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This keto cheese bread - Focaccio di Recco - is a hot, crispy, gooey, and a seriously indulgent dish that only takes 30 minutes to make. It's a cheese stuffed flatbread that is also low-carb, grain-free, gluten-free and perfect for sharing.
Is there anything better than this? Hot, crispy bread with flaky salt on top and cheese oozing from inside. It's a food lovers's dream. And it's totally keto-friendly!
Just look at how gooey it is as you scoop it out of the pan! It's not exactly finger-food. You'll need a fork, it's just that cheesy.
We love this keto cheese bread, and we know you will too! It is the perfect keto-friendly appetizer!
Why You Will Love This Keto Cheese Bread!
- Delicious:The Italian to English translation for Focaccio di Recco is "flatbread from Recco." Recco is a town in Liguria, Italy and they are known for this mouthwatering dish featuring crispy bread stuffed with melted cheese. It doesn't get much better than that!
- Easy:It's so easy to make this crispy cheesy appetizer. In fact, since it's a flatbread, you don't have to let the dough rise after adding the yeast. The entire recipe takes only 30 minutes to make from start to finish and that includes baking time.
- Low Carb:You don't have to give up Italian food when you are eating keto. All you have to do is make a few recipe tweaks. In this recipe we replace carb-filled white flour with a combination of almond flour, coconut flour, and xanthan gum. The result is only 5g net carbs per serving!
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Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this keto cheese bread.
- Active dry yeast: To help the bread rise.
- Flours: We use a mix of almond flour and coconut flour, both great low carb and gluten-free alternatives.
- Xanthan gum: To help bind the ingredients together.
- Olive oil: To keep the dough nice and moist.
- Cheese: We used a combination of mozzarella balls and feta, but you can substitute with your favorite melty cheese of your choice.
- Salt: Optional to sprinkle on top.
How to Make Keto Cheese Bread
Even beginner cooks will be able to make this Italian dish. Yup, it's that easy!
The full instructions are detailed in the recipe card at the end of this post.
But we wanted to give you step-by-step instructions, so you know exactly how to make this low-carb flatbread.
Step #1. Make the Dough
Proof your active dry yeast in a small bowl by mixing it with warm water —ideally between 105º and 115º — to really get the yeast going.
In a separate large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the bread dough and stir to combine.
Next, use your hands to form a circular dough ball.
It should look like the picture below.
Step #2. Shape the Dough
Working with the dough is very simple. We have some step-by-step pictures to help you see the entire process.
But first, get two large pieces of parchment paper out and grab yourrolling pin.
- A) Roll Out the Dough - Place the dough ball in between the two pieces of parchment and roll it out very thin.
- B) Make an Oval Shape - Roll the dough into a 20 x 10 inch oval shape and then remove the top sheet of parchment.
- C) Add the Cheese - Now it is time to add the cheese! Place the cheese to just one half of the oval.
- D) Fold the Dough Over - Once the cheese is added, gently fold over the empty half of the dough and seal the edges, folding them down neatly.
Step #3. Bake the Cheese Bread
Transfer the dough to a greased cast iron skillet. Do this by placing the skillet next to the dough. Then carefully pick up the corners of the parchment paper and slide the dough into the skillet.
Brush olive oil on top of the dough, sprinkle with coarse salt, and cut a few slits in the top.
Bake at 500°F for about 16 minutes or until browned.
It should look like the picture below when it comes out of the oven.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Chose your cheeses. We used a combination of fresh mozzarella balls and crumbled feta cheese for this keto cheese bread. You can substitute mozzarella for any good melty cheese (cheddar, gruyere, gouda, havarti). If you don't have feta cheese, you can substitute goat cheese crumbles or even ricotta cheese. Both are pretty similar in taste and texture.
- Make the dough very thin. Roll the dough out as thin as you can. It needs to be nice and thin for the texture to come out right and make the crispiest bread.
- Grease your skillet. Be sure to grease your skillet with olive oil before adding the dough so that it is easy to remove once baked. We recommend using a cast iron skillet, but you can use any oven-safe skillet or a circular cake pan.
- Bake at high heat. Crank up you oven to 500°F and make sure it reaches that temperature before putting your cheese bread in. You want the flatbread to bake evenly.
- Don't worry if the dough tears. This keto cheese bread is meant to look rustic, so it doesn't need to look perfect. It will still taste amazing!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best keto-friendly flours?
Our favorite types of keto-friendly flours are almond and coconut. Not only are they low-carb, but they are also packed with nutrients too.
1) Almond Flour - high in protein, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and healthy monounsaturated fats.
2) Coconut Flour -high in iron, potassium, and heart-healthy dietary fiber.
In this recipe, we used a combination of both flours because almond flour tends to have more moisture content. Adding some coconut flour gives it a starchier texture.
Also, keep an eye on your bread while it is baking. These flours burn faster than wheat flour. As soon as you see a nice golden color take it out and let it rest.
Do you have to use both types of flour together?
This keto cheese bread turns out the best when you use both flours. You might be able to get away with using just almond without the coconut, but it won't have the same texture. It will also turn out a bit softer, not as crispy.
You definitely want to avoid using only coconut as it is too dense and highly absorbent. Using it by itself would require more moisture from oils or eggs.
What is xanthan gum and is it keto?
What evenis xanthan gum? It's a bonding agent. It's actually a soluble fiber that is used as a thickener or stabilizer.
It is keto-friendly because it doesn't have any net carbs in it.
Xanthan gum is created with a combination of sugars and bacteria and the end result is a zero net carb binder that helps your food taste like the carb-filled favorites you love.
More Keto Italian Recipes
If you’d like more delicious Italian recipes that are perfectly keto, then check out these favorites:
- Keto Bolognese With Zucchini Ribbons
- Keto Calzones
- Keto BLT Pizza
- Keto Chili Relleno Pizza
- Keto Philly Cheesesteak Pizza
We Can't Wait To See You Try It!
We love seeing our recipes come to life!! We can’t wait to see how you make these and loving seeing each person's unique spin on it! Tag us on Instagram @cleanketolifestyle or use the hashtag #CKLrecipe!
Keto Cheese Bread - Focaccio di Recco
This keto cheese bread - Focaccio di Recco - is a hot, crispy, gooey, and a seriously indulgent treat. You'll feel like you are cheating, but you aren't! It's a keto, low-carb, grain-free, gluten-free appetizer made to share.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 235kcal
Author: Clean Keto Lifestyle
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast mixed in 4 teaspoons warm water
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for brushing
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella balls drained
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- course salt optional
Instructions
Heat your oven to 500°F and a grease a cast iron skillet with extra-virgin olive oil.
In a small bowl, mix together the yeast and warm water. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add all the remaining ingredients together (except the mozzarella and feta), then mix in the yeast mixture and stir to combine until a dough forms.
Roll out the dough between two layers of parchment paper in a very thin 20 x 10 inch oval shape.
Place the mozzarella balls and crumbled feta on just one half of the dough.
Take the other half of the dough and fold it over the cheese to form a half circle. Then seal the edges by folding them down neatly.
Carefully transfer the cheese-stuffed dough to the greased skillet.
Brush olive oil on top of the dough, sprinkle with coarse salt and cut a few slits in the top with a knife.
Bake at 500°F for about 16 minutes or until browned.
Eat alone or serve with marinara sauce (just make sure it has no added sugar – we like Rao's brand!)
Notes
- Chose your cheeses. We used a combination of fresh mozzarella balls and crumbled feta cheese for this keto cheese bread. You can substitute mozzarella for any good melty cheese (cheddar, gruyere, gouda, havarti). If you don't have feta cheese, you can substitute goat cheese crumbles or even ricotta cheese. Both are pretty similar in taste and texture.
- Make the dough very thin. Roll the dough out as thin as you can. It needs to be nice and thin for the texture to come out right and make the crispiest bread.
- Grease your skillet. Be sure to grease your skillet with olive oil before adding the dough so that it is easy to remove once baked. We recommend using a cast iron skillet, but you can use any oven-safe skillet or a circular cake pan.
- Bake at high heat. Crank up you oven to 500°F and make sure it reaches that temperature before putting your cheese bread in. You want the flatbread to bake evenly.
- Don't worry if the dough tears. This keto cheese bread is meant to look rustic, so it doesn't need to look perfect. It will still taste amazing!
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 1mg
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