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Vegan Socca Recipe – Chickpea Flatbread Gluten-free

July 5, 2019 By Richa 12 Comments

Easy Vegan Socca Recipe – Chickpea Flatbread. Savory Gluten free Vegan Chickpea flour flatbread. 1 Bowl 5 Ingredients. Vegan Grain-free Soyfree Nutfree Recipe. Jump to Recipe

Vegan Socca in a white plate

What is Socca?

Socca is a type of thin unleavened pancake, flatbread or crepe made with chickpea flour. It has other names in various regions of France and Italy (farinata, Panisse) and can be made thin or thick with various flavor additions. It is naturally gluten-free and grain-free and can easily be used as flatbread or pizza base. Similar preparations are also found in other cuisines with variations in methods of cooking and forms. Chickpea flour is an amazingly versatile and worldy ingredient!

Socca Bread needs just 2 main ingredients, chickpea flour and water. I add salt, rosemary, pepper flakes for flavor and cook it on a skillet or bake. I prefer the skillet version. It is easier, and quicker and you can adjust the thickness and crispyness as you prefer.

Slice up the socca and serve with dips or just olive oil. Or top with pesto or chimichurri and veggies and bake for a pesto pizza. Chickpea flour is generally available in grocery stores.

Vegan Socca Pizza with pesto and mushrooms Ingredients for Socca Bread

  • Chickpea flour or garbanzo bean flour is the main ingredient in socca. Chickpea flour is now easily available in grocery stores, or you can buy it online on amazon
  • Salt, herbs and pepper flakes add flavor. You can change up the herbs and spices for variation.
  • a tsp of oil is added to the batter for crispier result. You can omit it.
  • water is used to make the batter. You might need more or less depending on the flour and your preferred consistency. Chickpea flour can sometimes be too packed or too fluffy and you might need to adjust the water accordingly. Make a Thick batter for thicker pancakes and thin batter for crispy crepe like result.
  • Besan and chickpea flour are not the same. Indian Besan, sometimes labeled as chickpea flour, is the flour of brown chickpeas or chana dal(split brown chickpeas), or sometimes a mix of split chickpeas and split peas. It is usually much finer ground and needs much less water than chickpea flour. They also taste slightly different. Sometimes, you have to take these differences into account, when substituting one for the other in a recipe. You can easily use besan in this recipe, just add less water, 3/4 cup water and add more only if the batter is thick.

How to Make Socca on a skillet and Step pictures

Measure out the chickpea flour. Chickpea flour can sometimes be too packed or too fluffy. Depending on the measurement, you will need all of the 1 cup of water or a bit less to make the batter. You can adjust the batter later by adding more water or more chickpea flour.

Ingredients for Vegan Socca in measuring cups and bowls

Chickpea flour and oil in a glass bowl for our Vegan Socca

Let the batter sit for atleast half an hour. This helps the flour absorb moisture evenly for a smoother batter and an even bread result.

Chickpea Flour Batter in a glass bowl for our Vegan Socca

Pour the batter on a well heated cast iron or other skillet and cook until the top is dry. Then use a spatula to loosen the flatbread. If it is still sticking, then the batter has not fully cooked yet, let the bread cook longer and then try again. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 mins.

Socca cooking in cast iron skillet

Skillets to use for Chickpea flour flatbread, pancake, crepe or Socca

  • Chickpea flour batter is a flour batter and will stick to most pans and skillets.
  • Seasoned cast iron when heated well is the best option for cooking chickpea flour based batter or other flour based batter for pancake or crepe like result.
  • Good non stick skillets with thick bottom also work well. If you use the non-stick pan for anything else that is not of the same format, like stir fry, frying, or other cooking that uses veggies, has stirring etc, then the non-stick coating of the pan gets affected. Even if it feels non-stick while cooking, it wont be a sufficient enough non-stick for the chickpea flour batter. For best results, Keep a dedicated non stick skillet for batter based pancake and crepe cooking., i.e, that pan will always be used for pancakes and crepes and nothing else. If you get a sticky mess, you know you need a new pan 🙂

Socca cooking in cast iron skillet

How to Store Socca Bread

Store covered with a towel or in a container on the counter for the day. You can also refrigerate the cooked Socca bread for upto 3-4 days. Reheat on the skillet to serve.

Freshly made socca has the best flavor and texture. So I prefer  to store the batter instead of the made socca,(refrigerate the batter for upto 2 days) and make the socca as needed fresh.

More Chickpea flour recipes , all glutenfree

  • Gluten free Naan 
  • Indian Chickpea Flour pancakes – Chilla
  • Chickpea Flour Frittata
  • Cauliflower flatbread
  • Chickpea flour “egg” scramble
  • Chickpea Flour Tofu – Soyfree Tofu
  • Chickpea flour fluffy omelet

Vegan Socca in a white plate

Vegan Socca in a white plate
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Socca Recipe (Chickpea Flatbread)

Easy Vegan Socca Recipe - Chickpea Flatbread. Savory Gluten free Vegan Chickpea flour flatbread. 1 Bowl 5 Ingredients. Vegan Grain-free Soyfree Nutfree Recipe.

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Rest Time30 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Side
Cuisine: Gluten-free, Mediterranean, Vegan
Keyword: chickpea flatbread, chickpea flour flatbread, farinata recipe, socca bread, vegan socca
Servings: 3
Calories: 169kcal
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (120 g) chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper flakes or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp oil , plus more for cooking.(I use olive oil in the batter and a neutral oil for cooking)
  • 1 cup (236.59 ml) water

Instructions

  • Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl until well mixed.
  • Add the oil and 3/4 cup water and mix(use a whisk for faster mixing), add more water to make a thick smooth batter. (Depending on measuring and how packed the flour was, you will need 1 tbsp less than a cup or whole 1 cup. Make a Thick batter for thicker pancakes and thin batter for crispy crepe like result.**). Cover and let it rest for at least half an hour to overnight. If keeping overnight, cover the bowl and refrigerate.
  • Stove top: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When hot add a few drops of oil and spread well. Add a ladle-full of the batter. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes then use a spatula to loosen the flatbread. If it is still sticking, let the bread cook longer and then try again. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 mins. Cooking time will depend on the pan, stove and thickness of the batter.
  • Bake: Preheat the oven to 450 deg F(230 C). Place the cast iron skillet in the oven for 20 mins. Remove the skillet carefully, drizzle oil and spread the batter on it. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes depending on the batter thickness. You can add some toppings now and bake for another 3-5 mins, Or flip the socca carefully and continue to bake for another 3 to 5 mins depending on preferred crispyness.
  • Store on the counter covered lightly with a towel before serving. You can serve the socca as is or sliced as a flatbread with dips, or with soups.
    Refrigerate cooked socca for upto 3 days. Refrigerate the batter for upto 2 days and make socca as needed.

Notes

Chickpea flour or garbanzo bean flour is the flour of white chickpeas, garbanzo beans. 
It is not the same as besan. Indian Besan is the flour of brown chickpeas or chana dal(split brown chickpeas), or sometimes a mix of split chickpeas and split peas. It is usually much finer ground and needs much less water than chickpea flour. Most times they can be used interchangeably. You can use besan in this recipe, just add 3/4 cup water and add more only if the batter is too thick.
** You can adjust the batter at any time with extra flour(add 1 tbsp at a time and whisk in) or extra water, add 1 tbsp at a time, for preferred consistency.
Nutrition is for 1 Socca

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Socca Recipe (Chickpea Flatbread)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 169 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 420mg18%
Potassium 338mg10%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 50IU1%
Calcium 18mg2%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Filed Under: gluten free, Gluten-free Bread, grain free, mediterranean, nut free, snack, soy free Tagged With: vegan, video

By Richa Hingle

Hi, I am Richa! I am a Recipe Creator, food photographer, videographer, Cookbook Author of Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen & Vegan Richa's Everyday Kitchen. Love flavor, easy, creative food? then do stop by & try some!
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Comments

  1. trish says

    July 6, 2019 at 5:17 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for this quick and easy flatbread – great for so many of us with sensitivities 🙂

    Reply
    • Richa says

      July 6, 2019 at 8:35 pm

      Yes, its simple and delicious.

      Reply
  2. Luci says

    July 7, 2019 at 2:07 pm

    5 stars
    This is very easy and delicious for a quick meal. I served it with some leftover spiced beans. I love that this recipe did not involve a lot of ingredients, I had everything on hand.

    Reply
  3. Charmaine says

    July 8, 2019 at 9:22 am

    Brings back wonderful memories of the farmers market in Antibes France on a warm sunnybday

    Reply
    • Richa says

      July 8, 2019 at 10:19 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  4. Janice Yeagle says

    July 9, 2019 at 4:38 pm

    Can you make your own chickpea flour out of dried chickpeas?

    Reply
    • Richa says

      July 9, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      yes you can. You will need a high speed blender. Youwill have to rest the blender to cool in between to get fine enough flour

      Reply
  5. gluten free recipes says

    July 13, 2019 at 5:05 am

    That is august for us gluten free folks. Join the best gluten free recipes facebook group

    Reply
  6. alan says

    July 17, 2019 at 11:23 am

    Is it possible to make this without a cast iron pan?

    Reply
    • Richa says

      July 17, 2019 at 12:23 pm

      Yes, for baking you can pour the batter on a parchment lined baking sheet, spray some oil on top so it crisps, and bake it. It wont be as crispy as a cast iron skillet.
      Or use a good non stick skillet or crepe pan for cooking on stove top.

      Reply
  7. deedwan Watson says

    November 23, 2019 at 10:52 am

    Okay, so I was looking at your response to Alan…you can bake this instead.
    I do not use any oil at all so I’m guessing that means it will turn out maybe
    more cracker like perhaps…? Do you think it would need any more water
    in the absence of the oil?

    Reply
    • Richa says

      November 23, 2019 at 12:37 pm

      not necessarily. Just cover and bake and they should turn out soft, maybe a tad bit dryer. Add a dressing, sauce or chutney to serve

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options. Read more about me and the blog...

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