This keto focaccia is delicious and satiating, and a generous square has just 3 grams of net carbs.
It's also very easy to make! With a prep time of 15 minutes and a baking time of another 15 minutes, it's ready fast and requires minimum effort.
Whenever I bake with almond flour, I'm amazed at how wonderfully versatile it is. This recipe is a good example.
It doesn't taste like the real thing, but it's very, very good. When you make bread out of mozzarella, cream cheese, almond flour, an egg, and baking powder, you don't actually expect bread. You expect some kind of an inferior keto substitute. But this focaccia is amazingly bread-like and incredibly tasty.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
For the bread:
- Mozzarella: I use shredded part-skim mozzarella. Make sure you're not using low-fat mozzarella. It won't work.
- Cream cheese: It's best to use full-fat cream cheese. I don't recommend using reduced-fat cheese.
- Almond flour: I use Bob's Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour. I don't recommend using coarse almond meal in this recipe.
- Baking powder: Gluten-free if needed.
- Egg: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Toppings:
- Rosemary: Fresh rosemary leaves to scatter on top.
- Salt: Coarse salt, like the one used to top keto pretzels.
- Olive oil spray: To coat the top of the bread before baking.
Instructions
Making this keto focaccia is surprisingly easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
First, you melt shredded mozzarella and cream cheese in the microwave. (Photos 1 and 2).
Next, add almond flour, baking powder, and egg. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula, then knead it with your hands. (Photos 3 and 4).
Press the dough into a greased square baking dish. With your fingertips, make dimples in the dough. (Photo 5).
Scatter the rosemary leaves on top of the bread, gently pressing on them to make sure they adhere. Sprinkle the dough with coarse salt and liberally spray it with olive oil. (Photo 6).
The last step is to bake the bread until puffed and golden brown, for about 15-17 minutes in a 350°F oven. It will smell so good when it's ready! Cut it into nine squares and serve. (Photos 7 and 8).
Expert Tips
- When kneading the dough, you'll want to work fast, making sure the dough is uniform before it has a chance to cool and harden.
- Make sure to use quality olive oil to top the bread. It makes a difference. Even if you use olive oil spray like I do, there are better sprays that contain extra-virgin olive oil and no additives.
Recipe FAQs
It's an Italian flatbread. The word "focaccia" translates to "hearth bread," referring to how it was typically baked before modern ovens were introduced.
I don't recommend using any cheese other than shredded part-skim or whole-milk mozzarella in this recipe.
You can, as long as it's made with keto-friendly flour, such as almond flour.
Serving Suggestions
Focaccia is great as a snack or an appetizer. When I serve it as a snack, I like to top it with thin slices of sharp cheese. As an appetizer, I serve it with seasoned extra-virgin olive oil for dipping.
Sometimes, I serve it as an accompaniment to soup or salad. It pairs particularly well with vegetable beef soup, tomato soup, Cobb salad, and Caprese salad.
You can also use it to make sandwiches. It's excellent with pesto, sliced fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, and ham.
Storing Leftovers
Focaccia is best when freshly baked and warm. Once cooled and sliced, you can freeze it in freezer bags and thaw it in the microwave. You can also keep it in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. But it keeps fresher in the freezer.
More Keto Bread Recipes
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Recipe Card
Keto Focaccia
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
Bread:
- 1½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella - (6 ounces)
- 1 ounce cream cheese - cubed
- 1½ cups blanched finely ground almond flour - (6 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder - (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 large egg - lightly beaten
Toppings:
- 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom of a square 8-inch baking dish with olive oil. Line it with a parchment square, and spray the parchment paper.
- Place the mozzarella in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Top it with the cream cheese cubes. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and then microwave for 40 more seconds.
- Stir again, and add the almond flour, baking powder, and egg. Stir with a rubber spatula, then knead with your hands. Work quickly, kneading the dough well before it cools and making sure it's completely uniform.
- Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. This is easier to do with lightly oiled hands. With your fingertips, make dimples in the dough.
- Scatter the rosemary leaves on the bread, gently pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle the bread with coarse salt. Liberally spray the top of the bread with olive oil.
- Bake the focaccia until puffed and golden brown, 15-17 minutes.
- Cool the bread in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then cut it into nine squares and serve.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to use quality olive oil for topping the bread. It makes a difference. Even if you use olive oil spray like I do, there are better sprays that contain extra-virgin olive oil and no additives.
- When kneading the dough, you'll want to work fast, making sure the dough is uniform before it has a chance to cool and harden.
- Focaccia is best when freshly baked and warm. Once cooled and sliced, you can freeze it in freezer bags and thaw it in the microwave. You can also keep it in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. But it keeps fresher in the freezer.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Anna
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made it several times and each time it turns out perfect and it looks just like in the recipe photo.
I’ve also made it with fresh basil, but fresh rosemary is definitely the favourite in the family. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Anna! Thank you for the detailed review.
Nicoletta
È davvero la cosa più simile al pane che abbia mai mangiatoperò ho una domanda,perchéanca il sale negli ingredienti dell'impasto??? La prossima volta lo aggiungerò così sarà ancora più buona!!!!
Grazie!!!!
Vered DeLeeuw
Hey Nicoletta,
I ran your comment through Google Translate, Let me paste it here:
"It's really the closest thing to bread I've ever eaten, but I have a question, why is there no salt in the dough ingredients? Next time, I will add it so it will be even better!
Thank you!!!"
I'm so glad you liked this focaccia!
As for the salt, I feel that the mozzarella, cream cheese, and coarse salt on top add enough saltiness. However, adding a pinch of salt is perfectly acceptable. Thanks for the feedback!
Ben
How come you do not use yeast to get the bread to rise? Other keto recipes for focaccia use yeast and use inulin to get the yeast activated. Just curious!
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Ben,
Great question!
This focaccia is based on Fathead dough - a surprisingly dough-like mixture of mozzarella, cream cheese, egg, and almond flour. When baked, this dough is close enough to the real thing that there's no need to add yeast, and certainly not inulin, which can cause digestive upset.
I use the same dough (or variations of it) in my keto bagels, keto pretzels, and keto empanadas. It's marvelous.
Even with yeast and inulin, a keto baked good will never be the same as a wheat-based baked good, and I have no issue with that, as long as it's delicious, and this focaccia most certainly is. 🙂
Rosann Gorman
Hi! Can the dough be made like 30 minutes prior to cooking?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Rosann,
I haven't tried that, so I'm not sure.
Kelley Elaine Martin-Adams
We don't have a microwave...can I melt the cheeses on the stovetop??
THANKS!
Vered DeLeeuw
Yes, absolutely!
Karen Rondoni
This bread reminds me of red lobsters biscuits. I added garlic powder to the dry ingredients. Excellent!!
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad you liked it, Karen!
Wan Dewind
Can I melt the mozzarella and cream cheese over a double boiler? I don't have a microwave.
Vered DeLeeuw
Yes, you can. The goal is to get them melted, add the remaining dough ingredients, and then work the dough quickly while it's still pliable.
You can watch the video to see what the melted cheeses should look like.