Socca – Four Variations

My boys love socca. I can’t remember exactly how old they were the first time I gave it to them, though I believe it was when they were around a year old. They would get so excited and their little feet would happily kick in their high chairs. 

So what is socca? It is an Italian flatbread or pancake made with chickpea flour. It is crazy easy to make. All you need is chickpea flour, olive oil, salt, and water. 

There are many different ways to make socca, and I’m going to devote this post to all of my favorite ways, from stove top to oven, plain and with veggies. Once you master the basic recipe, you can really do so much with it. I often give it to my boys for lunch or dinner, especially on a night when I’m mostly eating salad and I know they’re going to need something more filling for their growing bodies. 

And so here are my favorite ways to make socca. Learn the basic recipe listed in the recipe box below and have fun making it your own!

Oven Baked in a Cast Iron Skillet: This is my family’s favorite method. The edges get so crispy, and it is so satisfying. Instructions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If you’re using a 9 or 10 inch pan, you’ll want to do the recipe in two batches. The key is to preheat the cast iron skillet in the oven for at least 10 minutes so it’s nice and hot. Once preheated, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan (no need to go crazy here – two or three tablespoons will do) and pour about half of the batter in carefully. Bake for about 15 – 18 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. Serve it topped with mushrooms and veggies or on the side of soup or salad. 

Oven Baked with Red Onions: This is my favorite variation. I swear it almost tastes like fried onion rings. Follow the steps listed above but add slices of red onion to the hot pan with the olive oil. Let them sizzle for a few seconds and then pour the batter on top of the red onions. Bake as listed above. Devour as soon as it comes out of the oven, even if you burn yourself slightly (only half joking). 

Stovetop, Pancake Style: This is my go-to lunch method, especially on days when I don’t want to turn the oven on. Instructions: heat a nonstick or cast iron pan over medium to medium high heat. Once hot, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter in (I recommend doing about half of the batter at a time). Let it cook until nicely browned and then very carefully flip it over to finish cooking for a few minutes. Serve it topped with mushrooms and veggies or on the side of soup or salad. 

Stovetop, Pancake Style, with Veggies: This is a method I often give my boys at lunch time. Grate a small piece of zucchini and a small piece of carrot. I usually do around half a cup of grated veggies but no need to be exact. Add the veggies to the batter along with any dried or fresh herbs you have on hand (fresh chives and dried oregano are my go-to choices). Cook as listed above. It will be a little trickier to flip because of the veggies, so don’t worry if it falls apart the first time you try. I promise it will still taste excellent. 

Print Recipe

Basic Socca

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Serve it as a flatbread or savory pancake. Top it with garlicky mushrooms or salad greens. Eat it on the side of soup or salad or right out of the oven. The possibilities are endless.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chickpea flour
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 ¼ cups of water
• Dried or fresh herbs (optional)

Instructions

1

Whisk all of the ingredients together and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.

2

Oven Baked in a Cast Iron Skillet: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If you're using a 9 or 10 inch pan, you'll want to do the recipe in two batches. The key is to preheat the cast iron skillet in the oven for at least 10 minutes so it’s nice and hot. Once preheated, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan (no need to go crazy here - two or three tablespoons will do) and pour about half of the batter in carefully. Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. Serve it topped with mushrooms and veggies or on the side of soup or salad.

3

Oven Baked with Red Onions: Follow the steps listed above but add slices of red onion to the pan with the olive oil. Let them sizzle for a few seconds and then pour the batter on top of the red onions. Bake as listed above. Devour as soon as it comes out of the oven, even if you burn yourself slightly (only half joking).

4

Stovetop, Pancake Style: Heat a nonstick or cast iron pan over medium to medium high heat. Once hot, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter in (I recommend doing about half of the batter at a time). Let it cook until nicely browned and then very carefully flip it over to finish cooking for a few minutes. Serve it topped with mushrooms and veggies or on the side of soup or salad.

5

Stovetop, Pancake Style, with Veggies: Grate a small piece of zucchini and a small piece of carrot. I usually do around half a cup of grated veggies but no need to be exact. Add the veggies to the batter along with any dried or fresh herbs you have on hand (fresh chives and dried oregano are my go-to choices). Cook as listed above. It will be a little trickier to flip because of the veggies, so don’t worry if it falls apart the first time you try. I promise it will still taste excellent.