Combining Levantine flavors to create a delicious gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, vegan pizza recipe baked in a cast iron skillet! Levantine Socca Pizza is the healthy exotic twist you need to spice up pizza night!
It’s here! The final pizza to celebrate unofficial pizza month! I’ve given you a bunch of new gluten-free and grain-free crust ideas and this one is yet another to add to the list! This one took a little bit of before-hand prep, which I showed you on Monday. The Baba Ghanoush Hummus is only one of the spreads you’ll need to top this Levantine Socca Pizza!
You may have noticed right away that I baked this luscious pie in one of my favorite kitchen appliances, my cast iron! It creates the perfect browned and flavor-infused bottom to this socca crust! And it comes off clean and easy (which is what we all want!) We don’t want to lose any part of our chickpea flour crust because it gets stuck in some terrible tragic pan!
Before I get too ahead of myself and assume y’all know what socca is, let me give you the rundown. Socca (also called Farinata) is a chickpea flour “flatbread” or large pancake. Originally from France (I know!), but seen mostly in Middle Eastern cuisines now-a-days. You just need chickpea flour and liquid to make socca, but of course, that’s just the “basic”. We will be making a much more stellar, heartier, and “pizza-crust-worthy” socca today!
What makes this socca more than just a thin flatbread is…..sweet potato! Sweet potato puree to the rescue for making a perfect pizza worthy crust that will stand up to all the luscious sauces and topping that grace this pie! The crust comes out soft and bready and the perfect thickness.
To make this pizza really shine, through a few different layers, here’s what you get. Layer 1: socca crust, layer 2: harissa, layer 3: baba ghanoush hummus, “layer” 4: eggplant strips and fresh cilantro! Is your mouth watering? Yes! You get to bite through all those lovely layers. It really is a pie of bliss! You can eat this whole thing yourself if you have a super appetite, or share it with a very trusted and loved friend (because you know…it’s PIZZA)!
I didn’t know what cuisine this pizza fell under, so that’s why I’m using the regional term, Levantine. This encompasses the Middle Eastern area of Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey. It covers all my bases for this pizza creation.
I hope you’re as excited as I am about this pizza! I think it may be my proudest “pie” creation to this point. It may have to do with the magic of the cast iron, the chickpea flour, the harissa, or maybe that baba ghanoush hummus. Well, I guess it’s just a combination of it all! So here you go; let’s get pizza making!
Levantine Socca Pizza
Levantine Socca Pizza
Combining Levantine flavors to create a delicious gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, vegan pizza recipe baked in a cast iron skillet! Levantine Socca Pizza is the healthy exotic twist you need to spice up pizza night!
- Cook Time: 18 mins
- Total Time: 18 mins
- Yield: 1 Pizza 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- Socca Crust:
- 1/2 Cup Chickpea Flour
- 1/2 Cup Sweet Potato Puree (or butternut squash)
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
- Toppings:
- 2 TB Harissa (I use mild)
- 1/4 Cup Baba Ghanoush Hummus
- 1 Small Eggplant (cut into thin strips)
- 2 TB Chopped Cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chickpea flour, potato or squash puree, water, and spices. Mix to combine a smooth, thick batter.
- In a well greased cast iron skillet, spread the socca batter in a 10 inch diameter circle (about 1/4 inch thick).
- Then spoon on the harissa and spread it around, next spread on the hummus, and finally layer on a few thin eggplant strips and sprinkle on the chopped cilantro.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (mine was done in 18).
- Remove and allow to cool before removing and slicing!
Yes guys, I used baby food yet again 😉 That stuff is just too handy and has the perfect consistency! Now, I hope y’all join me in grabbing your cast iron and making some delicious, mouth-watering, “omg-flavor!” Levantine Socca Pizza today!
So tell me:
+ Have you ever made socca? Funny story, I few years ago I tried to make a socca crust and it was such a huge fail! The entire thing just stuck to the baking dish and it was a mess. I made this pizza in its place. Lucky me, I finally conquered the socca pizza!
+ Do you have a pizza stone? I think I might want to get one. We have one, but it’s so “gluttened” that I obviously can’t use it 😛
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Cricket Plunkett
Love looks like a healthy way to satisfy a pizza craving!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is the best!
Jan Thomas
I can’t wait to try this! Every saturday night is homemade pizza and a movie night, and I am always trying to mix things up!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
This will sure mix things up!!
Deborah Davis
My friends will really love the amazing combination of Harissa ,Baba Ghanoush Hummus, Eggplant and Cilantro on this awesome pizza Levantine Socca Pizza.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Pizza party!
Danielle
I always make my pizza in a cast iron! I’ve never heard of socca (or tried it) I’ll have to give this a shot. It looks amazing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You’ll love this version!
Aimee / Wallflower Kitchen
Love the idea of using sweet potato with the socca! This sounds DELICIOUS!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Aimee!
kimmythevegan
It’s gluten free and vegan? Double score! AND it’s pizza. Oh man. My favourite food. And very interesting flavour combos. I love the look of the sliced eggplant – so pretty. You make gluten-free baking sound so easy 😉
I’m pinning & sharing =)
Have a great week, Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
This pizza deserves a crown (and no, I’m not biased 😉 )
Sarah
This is such a unique recipe! It looks divine. Can’t wait to try it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Sarah!
Brittany @ The Pistachio Project
Anything with sweet potato puree has got to be amazing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, I used butternut in mine though 😛
Liz Jo
Looks healthy and yummy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Lindsay Cotter
This pizza looks ahhmazing! Can’t wait to try these flavors on my next pizza! Yum!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Lindsay! It is so yummy <3
Nikki Frank-Hamilton
Your taste and your knowledge of flavors and products is vast and amazing! The things that you put together are other-worldly. This is such a talent, each time I come here I am in awe of they way your mind works! And this pizza looks fantastic!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, thanks!
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner
Eggplant on pizza is the best! Creative way to cook it up.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, well this is a little more than just “on” pizza, Deborah.
Mel@avirtualvegan.com
What a beautiful pizza! I love all of those wonderful layers of flavour. The base sounds wonderful too. And no I don’t have a pizza stone but I have been meaning to buy one like forever. I bake all my own bread and pizza stones are great for baking your loaves on. It makes them extra crusty. I make pizza often too so I don’t know why I dont get my act together and splash out on one!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ooo yea! That would be good! But I’m feeling like anything a pizza stone can do, my cast iron can do better 😛
Kathy Hester
I’ve been crushing out on chickpea flour lately and this is the next thing I want to make – yum!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Pizza s a must!
Anjali @ Vegetarian Gastronomy
Love your crust ingredients and the harisa! This sounds delicious Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Crystal
I really need to get a cast iron skillet. Checked them out on Amazon. Just trying to figure out what size I need. I had to pin this because this pizza looks amazing. I once made a crust for cheese bread out of quinoa. Delish!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I have the 10.25in! It is perfect anywhere from 10-12in is a good bet for the typical cook!
And thank you!
Kathleen - Bloggers Lifestyle
That sounds like one very yummy Pizza. I am going to try that.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you! Enjoy!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
This is an amazing combination of healthy ingredients, Rebecca, and I really learned a lot. I just love it when food is good for you and totally delicious. So much easier to convince folks to take the healthy route! Gret recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right? REAL food is the best food!! xoxo
Miz Helen
What a beautiful pizza and a great idea!
Miz Helen
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Linda @ Veganosity
Cast iron skillets are amazing! Oh the things you can make in them. 🙂 That pizza is so full of fabulous flavors. Love it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! I just love my iron <3
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
I love socca! Yours looks fabulous as pizza – such a great idea – and love the added sweet potato to the mix!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Patricia!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
I’ve never attempted pizza in my cast iron – once again, I’m too scared! I do make a sweet potato crust in the oven, but your version looks SO much easier. Nummy I want this for dinner tonight!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Why are you scared :O Everything in the IRON is bound to be perfect and delicious (I have never had a failed recipe yet!)
I hope you make this <3 xoxo
Alyssa
Love this pizza! Can’t wait to try it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Marla
HI Rebecca,
Wow this recipe looks tasty. Pinned & tweeted!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Emily
Wow, how do you come up with all these amazing exotic sounding flavors? :))) Are you going to do a cookbook Rebecca?
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, I wish!
Kellen McAvoy
I love that you used sweet potato puree for the crust! genius!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I actually used Butternut 😛
Annmarie
Wow! This looks so good!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Bernadette Norris
This looks so delicious! I am trying some new gluten free recipes lately and haven’t found one for pizza that I like yet and I think this one might be it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
This is MORE than pizza, you’ll love it!
The Tale of Mummyhood
I have never tried this before but it looks lush! Will definitely be trying this out.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well of course you haven’t 😛
Bianca - ElephantasticVegan
This levantine socca pizza looks super good! I haven’t made socca yet, but I’ve had bana ganoush on pizza and I can confirm – it’s the bomb – so I can only imagine how good it is with a socca crust (and cilantro on top <3).
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Socca seems like your THING!! You’ve got to make some….today!!! Hahahaha! xoxo
Kate Hardie
This looks and sounds delicious…perfect to make this weekend 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I think so 😉 Thank you!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
This would be great for my gluten free and dairy free friends!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It would also be great for you!
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
I made socca for the first time about 5 years ago and loved it – I love your addition of sweet potato puree – going to have to try it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Socca is truly a gem! Thanks Jeanette!
Uma Srinivas
This sounds wonderful! Love any veggie pizza!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The more veggies the better 😉
dixya @food, pleasure, and health
i was looking forward to this post!! never made socca before and more reason to get it coz # pizza 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! It’s a must try!
neil@neilshealthymeals.com
Guess what? A cast iron skillet is also on my wish list, you know, just like that slow cooker? 😉
But, I do have a pizza stone! And Lynne and I often make our own pizza’s so I’m, pretty sure we’d be able to make this yummy creation on that!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
If you didn’t live “across the pond” and cast iron wasn’t so heavy…I would totally gift you one 😉
Yes! Use the stone!
Evi @ greenevi
I am totally in love with your pizza creations! Have to try that sweet potato socca, sounds amazing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes you do!! Thank you Evi!
Lauren
This sounds wonderful! I love the harissa as the sauce!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The harissa was the perfect tomato sauce replacement!
lucie
Oh goodness, this looks like heaven! I mistook the eggplant for seitan to began with (it looks so perfect!). Utter vegan bliss!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, no no, only veggies for this celiac! Thanks Lucie!
The Vegan 8
I’ve yet to try chickpea flour pizza crust or anything with chickpea flour, but this has me wanting some now, looks amazing and so healthy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
What are you waiting for, silly!!! Get some bean flour!!
Kristy @ Southern In Law
I loveee socca and this looks perfect! I definitely need to make this with my nomato sauce! <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I bet.
Adriana Lopez Martin
Pizza is always a nice treat to have great idea for this grilling weekend =)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well if your don’t have a grill 😉
Erin
I have a pizza stone but it’s so old and weathered that it starts smoking as soon as I start to heat it up. I have set it aside until I can either figure out how to clean it or get rid of it! Love the idea of using cast iron.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I bet you can find a use! For something extra smoky, perhaps 😉 Haha!
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons
Love anything I can make in my cast iron skillet!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
One of the best appilances!
rachel @ Athletic Avocado
oh my gosh all those toppings sound like an awesome party in my mouth! Love that you topped it with harissa, your amazing baba ganoush hummus and eggplant <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha, yes! It is, when Ellen said in her comment, a “multinational” party of flavors!
Casey the College Celiac
I absolutely love how simple, healthy and protein-packed your vegan crust is! Definitely not an easy achievement! Amazing as always girl – I bet your kitchen is always full of goodies with the amount of drool-worthy recipes you post! 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I totally neglected the fact that this would be super protein-packed until I thought about it after the fact 😛 Haha! The hidden magic!
Nadia
I love making pizza base using chickpea flour. I only recently found out it was called socca 😛 Love the toppings. Harissa is the best 😀
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Chickpeas and all their crafty little names 😉 Socca is so good though! …and harissa 😉
Brie
I’ve never heard of soccer before but it sounds and looks delicious! I’m definitely going to have to try it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
#socca 😉 Hahahaha!
Michele
Love that you make pizza in a cast iron skillet! Something I need to try already – looks so delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes you do! #skilletlife!
jules
YUM! I just wrote a recipe for Gluten Free & More Magazine for Socca – I’ll have to try your beautiful toppings next time I made socca!
~jules
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Socca is the best! SO easy!
Sarah
I’ll have to give this crust a try! My hubby makes the best Neapolitan crusts and it’s one of the only times I eat gluten and deal with the bloat and tummy upset.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Socca crust is much better 😉
Marye
This looks delicious, I am loving all of those flavors!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Marye!
Jenn
I’ve never heard of socca before. This sounds so good!! We grow eggplant in our garden in the summer and I know what I’m doing with it when it’s ready to harvest!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
WHAT!???? I’m shocked :O
I tried to grow eggplant once….it never got past the flower :/
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
This looks so good! I wish I had some for lunch today.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I wish I could deliver 😉
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan
Rebecca – wonderful crust – loving the sweet potato and chickpea flour combo!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Kristina @ Ms.Modify
Yum! I love how you have so many different pizza recipes!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
We have to have ALL the options 😉
Mandy
The pizza!!!!! Rebecca, this looks fabulous!!! And I’m always learning something from you….I had no idea what Levantine was. I love that you cooked it in a cast iron because that’s our absolute favorite way to make our pizza – and for the very reasons you described! Just, YUM!!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ahhh yay!!! You’ve gotta make this bad boy!! ‘Tis so yummy 😉 Cast iron cooking simply is the best! It makes any recipe delicious no matter what! Haha!
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
The Pizza looks amazing. Pizza stones are definitely the best!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I think that will be added to my list 😉
laura@motherwouldknow
I love this post because I learned so much from it, not to mention enjoying the recipe. I hadn’t heard of socca before and didn’t know what Levantine meant. Now I’m enthralled by the concept of your ode to both.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha! Well you need to now try this pizza to get a full experience 😉
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Very informative post. I did not know what Levantine meant, and now I do!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
My recipes always come with a little food culture 😉
Laura
I feel like you’re on a pizza kick, and I LOVE it! Can I join? This one sounds delightful:)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well it IS pizza month, haha!
Brittany
I tried that style of hummus for the first time two weeks ago in Canada. It was very interesting! I’d love to give this pizza a shot!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well now, they stole my idea 😛
lacey@fairytalesandfitness
I love all kinds of pizza. The healthier the better. Which means we can eat more of it, right?
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
For sure! Never too much 😉
Michele Morin
I definitely needed the explanation!
And eggplant! What a fantastic idea for a pizza topping!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Michele!
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday
Pizza stones are amazing. The crispy factor is unreal. Get one! And I love that this is a multinational pizza 😀 Such a fabulous idea.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It’s pretty much multitastic 😉 Hahaha! So good!
My cast iron makes up for any lost pizza stone magic 😉
Susie @ SuzLyfe
Um, yes. This sounds amazing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!