How to make Socca

I WISH I had some kind of food-writer story about how I was walking the streets of Nice when I first discovered socca, the crispy, handheld street food that is made of only chickpea flour and cooked up in huge pancakes that can serve dozens. But, unfortunately, I don’t. My love for Socca started on my friend’s couch, watching The Bachelor. One of her friends had just returned from a trip to Nice, and when she told me about all the ways that they used socca, I knew I had to try it.

Socca isn’t a hidden recipe, it’s written on the back of dozens of brands of chickpea flour, but I was still shocked by the simplicity (and deliciousness) of this pancake. I also loved that even though it felt like the carb of the meal, it was alllll protein, so you can just add a salad and be done!

So my obsession began, and so did this recipe. This is how to make a semi-traditional socca topped with parsley oil salad. So simple, so good and perfect for a quick dinner or lunch.

What is socca?

Socca is an unleavened, crêpe or pancake style recipe that uses only chickpea flour. It’s a popular street food in Nice, France, but there are variations of it in dozens of other regions and cultural cuisines. It originated in Genoa, and now is widely used in regions across the Mediterranean. It also goes by the names: farinata, torta di ceci, or cecina, depending on where you are!

In Nice you can get socca either in a sweet or savory capacity, it’s usually eaten with your hands and is commonly (and to my delight) very, very salty and peppery.

Ingredients for this socca recipe

Socca is all about simplicity, the flavor of the chickpea flour really carries the entire recipe. Here is everything you need for just the chickpea pancakes:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup cool water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil for coating the pan

Ingredients for the parsley oil salad

And while it’s not mandatory, I’ve found having a fresh, herbaceous salad element really helps brighten the earthiness and richness of socca. Here are the ingredients for my favorite way to top a socca meal:

• 1 bunch parsley leaves and stems
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon for juicing
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb microgreens or salad greens of choice
• 1 tbsp hemp hearts

How to make socca

In this recipe I make socca entirely in the oven. It’s easiest with a non-stick pan or cast iron, and here is a step-by-step guide:

• Begin by preheating the oven to 425F. Put a heat-proof skillet or cast iron pan into the oven to preheat with it.
• Whisk together the chickpea flour, 1 tsp of olive oil, water and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk thoroughly so there are no clumps
• When the oven is ready, remove the pan, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and pour about half of the socca batter into the pan. Immediately put the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the first socca and repeat again with the second. The amount of socca you can make will vary based on your pan size.

How to bring this whole recipe together

And of course, we can’t forget the salad. It really adds an extra layer of flavor to this recipe, plus it helps make it a full meal. Here’s how I put it all together:

• While the socca is cooking, make the dressing by blending together the parsley, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
• Blend until smooth and toss the salad greens with the dressing. Add in the hemp seeds.
• When the socca is finished, immediately serve with the salad on top and enjoy 🙂

Looking for other recipes to try?

Here are a few easy lunches and dinners that the blog is loving right now!

And that’s everything for how to make socca at home!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3