Oil-Free Socca Bread

Name: Cowboy Caviar with Quinoa and Zesty Lime Dressing
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: Ingredients for the caviar:; 1½ cups (one 15 oz. can 425 grams) of black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 cup of black-eyed peas (170 grams) drained and rinsed; 1½ cups (278 grams) white quinoa, cooked; 1 cup of sweet corn (fresh or frozen); 1 cup of red pepper, diced (1 medium red pepper); 2 Roma tomatoes, diced with seeds removed; 1 large avocado, cubed; ¼ cup of red onion, finely diced; ¾ cup of cilantro, chopped; 1 small jalapeño, finely diced with seeds and membranes removed; Ingredients for the dressing:; 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice; 2 teaspoons of lime zest; 3 tablespoons of maple syrup; 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon of cumin; 1 teaspoon of chili powder (mild or spicy); 2 teaspoons of salt; 1 teaspoon of black pepper

July 05, 2021 by Carol Clayton in side dish

Oil-Free Socca Bread (Stove-Top Recipe)

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Socca, that rustic chickpea flatbread, which is a popular street food in Nice, France, is as simple to make as pancakes. It’s full of protein, surprisingly filling, and naturally vegan and gluten-free. My oil-free, stove-top version tastes delicious dipped in soups, topped with hummus, or eaten nice and hot from the pan. You can even use it as a pizza crust!

There are two options for frying pans to cook oil-free socca bread. One is a non-stick pan that has a completely smooth scratch-free surface. Since the batter can stick to scrape marks and worn spots in a well-loved pan, newer works best. Socca cooked in a non-stick pan will have a similar golden color as a pancake. The other is an old cast iron pan that has grease build-up and no longer needs oiling. I really like cast iron’s unique ability to hold onto heat, creating a crispy, slightly charred, outside and melty soft inside. If you don’t have an old pan lying around, no worries, a non-stick pan works great too. Just pre-heat your pan until it’s hot but not scorching, before adding the batter, for a nice golden exterior. If you’re concerned about sticking and not about oil, go ahead and add a bit of oil to the pan, rubbing it around with a kitchen towel or pastry brush.

Frying Pan Options For Oil-Free Socca Bread

Traditionally socca is baked in a cast-iron pan in the oven, but I find it’s easier to adjust the thickness of the flatbread and monitor the cooking process on the stovetop. A helpful trick is to let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes before cooking. While resting, chickpea flour thickens as it absorbs additional water and helps mellow the strong flavor of the flour. You can make the batter ahead of time, if you like, and then let it rest in the fridge until you’re ready to get cooking.

Socca bread works well with a “bossy” herb like rosemary which balances the strong flavor of the chickpea flour. You can also season it with chipotle powder, for a fun spicy version, or other loud flavors like garlic and onion powder.

3 reasons to try oil-free socca bread:

1. Simple to make

2. Minimal ingredients

3. Crispy on the outside, melty soft on the inside

If you like this recipe, please give it a 5-star rating below. It’s also fun to see your creations on Instagram. Please share and tag me @vegeta.full. And, if you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!

Keep scrolling for step-by-step instructions with photos!

A special thank you to Phantom Chef for gifting me the non-stick frying pan.

Ingredients for Oil-Free Socca Bread

Oil-Free Socca Bread Vegan Ingredients — Ingredients:

o   1 cup (100 grams) of **chickpea flour** (garbanzo bean flour)
o   1 cup (8 oz. / 237 ml) of water
o   ½ teaspoon of kosher salt
o   ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
o   1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Makes 1½ cups of batter for 3 socca flatbreads. Recipe can easily be doubled. Click on the ingredients in bold to see what I use in this recipe.

Oil-Free Socca Bread Vegan — Steps 1-2:

1. Whisk chickpea flour, water, salt, pepper, and rosemary in a bowl until well combined. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. (You can also make the batter in advance and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready.)
2. Pre-heat an 8” non-stick frying pan or an aged cast-iron skillet that no longer requires greasing, on medium-high heat until nice and hot but not scorching.

Serve nice and hot from the pan or along side your favorite soup or dip.

More delicious oil-free bread recipes:

Vegan Cornbread

Cinnamon Currant Scones

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Printable Recipe Card:

Yield: 12 quarters (from 3 flatbreads)

Author: Carol Clayton

Oil-Free Socca Bread (Stove-Top Recipe)

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

1 cup (100 grams) of chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour)
1 cup (8 oz. / 237 ml) of water
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Instructions

Whisk chickpea flour, water, salt, pepper, and rosemary in a bowl until well combined. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. (You can also make the batter in advance and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready.)
Pre-heat an 8” non-stick frying pan or an aged cast-iron skillet that no longer requires greasing, on medium-high heat until nice and hot but not scorching.
Pour 1/3 of the socca batter (½ cup) into the pan. This will cover the bottom of an 8” frying pan. If using a larger pan, make each flatbread with ½ cup of batter.
Cook for about 4 minutes, until little bubbles form on the top of the socca, and the surface looks dry. You can peek under the bread, to monitor the color, by lifting the edge with a flexible spatula.
Using a flexible spatula, flip the socca over. Cook for an additional 4 minutes or until golden.
Repeat this process with the remaining batter. You will have 3 socca flatbreads in total.
Cut into quarters, and sprinkle with additional rosemary and pepper if desired.

Notes:

Serve nice and hot from the pan or alongside your favorite soup or dip.

For step-by-step instructions with photos, see blog post.

Also for tips on how to keep your oil-free socca from sticking to the pan, see blog post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

29.96

Fat (grams)

0.52

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.06

Carbs (grams)

4.50

Fiber (grams)

0.86

Net carbs

3.64

Sugar (grams)

0.83

Protein (grams)

1.73

Sodium (milligrams)

58.16

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @vegeta.full on instagram and hashtag it #letsblendvegan

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

May 17, 2021 by Carol Clayton in side dish

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (oil-free)

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It’s been about 6 months since Thanksgiving so it’s time to start planning for this year, right?! The one dish that everyone ooohs and aaahs over, vegan or not, is scalloped potatoes. Who can resist those tender slices of potato, bubbling under a golden layer of cream? The secret is in the sauce. By blending soaked cashews with plant-based milk, you create dairy-free half & half. This creamy sauce creates rich, mouthwatering, vegan scalloped potatoes that will please every eater at your dinner table.

Why this is my go-to whole food plant-based scalloped potato recipe:

o Creamy and delicious, a total crowd-pleaser

o Easy to prep ahead of time

o Economical but looks fancy

o Minimal Ingredients

o Serve as a side or main dish

The beauty of cooking with potatoes is that they can be prepped ahead of time. You just need to cover the potatoes with water so that they don’t discolor and store them in the fridge. When you’re ready to get cooking, rinse the potatoes and pat them dry so that they soak up more of that creamy sauce.

A mandolin is a helpful tool for achieving evenly sliced potatoes. I use a mandolin set at 2mm thickness. You can also use a sharp knife and a steady hand. The potatoes need to be the same thickness so that they cook evenly. Otherwise, you may end up with a few crunchy, undercooked potatoes. To see the mandolin I use, click here.

For the cream sauce, pour boiling water over your cashews and let them soak while you peel and slice the potatoes. They need about 20 minutes to become soft. Soft cashews are the key to a smooth, creamy, dairy-free sauce. Drain and rinse the nuts and blend them with the almond milk until completely smooth. Add in your flavorings, give them a quick pulse and you’re good to go. The sauce can be made ahead of time too. But keep the sauce and the potatoes separate until just before cooking.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it in the ratings and comments below. It’s so fun to see your creations, as well, on Instagram. Please tag me @vegeta.full.

Ingredients for Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Ingredients — Ingredients:

o   2 pounds (910 grams) of yellow potatoes, peeled and sliced 2mm thick, using a mandolin or a sharp knife (Yukon gold are my favorite)
o   ¾ cup (112 grams) of cashews, hot soaked for 20 min.
o   2¼ cups (18 oz.) of **almond milk**, unsweetened (*you can also use water)
o   2 garlic cloves, minced
o   1 teaspoon of kosher salt
o   ½ teaspoon of thyme (plus fresh thyme for sprinkling on the top)
o   ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Makes 8 servings (click on the ingredients in bold to see what I use)

Method for making Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Prepared Ingredients — Steps 1-3:

1.   Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C)
2.  Hot soak the cashews in a small bowl by pouring boiling water over them, enough to cover completely. Set aside for about 20 minutes, while you prepare the potatoes.
3.  Peel and slice the potatoes 2mm thick, using a mandolin or a sharp knife. Layer the potatoes in a 2-quart (8” X 11)” baking dish in even layers.

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Cashew Cream Sauce — Steps 4-5:

4. Drain and rinse the cashews. Add them to a blender container along with 2¼ cups of almond milk. Blend on medium-high speed for 90 seconds or until the cashew mixture is completely smooth.
5. Add the salt, thyme, pepper and garlic to the blender. Give it one quick pulse to combine.

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Cashew Cream Sauce over Potatoes — Step 6:

6. Pour the cream sauce over the potatoes. Use a fork to scooch the potatoes around, making sure they are well coated.

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes Before Baking — Step 7-8:

7. Bake at 425 F for 45 minutes, removing halfway through cooking, to scooch the potatoes around again so the top layer is coated in cream sauce.

8. Remove from the oven when bubby hot and browned on the top. If additional color is desired, place under the broiler for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme

Notes:

I find there’s no need to oil the pan before cooking. The browned bits that stick to the bottom add extra flavor.

Be sure to drain and rinse the cashews as the soaking water can taste bitter.

The cream sauce will look runny at first but thicken up significantly during cooking.

* I originally tested this recipe using water instead of almond milk which was still very creamy but less rich tasting. For lighter scalloped potatoes, feel free to use water.

Put that cashew cream into action with these deliciously healthy recipes:

Creamy Cashew Chickpea Curry

Creamy Celeriac Soup

Cashew Creamer

Printable Recipe Card:

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (oil-free)

Yield: 8 Servings

Author: Carol Clayton

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 4 M

Who can resist those tender slices of potato, bubbling under a golden layer of cream? The secret is in the sauce. By blending soaked cashews with plant-based milk, you create dairy-free half & half. This creamy sauce creates rich, mouthwatering, scalloped potatoes that will please every eater at your dinner table.