- 2 tsp fresh minced rosemary
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees and position rack to middle of oven. Trace the bottom of a quarter sheet pan (roughly 9" x 13") onto a piece of parchment paper and cut out. Spoon 1 teaspoon of olive oil from the dipping sauce (just the oil) into the baking sheet and spread the oil on the entire inside surface. Place the parchment in the bottom of the pan.
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Put the ingredients for the focaccia into the bowl of a food processor in order. Process the ingredients until the form a sticky dough.
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Scrape the dough into the baking sheet. With oiled fingers pull pieces of dough to distribute evenly in the pan (it will stick to your fingers). Don't worry about having small bare spots. Lightly oil a piece of waxed paper and lay it over the dough. Press very gently to spread the dough. Dimple it with your fingertips by pressing them gently into the dough, leaving depressions. Stir the dipping sauce and dribble a few spoons over the top of the dough.
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Place into oven. Put 5-6 ice cubes into the bottom of the oven - the released steam helps the bread rise. Bake for 12-18 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before gently removing from the pan to a cooling rack to cool. Cut into 12 pieces (read post to see how I cut mine).
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Combine all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small jar. Pour the Carapelli® Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the top and stir. Let sit overnight on the counter for best flavor. Use within a week. See post for ideas on other uses.
NOTE: Nutritional info is for 1 piece (1/12 th) of the almond flour focaccia and assuming 2 teaspoons of the olive oil dipping sauce.
Making this tomorrow as a test run. You mention putting ice cubes on the bottom of the oven for steam to rise bread. I have an electric oven…would you put it in an oven proof bowl ? Not just on the bottom of the interior. Sounds silly, but thought I would ask……. thank you
Hi Sue. You can put a junky metal pan on the bottom wrack of the oven when you preheat it and then add about 6 ice cubes to it just after placing the bread into the oven. Let me know if you have other questions. -Kim
Made this today to go with a cobb salad for dinner. Sooo good! The best low carb bread I have made so far in my 9 month journey of keto. Thank you for all your recipes!!
I’m so glad you approve, Gina. It sounds perfect with your salad. -Kim
I am lactose intolerant. Will this recipe work without the Cream Cheese or Mozzarella?
Hi Chris, you may be able to use a vegan cheese like Daiya for the Mozzarella and vegan cream cheese as replacements, but I have not tried them in the recipe. You may want to look for a recipe that does not call for dairy. -Kim
I just made this. It is amazing! It is the first low carb bread that actually has a taste and texture that mimics the real thing–almost biscuit-like. I could serve this to my friends and no one would know. I added kalamata olives and rosemary to the dough. Amazing. Even better dipped in the olive oil! Yum!
I am new to your blog. I made this last night and was thrilled! I am a type 1 diabetic and missing bread so much (even more than sweets)! I have tried so many other low carb bread recipes that didn’t turn out good at all. This focaccia tasted very close to the real thing. Delicious! I am so happy I came across your blog. I’ve made a couple of other things and they’ve been delicious as well. I will probably end up making every recipe you have. Thank you so much!!!
I’m so happy you liked the recipe, Tanyia. This is one of our favorites and it makes a great panini sandwich, too. Thank you for saying hello. It’s nice meeting you. Have a great week. -Kim
OMG! This was absolutely divine! Even my non Keto husband fell in love! Thanks so much for this recipe, you are amazing & I cannot wait to try more of your recipes.
I’m so glad Malissa you convinced your husband with this recipe. Keto can be good! Lol. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and rate the recipe. Have a great week. -Kim
OMFG! This is deeeelicious!!
Thank you for this recipe, it is the best!!
OMG this was absolutely spectacular! Literally the “hardest” part of the recipe was shredding the mozzarella and tracing out the parchment paper bit.. My dough was a bit more wet than what yours appeared to be, but no matter it still worked out perfectly, I used a silicone spatula to distribute it in the pan. The dipping sauce is also utterly divine, I can see loads of ways I could use this (perhaps mixing the leftovers with some lemon juice for an Italian style salad dressing?!). Thanks ever so much for this, I think my quest for the ultimate low carb focaccia is over, this truly has the most perfect taste and texture! And the possible variations… A smidge off garlic, a sprinkle of sea salt… Mmm… Divine!
I’m thrilled you liked this recipe, Anu! Thank you for sharing your experience with it. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
Can coconut flour be substituted instead of almond flour?
Probably, but I haven’t tested the recipe with it and I don’t know how much coconut flour would replace the almond flour. It takes sometimes weeks of testing a recipe to get it just right, and a coconut flour version isn’t on my to-make list at the moment. I’m sorry. I suggest looking for an actual coconut flour focaccia recipe so you are guaranteed results. -Kim
Hi, I have a question about the nutritional information. You noted that the nutrition is calcuated based on an assumption of 2 tsp of olive oil dipping sauce, but is that 2 tsp per serving or is it 2 tsp of the sauce used to drizzle over entire thing before baking?
This looks really delicious and I plan to make this tonight for the spaghetti sauce I just made yesterday.
It was 2 tsp per serving, Jeni. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Can you use a blender instead of a food processor?
I’m not sure that would work, Darlene. -Kim
Do you know if the dough can be made the night before and then baked the following day?
I haven’t tried that Lorraine. I would be afraid that it would get tough or dry, but it might work beautifully? It literally takes minutes to put together and put into the pan. -Kim
Hello Kim,
A tblspn of baking powder sounds extreme! Otherwise, can’t wait to try tonight.
It need the full tablespoon, Joe. Enjoy. -Kim
Made this tonight. This was the best thing I have made for keto bread. Not eggy tasting very light and airy. Thank you for sharing recipe.
I’m glad you gave it a try, Melissa, and liked it. Have a great week. -Kim
Do you have a preferred brand of almond flour? I’ve made some fathead____ recipes and am having trouble getting past the texture. I thought I might try a different brand.
Hi Renee. Is it the texture of the dough or the baked bread that you don’t like? Have you tried it with a little protein powder or oat fiber? It helps the texture a little bit. I like to use either Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour (because I can get it in the grocery) or Wellbee’s that I get on Amazon. Wellbee’s has a great price and I buy it in a 5 pound bag that I keep in the fridge. -Kim
Hi, Kim,
Do you think I could use this focaccia to make Thanksgiving sausage stuffing? And if so should I dry it out in the oven or just let it sit out on the counter?
Thanks for your help.
Carole
I’ve been thinking about that Carole. I may try using the fathead variation with a little more oat fiber because it seems that adding more makes it almost more fluffy or biscuit-like. I really don’t know. I generally don’t make stuffing so I don’t know how it would do with adding chicken broth and all of the other ingredients. I’m sorry I wasn’t more help. -Kim
Is the cheese supposed to be melted?
No, Jamie. Just put the shredded cheese in the food processor with the other ingredients. Enjoy! -Kim
Hi there, THANK YOU for this recipe!! I’ve made it twice now and everyone in my family loves it. I add a touch of spices to the dough and when I warmed up a leftover piece and it tasted just like garlic bread-would be perfect with low carb spaghetti over zoodles!
Yesterday when I was making it, my mom emailed the recipe to an aunt in California and one in Colorado and we all made it last night-so fun, and they loved it!
Thanks for helping make low carb delicious.
Sharayah
What a great story Sharayah! Lol. I’m glad you all enjoyed it. I love the idea you had to add spices to make it taste like garlic bread. Thanks for sharing and for leaving such a nice comment. Have a wonderful weekend. -Kim
Hi again, Kim, I just wanted to send you an update. I made your focaccia for my son and daughter-in-law, and another friend, who came to dinner, and they all raved about it. My son and daughter-in-law gave up carbs about five years ago, and the one thing they said they missed is Bread. My son said he would never have guessed that this was not a regular focaccia. In fact, he thought it was better!!! So thank you, thank you, thank you for continuing to develop truly outstanding low-carb recipes.
Hi Carole! I’m so happy that your son, his wife and a friend all enjoyed the focaccia. It makes such a nice appetizer. And thank you for taking the time to let me know how you liked the recipe. I always appreciate your feedback. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
I don’t mean to be a bother, Kim, but do you mean to wrap the focaccia bread in foil when I put it in the oven to reheat it so it won’t get dried out? Or do you mean when I’m storing it in the refrigerator I should wrap it up in foil? Sorry for the confusion.
Oops. I mean to wrap in foil for reheating, Carole. -Kim
Hey Kim, I forgot to ask you some questions: 1)how many days will this bread stay fresh? 2) What is the best way to store it? And 3) can it be frozen? Thanks again for an absolutely incredible recipe! Carole
Oh, yes. I think I should add this info to the post. It will freeze, just defrost in the refrigerator overnight. We kept it in a bag in the fridge for a week. It will soften in the fridge, but it can be crisped up in a pan or gently reheated in the oven at 350 for a few minutes. I would probably wrap it in foil so it didn’t dry out. -Kim
Hi Kim, I just made some of your focaccia bread, and didn’t make any adjustments for the high-altitude, and it came out perfectly. It is an amazing bread! I’ve never been a bread lover, even before I switched to low-carb seven years ago. But my husband misses bread, and we both found this to really taste amazing. (He just snitched another piece!) Thank you so much for another outstanding recipe.
Hi Carole. Thank you so much. I’m glad the bread worked with the high altitude and that you and your husband enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for letting me know that it worked. I know I can always count on you for honest opinions and good information. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
An olive oil tasting sounds great! I wouldn’t mind wine either, but I think olive oil with focaccia is more of my thing. 🙂 So lucky to have access to such nice things in your area. I usually have to order my “better olive oil” online and it comes directly from Italy or Greece, but it is a costly matter. You can definitely taste the difference though, so I usually treasure it for special treats.
Yes, Adina, I am lucky in that I have access to great products where I am. There is nothing like a good olive to provide that finishing touch. Have a great week. -Kim
Kim, this looks AMAZING. I can’t wait to try it! At one of the bakeries I used to work at, we were famous for our focaccia. This looks the same!
Thanks, Tara. That is high praise! I love making yeast breads, but haven’t made them in many years. This focaccia was surprisingly good for a low carb option. Thanks for leaving such a nice comment. Have a great week. -Kim
Hello Kim,
In the firs foto you said 9 ingredients, and you mentioned leavening, but in the list of ingredients it´s not listed. Am I missing something?
Thnak you!
Hi Karla. I see the leavening written at 1 tbsp baking powder. Do you not see it? Let me know if you don’t see it for some reason. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Just one word for this recipe – Deliciousssss!!! Thanks Kim and keep em coming. Wow!
Thank you, Ola. Have a great week. -Kim
I cut this recipe in half and made it in a skillet and it turned out amazing!!! This will be a recipe we use often at our house!!! Thank you so much!
Thanks Amanda. I saw your lovely photo on Instagram and am crazy about you making it in a skillet! I will definitely try that next time. Thanks for taking the time to come to the blog to comment and leave a rating. Have a wonderful week! -Kim
Looks perfect for a wine/ cheese party!
Btw..love your dipping bowl..where can I find it? Thanks!
Thank you, Pat. I bought the bowls so long ago, almost 15 years ago. You might be able to look on amazon or do a google search for something similar. Have a great day. -Kim
It looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it. Do you know if it can be made nut-free with a different type of flour?
Thanks, Joanne. I have not made this with coconut flour yet, but I am sure it is doable. I do not know how much, since I did not test the recipe with it. You could try subbing 2/3 the amount of almond flour with coconut flour. That should be a good start. -Kim
Thank you. I will try it and let you know how it turns out.
Great! -Kim
Hi, Joanne. Were u able to try with coconut flour? How was the result?
Exceptional! Hubby and I are new to ketogenic dieting and really miss bread. This is so tasty and deeply satisfying. Will make this often!
I’m so pleased you and your husband are happy with the recipe, Claudia. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment to let me know. Have a wonderful week! -Kim
what size baking pan do you use for the almond flour focaccia?
Hi Ruth. It’s about 9 x 13 or small jello roll sized.
Hi Kim, Would you mind putting the “9×13” into the recipe? I, too, wondered what size pan to use, “small” being somewhat subjective, and came here to the comments to see whether anyone had already asked for clarification. Thank you!
Oops. I’m sorry I forgot to the that Kathleen. Done! -Kim
Hi Kim,
This looks amazing! This is something my Italian husband will enjoy. He’s a mad olive oil fiend! It’s rubbed off onto the whole family so I can’t wait to make this. Yum.
Great, Julie. I hope you all enjoy the recipe. Thanks for your nice comment and have a great week. -Kim
I made this today and it’s fabulous!! Taste authentic!!
Oh, great! I’m so glad you like it. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Enjoy the recipe and the rest of your weekend. -Kim
Oops! Meant to say that I have a Ninja. Sorry!
You probably did, my kids are super distracting today, lol. I have one on the cusp of becoming a teen and one who likes to antagonize the other and watch the chaos! Lol. I’m losing my mom bad today. Hahaha. If I wasn’t clear, let me know. -Kim
This looks fantastic! I’m excited about making it but I don’t have a food processor. What else can I use? I have an immersion blender and a Nutri Bullet. Will either of them work? Thank you for all your awesome posts!
I don’t know Connie. Can you chop up the cheese in your magic bullet and then blend all of the ingredients with a hand mixer? The dough is very sticky, but I think it would work. Then pick off pieces and drop into the pan to distribute evenly before flattening out a bit with a piece of waxed paper. Don’t push down too hard, just smooth and gently spread it. Let me know how it works with the hand mixer. -Kim
I used my ninja!!! Works great!
Could you tell me approximately what size pan.? I plan on making this soon! LOVE your recipes!!!
Sure, Darlene. I’ll add it to the post. It’s the second time it’s come up. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Oops! It was 13 x 9 1/2 inches.
This looks amazing! Right now I’m in Colorado and I was wondering how I should adjust the baking and temperature to take into consideration high-altitude baking. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Carol e
Hi, Carole! Thank you very much. I have no experience with high altitude baking. I’m near sea level. I so sorry! -Kim
Do you have the nutrition count for just the bread? Thanks for all you do.
No Donna, not at this time. -Kim
This recipe looks great. Can’t wait to try it out. I like that is has easy to find ingredients.
Hi, Jovina. So glad you like the sound of the recipe. Isn’t it great that some of these alternate flours, like nut flours can now be found in the grocery store! I hope you have a great weekend. -Kim
Kim
do you know the size of your baking pan. I don’t think I have a small jelly roll pan – only large. I need to find a substitute. Thanks
Hi Jovina. I’ll get the numbers for the bread for you when I get on my computer later today. You could try using a 9×13 inch pan metal would be great, but you could try glass if that’s all you have. My jelly roll pan is approximately 13×10 on its putter rim. I hope this helps.
thanks
Oops! Sorry, Jovina, it was another who wanted the nutritional facts without the oil. My mistake. Have a great day. -Kim
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it. It is so nice to find a low carb bread.
Thanks, Melyna! Yes, low carb bread is elusive, but we really liked this – especially with the dipping sauce. We made egg sandwiches the next day and they were amazing. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Enjoy your weekend and the recipe. -Kim
Wow! This looks soooo delicious, Kim!!!
Thanks, Georgina. I hope my readers like it as much as we did. Have a nice weekend. -Kim