Now that we’ve discovered how delicious socca is, let’s make pizza!
What is Socca?
Socca is a flatbread made from chickpea flour and its exact origin is hotly debated. Some claim it originated in the region that is now Nice, France. While others claim it was invented in Genoa, Italy (where it’s called farinata) or Marsielle, France (where it’s called panisse). Still other versions can be found in Sardinia, Gibraltar, Algeria, and Argentina (source).
How to Make Socca Pizza
This recipe requires just 10 ingredients and 1 bowl to make and comes together in about 1 hour.
The reason I love this recipe so much is it’s like eating pizza but without all the bread and grains. That’s right, it’s grain-free!
It starts with socca batter infused with garlic and nutritional yeast for flavor (oregano is optional!). Baking powder provides a little rise, but not so much that the edges don’t get browned and a little crisp.
For toppings, we went with red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, vegan macadamia nut cheese, and vegan pesto. But really, whatever you have on hand will work!
We hope you LOVE this pizza! It’s:
Flavorful
Easy to make
Versatile
Colorful
Wholesome
& Uber satisfying
This pizza would make the perfect appetizer on Italian night or even the main event when paired with a green salad like this Loaded Kale Salad!
If you’re into pizza, be sure to check out our Mini Portobello Pizzas, Mini Eggplant Pizzas, Vegan Deep Dish Pizza, My Favorite Vegan Pizza, or Butternut Squash Veggie Pizza!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Socca Pizza with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pesto
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
- 1/2 heaped tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1 scant cup warm water
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (if avoiding oil, omit)
- 1 Tbsp fresh oregano (or sub dried // optional)
TOPPINGS
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion or shallot
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (or sub fresh*)
- 1/4 cup almond ricotta cheese (or Macadamia Nut Cheese* // or sub store-bought vegan cheese*)
- 4 Tbsp Vegan Pesto (or sub store-bought)
- Arugula or other peppery greens (optional)
- Raw garlic, minced (optional)
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, add garbanzo flour, sea salt, baking powder, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast and whisk to combine. Then pour warm water into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth (add the water slowly, and if it starts to look too runny – it should be a thin but not a watery crepe-like consistency – refrain from adding all the water). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, heat oven to 425 degrees F (204 C). Once the batter has rested, add the olive oil and oregano (optional) and stir to combine.
- Heat a large (12-inch) oven-safe cast-iron or metal skillet over low-medium heat (if using a smaller skillet, this will make two small pizzas instead of one large pizza). If using a non-stick pan or a cast-iron that’s seasoned, it shouldn’t need more oil. But if your pan tends to stick, add a little oil – it won’t hurt.
- Add the chickpea batter into the greased, hot skillet and move the pan around to allow batter to flatten like a large pancake, leaving a little room on the very edges of the pan to allow room for a spatula to slide under. Add onion and cook for 1 minute. Then carefully transfer skillet to the oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until bubbles have formed, the edges have browned, and the top is slightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven after baking, gently loosen with a spatula, and slice on a cutting board (or slice right in the pan). Then add remaining toppings of choice. We went with chopped sun-dried tomatoes, macadamia cheese, arugula, raw chopped garlic, and vegan pesto. Vegan parmesan and/or red pepper flake can also make nice additions.
- Best when fresh. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until hot (arugula does not reheat well).
Video
Notes
*If using a store-bought shredded cheese instead of fresh nut cheese, add to the socca when adding the onion so it has a chance to melt and bake into the crust. Find the recipe for the Macadamia Nut Cheese here.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Hannah says
I followed your socca base recipe to the letter. Worked brilliantly in a rectangular roasting tray.
Before this, I had finely sliced onions and gently fried for 30 minutes until beautifully gummy and sticky. A few minutes before the end, I added 1tsp frozen chopped thyme, 1 crushed glove garlic and a squidge of tomato paste.
Then spread this on the baked base. Topped with anchovies and a dusting of grated very strong Cheddar and fine chopped mozzarella.
Et voila, a lovely gluten-free, higher protein and fibre pissaladiere!
Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Hannah x
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Hannah! xo
Siena says
I loved this for a pizza crust recipe. I am always looking for simple pizza crust recipes that aren’t made with traditional flour. It hit the spot. I topped with pizza sauce, goat cheese, and pancetta. Overall really good and will be making again!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Siena! Thank you for sharing!
Eden says
This is my go-to pizza recipe and I made it again tonight with a little twist. Instead of adding the toppings after cooking the crust, I mixed in some sautéed chicken and white cheese to the batter and followed the rest of the instructions.
It turned out amazing and a bit of a time saver/keeps the toppings intact.
I love how customizable all these recipes are 🤩
Sabrina says
wow this was really good and very simple to make. It is definitely one of my favourite recipes on the site and I’ve made many. I will definitely be making this again in the future and experimenting with different toppings.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
xoxo!
Julia Ennis says
I made this and it is delicious! Super easy to make! Kids loved it as well! YUM YUM!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! We’re so glad you and your kids enjoyed it. Thanks for the lovely review, Julia!
phyllis says
Once a week, my friend comes over for “happy hour”. Sometimes it is difficult to come up with something different – I made this for us and it was perfect with a glass of wine. (or two). THANK YOU.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
What a sweet tradition! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Phyllis! xo
Lori says
Just made this for the first time. It was so delicious and easy! Thank you for a great GF pizza idea!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lori! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Michelle Magyary says
Can you sub almond flour for the garbanzo bean flour?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Unfortunately I think that would give them a very beany flavor. Perhaps another flour, such as a GF blend or coconut flour (use less as it’s more absorbent)?
Cece says
Delicious & simple – this will be a ‘make it by heart & often’ kind of dish! So versatile – we topped ours with vegan mozzarella, roasted mushrooms & steamed kale.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yum! Love those topping ideas, Cece. Thanks so much for sharing!
Alison says
Made this crust recipe last night (used different toppings because I didn’t feel like going to the store) and it was fabulous! I’m a pizza addict but am giving up wheat for awhile. So glad I found a simple, delicious non-wheat pizza crust option! Cannot wait to make it again and experiment with various types of toppings. Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Alison! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Pia says
Another fantastic recipe, easy, fast and tasty…
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks, Pia!
Nadia says
I made the socca pizza last night for dinner and WHOA was it ever delicious! Super easy and quick to make, perfect for a weeknight meal. I made a couple substitutions based on the ingredients I had on hand. I used dried oregano instead of fresh and for the ricotta I had some leftover roasted garlic truffle tofu ricotta I used on a lasagna. This will definitely be added to the recipe rotation. While eating I was thinking of all the different combinations of toppings I could try with this socca base!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nadia! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Shaunna says
I made this with the almond ricotta, suggested pesto recipe, shallots, and upland cress because I couldn’t find arugula anywhere. It was certainly the best homemade pizza I’ve ever made! I’ve never enjoyed pesto, but the suggested recipe is DELICIOUS! And the chickpea crust is very good as well. Such a threat pairing of flavors and comes together quickly if you prepare the pesto and cheese ahead of time. This is a great recipe for entertaining and just a yummy weeknight meal.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Shauna! Thanks for sharing!
Corey says
Made this tonight and omitted the macadamia cheese (although I have made that before and it was so amazing!) but did do the pesto, sun dried tomatoes, and homemade tempeh crumbles. Using a 10 inch skillet, it was a good size for two people to share. Would definitely double next time so we could have some for lunch. This GF crust is going into my rotation. Big bonus that it’s grain free!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Corey! Thanks so much for sharing!
Erica S. says
I love it and make it all the time in oven friendly weather.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
So glad you enjoy it, Erica! Thanks for sharing!
Lori says
Hi Dana, made this gorgeous socca pizza tonight as part of a tapas dinner. It was ahhhhmazing ??? made exactly as written including the macadamia nut cheese…my pesto had parmesan in it though. I can’t tell you how much my hubby and I loved it. Thank you for another great recipe !
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Great! Thanks for sharing, Lori!
Becca says
I’ve made this recipe at least 5 times now and it’s been amazing each time (apart from the one time I accidentally used baking soda instead of baking power! Haha yikes) I love how versatile it is as far as toppings go. Tonight I’m topping it with broccoli rabe, sun dried tomatoes, and groundless crumbles, but have used onion and mushroom in the past. Also love how little effort and dishes this requires. Straight from the stove to the oven in the same skillet!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yum! Sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing, Becca!
Ashley says
I halved this recipe and made a personal pizza – it was amazing! Will definitely be making again and again, topped with mushrooms, shallot and spinach and some vegan mozzarella. Delicious! Thank you
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing, Ashley!
Elyse M. says
This was super yummy! I opted to put marinara sauce and my chosen toppings (sauteed onions + spinach, pesto, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes) on the crust before I put it in the oven, and it came out beautifully! It held together very nicely, and was fluffy while lightly crispy on the bottom–delicious! I doubled the recipe and it was more than enough to feed 4 people (I’d say it could’ve fed 6-8, depending on how hungry you are).
Melanie says
This socca pizza is so freaking good! I love how fluffy it is! I even cheated and only let the batter sit about 18 minutes but it was still great!
My only adjustment is: I would probably do a scant or flat 1/2 tsp of salt (instead of heaping, as the recipe is written) but otherwise it was perfect. I put kite hill chive cream cheese on top, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and kale pesto.
My family actually enjoyed it. The recipe was enough for everyone to have 2 slices (serving 3 people)on the side of some fresh salad at lunch. I’ll make this again!
Rita says
Hi, i’ve noticed that one or a few people use this format for a recipe then l see almost every recipe like this:
1 tsp. oregano (or parsley)
For decades i’ve Always seen anyone do it like this:
1 tsp. oregano or parsley
&
2 T nutritional yeast, plus more to taste
I don’t like seeing the italics (), all the time, so when l copy any recipe, l change it to the format, l and my friends have used for 30 yrs.
l love a lot of your recipes btw!
Charlene says
This recipe is wonderfully flexible! I cooked the crust in a nonstick pan, flipping halfway through to get both sides, and then transferred it to a baking sheet, topped it with some pizza toppings, and finished it in the oven for 10 mins. It makes two 8″ personal pizzas.
I also used the dry mix base (minus nutritional yeast, oregano, garlic powder) for a pancake batter and my kid loves it! Added chopped apples, nuts, coconut flakes.
I’ve also used this to make flatbread to accompany Indian food. Added curry powder.
Thanks for the recipe!
Sharon R says
Oops….forgot to rate the recipe when I commented above. I loved it! Great easy gluten free option!
Sharon R says
Thanks for another tasty recipe! Didn’t have cast iron fry pan so oiled my cookie sheets instead. Started checking cook time at 7 min (cooks way faster). Turned out great! (rustic shape too). Doubled the recipe so had 1 pizza & 1 flatbread.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Great idea! Thanks for sharing, Sharon!
Ann says
Can I leave out the baking powder?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
I wouldn’t recommend it as it helps with rising.
Katy Shobbrook says
I’ve made this twice now, last night for dinner and today for lunch because we just had to have it again!
Very easy to make and extremely delicious
Kristi says
This socca bread is sooooo good and so versatile! We absolutely loved it! So much better than any other GF pizza crust, too! YUM! Thank you Dana!
Michelle Dewey says
Do you think there’s any issue of making this dough the night before? You mention to let it rest for 30 minutes. Would it possible to just pop it in the fridge in the evening and make it the next day for lunch or dinner?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I think that would be fine! If it gets super thick, just thin with a little more water. Good luck!
Susan M says
Oh my gosh…making it for my third time today. My husband and I were instant addicts. That socca crust is the bomb! Great recipe as is, though I love using vegan mozz (Miyokos) and tend to be (just a little) generous with the sundried tomatoes. And who doesn’t like fresh arugula?! Our happy tummies thank you :)
Susan M says
:)
Dianshan Ee says
Made this but after resting for about 45min the mixture became quite thick not as runny as yours. Should I have added more water? Or rest shorter? Anyway still turned out nice, just couldn’t swirl it around the pan
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm it sounds like more water would have helped!
Anabella says
Hey Dana!
Nice recipe, I’m in the process of cooking it. Would you recommend any other flour? I don’t carry that one in my country.
Gracias!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Anabella! We haven’t tried it with other flours but if you experiment with it, we’d love to hear how you make out!
Sharon R says
Made this tonight for the first time & loved it (especially the fact that the pizza dough didn’t hurt my tummy!!). Didn’t have fresh oregano so subbed dried oregano & basil, & dried sundried tomato’s. I’ve never made Socca before & I envision using the recipe without toppings to go with homemade soup etc. Always save your recipes – I love your descriptions prior to the recipes!
Kate says
Made this for the first time last night and it was a winner. Instead of trying to transfer to a cutting board after baking, I just left it in the cast iron to cut/serve. Mine was still just a bit soft in the middle after only 10 min in the oven so I’m not sure it would have held up. I’m not vegan, so used regular cheese and popped it back in the oven for just a minute after baking to melt the cheese before adding arugala.
Also made a mini in a 6” cast iron for a friend who doesn’t eat dairy. 1/3 of the recipe worked perfectly.
Sara says
What is the benefit of the oil? I am trying to be oil free and wondering what I may “lose out on” not using the oil. Thank you!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
The oil helps prevent sticking and adds additional flavor. Hope that helps!
Sarah Cook says
Ahhhhh! Thank you! Stoked I never have to make cauliflower pizza crust again because I have this now amazing go-to that is so much less messy. So many thank yous !
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! Glad to hear it, Sarah!
Pam says
The tablespoon of fresh oregano made it completely inedible for me once completed. Looked good but tasted horrible. :(
Pam says
I tried it again and I put a tsp (not tablespoon) of dried oregano instead. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly.
It still came out dry and had the same chemical taste to it. I wish I knew why.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Pam, sounds to me like something went awry with your ingredients. No one else has experience anything like this. I’m guessing your leavening agent, chickpea flour, or oregano was expired. Maybe do a sniff / taste test on your ingredients and see if you can get to the bottom of it…
Elle says
Sooooooo good!!! I omitted the pesto and sundried tomatoes and used up some of my CSA bounty by topping with roasted peppers, shallot, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and butternut squash and spicy mixed greens, and subbed a tahini/balsamic drizzle in place of the pesto. Sounds weird but it was fab! I think next time I’m going to experiment with a tempeh “meat” topping and some sort of red sauce. Or mushrooms…
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks, Elle! Love the addition of a balsamic drizzle! Brilliant. xo!
Lisa Cross says
This was amazing!! I followed the recipe as is but used shallots instead of red onions and added some dried oregano to the batter rather than fresh. Delicious!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks, Lisa!
L says
If you do not have a cast iron skillet can you just use a regular stainless steel fry pan? And if so, how do you keep it from sticking. My stainless steel pan does not have a non-stick coating and it sticks to all my crepe, pancake recipes no matter why I try. Please let me know
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
It should. Just make sure it’s well oiled. I don’t use my stainless steel much either! They stick to pancakes as well.
Erika Hyzer says
Awesome recipe! Great sub for typical GF pizza. I’m wondering if it’s possible to get the crust a little crisper? Or maybe that’s just how chickpea flour is. Maybe I added too much water to the batter? Maybe a hotter cast iron? Anyone have any tips? Thanks for this great recipe!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing, Erika! We think a hotter cast iron pan would help with that!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
I love anything chickpea-based, especially in savory dishes! I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a pizza before, but I would TOTALLY dig into this one! I love that the crust is so simple too :)
Hannah says
Hi! Could you possibly make a “cornbread” version of this by subbing half the garbanzo flour for cornmeal?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm, perhaps! Let us know if you give that a try!
Aryana says
Surprisingly fool proof and amazingly delicious! That is going to be my go to pizza crust from now on! Thank you so much <3
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Lovely, thanks for sharing, Aryana!
Tracy says
Made this last night, was a winner. I added my own toppings, cooked some mushrooms and added them into the mix. I didn’t use vegan cheese, only the cashew nut cheese, adding avocado and some artichoke, was delicious. Second batch I made the crust much thinner since my son prefers a thinner crust and I added more nutritional yeast – it was amazing. I love your recipes, you keep me inspired and in the kitchen (which is not my most favorite place to be) best part is that your recipes are healthy! Winning combination. Thank you!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
So great!! Thanks for sharing, Tracy!
Michelle L. says
Hi, this sounds really good. Can a regular baking pan (either metal or glass) work if I don’t have a skillet/cast iron pan? Thanks so much
Andrea says
I love this! I noticed natural cracks in the socca when I made it.. is there anyway to avoid this! Thank you!!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm, that is pretty natural and I wouldn’t worry about it!
Martha says
What recommendation would you have if I don’t have a cast iron or oven safe skillet? Can I use a glass dish? Metal pie pan?
Nancy says
Can you make this using your stove top only?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I think so, yes! Once it’s cooked for a couple minutes on higher heat, turn heat to low, cover and let it cook until no longer doughy.
Cathy says
I love your site! Thank you for all the healthy recipes.
This is a little off topic, but what is the music for the video for the socca pizza? I Shazaamed it but it did not find a result. I look forward to making this!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi there! I’m not sure! We use a music licensing site and I don’t save all the titles. Sorry!