How can this be? Low-carb focaccia? And gluten-free? It’s true. This Low-Carb Focaccia with Dipping Sauce is awesome.

I came across this recipe on my new favorite food blog, Low Carb Maven …the same place where I found the amazing low-carb crepes that I posted recently. Since several family members have transitioned to this new way of eating, I’m happy to discover unique tasty treats to offer to them.

Plan ahead for this part…

The first step is to prepare the olive oil dipping sauce. It is best to mix it up ahead of time so that it can sit for at least eight hours. That gives all of those ingredients a chance to marry and develop a full flavor. And a small amount will be used when making the focaccia.

For your dipping pleasure…

This flavored olive oil should be kept at room temperature and can be used for up to a week.

Wait until you see how easy it is to throw this focaccia dough together. Before we start on that though, you’ll need to prepare your baking sheet. The recipe makes a focaccia that measures about 9-inches by 13-inches …the size of a quarter sheet pan. Since most of us use a larger sheet pan of 11-inches by 17-inches, you may need to improvise as I have here. Measure and trim your parchment paper to the appropriate size (9″ x 13″) and you can use whatever pan you have. Just be sure to cut away any pencil markings from the paper you’ll use.

Helpful hint: Brush the pan (under the parchment paper) with a small amount of the olive oil from the prepared mixture. That will prevent the paper from sliding while you distribute the dough.

Grab your food processor…

The main ingredients are mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, almond flour & eggs. And it all goes into your food processor. Before you know it, you’ll have your dough. I must warn you that it will be sticky, but we’ll get to that.

Time to get your hands dirty…

Once you transfer the dough onto the parchment paper on the prepared baking sheet, use your “oiled” fingers to spread the dough to cover the paper. Then take a piece of oiled waxed paper and use it as a glove to even out the dough. It doesn’t have to be perfect …focaccia is typically rustic in form. Be sure to “dimple” the dough over the entire surface so that you have depressions to hold the dribbles of olive oil dipping sauce.

If you are using a baking sheet that is larger than the focaccia, try using a pastry scraper as a guide to form the outer edges of the bread.

Not so difficult, right? It’s ready to go into the oven. But don’t skip the step where you place some ice in a small pan on the bottom of the oven. It will produce steam that will help the bread puff a bit.

When the bread has been out of the oven for about ten minutes, use a large flat spatula and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack where it will further crisp. Thanks to the parchment paper, the transfer should be an easy one.

Your Low-Carb Focaccia with Dipping Sauce is ready…

Serve while still warm with the olive oil dipping sauce as an appetizer or side. The total per serving is 3 net carbs assuming the focaccia is cut into 12 equal pieces and dipped into about 2 teaspoons of sauce.

low-carb focaccia with dipping sauce

Based on a recipe from Low Carb Maven

Soft & chewy. Loaded with nooks & crannies - perfect for dipping. Low-carb, gluten-free & delicious.

Servings 12 servings

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

Olive Oil Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Low Carb Focaccia

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
2 ounces cream cheese (4 tablespoons)
2 cups super-fine almond flour (240 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons prepared olive oil dipping sauce (plus more to dribble on top)

Instructions

Olive Oil Dipping Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce up to the freshly ground pepper in a small jar. Pour the extra virgin olive oil over the top and stir to mix well. For the best flavor, let it sit on the counter for at least 8 hours. Use within a week.

Low Carb Focaccia

Preheat oven to 400°F. Position the rack to the middle of the 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) onto the baking sheet and spread the oil on the entire inside surface. Place the parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.
Place the ingredients for the focaccia into the bowl of a food processor in the order as listed. Process the ingredients until they form a sticky dough.
Scrape the dough onto the baking sheet. With oiled fingers, pull pieces of dough to distribute evenly over the parchment paper (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 and form the rectangular focaccia. Dimple it with your fingertips by pressing them gently into the dough, leaving depressions. Stir the dipping sauce and dribble a few spoonfuls over the top of the dough.
Place in the oven. Put 5-6 ice cubes into the bottom of the oven - the released steam helps the bread rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before gently transferring from the pan to a cooling rack. Cut into 12 equal pieces and serve while still warm with dipping sauce.

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