Vegan Socca Stacks

In these vegan socca stacks, savory chickpea crepes are layered with white bean puree and vegetables. They make a great dinner for holidays, date night, and dinner parties. It’s the perfect dish for Valentine’s Day! This recipe is a fun alternative to lasagna. It’s vegan and gluten-free. 

Down to Earth

Years ago there was a vegan restaurant in Red Bank New Jersey called Down to Earth. Dennis and I would make the trek down to Red Bank for a day trips, just to eat there. We would have both lunch and dinner there to make the drive worth our while, and we often bought food to go, too. It was that good.

Sadly, word got back to us one day that the restaurant had closed and the owners had moved out of state in search of bigger and brighter things. We both mourned the loss of our favorite meals, including Blue Corn Hempeh, Southern Style Seitan, and vegan Socca Stacks.

While perusing the vegetarian section of Barnes and Noble one day several months later, I came across a cookbook I hadn’t heard of yet called You Won’t Believe It’s Vegan buy Lacy Sher and Gail Doherty. I thumbed through the book’s pages, and recognized quite a few of the recipe names. Live Lemonade, Love Bowl, Live Pizza Crackers… this book was full of Down to Earth Recipes!

What is Socca?

Socca is a thin crepe or pancake made with chickpea flour. It’s popular in Europe, and it’s also known as farinata, torta di ceci, and cecina. In this dish, it’s layered with vegetables and a white bean puree, similar to lasagna. 

Chickpea Flour

Chickpea flour is  sometimes called garbanzo bean flour, besan, or gram flour. Bob’s Red Mill makes a garbanzo and fava combo flour that will also work in this recipe, if you can’t find garbanzo flour on its own. Because it binds together really well, it’s essential for this recipe. Other flours won’t work.

When chickpea flour is mixed with other ingredients, it needs to rest for about an hour so that it has time to hydrate. 

Vegan Socca Stacks

I was super happy that I could once again enjoy some of my favorite vegan meals, even if I did have to make them at home. , Making all of my favorites, I worked my way through the cookbook. Vegan socca stacks had been one of my most beloved dishes from the restaurant, but with multiple components, the recipe took ages to make. I only cooked it once.

Since then, I’ve simplified the vegan socca stacks recipe and removed some of the steps. It does take a little while to make, but the white beans can be pureed while the chickpea flour mixture rests, and the vegetables can be cooked while the socca is in the oven. I’ve used store-bought sauce to make things easier and reduce cooking time.

How to Make Socca Stacks

This recipe is a little time consuming, but I promise the pay-off is worth it! 

• First, you mix together the socca ingredients, and then you let it sit for about an hour.
• While the socca mixture rests, you can make the rest of the components. You make the bean purée by mixing all of the ingredients together in a food processor or blender.
• Then, you sauté the leeks and the kale in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
• Once the socca is ready, you spread it in a layer layer in a baking dish or baking pan and bake it for about 20 minutes. When it’s done, you cut it into 3-inch squares.
• Finally, you assemble the stacks by place a little bit of sauce on the bottom of a plate, topped with the a socca square, followed by the bean puree and vegetables. Follow with another piece of socca and repeat. Top with a final socca square.

Print

Vegan Socca Stacks

Layered with savory chickpea crepes, white bean puree, and vegetables, these vegan socca stacks are the perfect meal for date night and dinner parties.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword socca stacks

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

resting time 1 hour

Yields 4 servings

Calories 445 kcal

Author Dianne

Ingredients

For the Socca

• 2 cups chickpea flour
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning (I like Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ½ cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored vegetable oil

For the White Bean Puree

• 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup vegetable stock
• ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley

For the Filling

• 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored vegetable oil
• 2 leeks cleaned and chopped
• 1 bunch kale stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the Socca Stacks

• 1 1/4 cups marinara sauce warmed
• parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions

Make the Socca

1. Combine the chickpea flour, herbs, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the water, cover, and allow to rest for an hour.
2. Preheat your oven to 450° and oil a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet or dish.
3. Give the chickpea flour mixture another whisk and then pour it onto the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until it has set and begins to crisp.
5. Cut the socca into 12 3-inch squares.

Make the White Bean Puree

1. Blend the beans, garlic, sea salt, and stock until smooth in a food processor or blender. Pulse in the parsley.

Cook the Vegetables

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the leeks until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the kale and continue to cook until it wilts, about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and then mix in the lemon juice.

Assemble the Socca Stacks

1. Spoon ¼ cup of the marinara on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Place one of the socca slices onto of the marinara, and spoon on a few tablespoons of the white bean puree. Top with some of the kale.
2. Place another socca slice onto top of the greens and then layer on more white bean puree and greens. Place another socca slice on top, and top with a tablespoon of marinara, a dollop of white bean puree, and a little parsley.
3. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 stacks in total.

Other recipes that are made with chickpea flour include:

• Polenta Lasagna
• Chickpea Pizza With Asparagus And Pea Shoot Tangle
• Curried Garbanzo Cakes
• Chickpea Flour Pancakes
• Broccoli Frittata