This Chickpea Flatbread Pizza is a simple, Mediterranean-style sharing dish made with a socca-inspired chickpea flour base, sun-dried tomato tapenade, cashew mozzarella, olives, avocado, rocket and pumpkin seeds. It is naturally gluten-free, plant-based, high in fibre and perfect for a light lunch, retreat table, private chef spread or relaxed weekend meal.
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Chickpea Flatbread Pizza Recipe
This chickpea flatbread pizza is a variation of our classic Socca Flatbread recipe, using the same chickpea flour base and turning it into something more colourful, generous and satisfying.
The original version comes from our first Holistic Chef Academy ebook, Eat To Thrive, published back in 2021. It is one of those recipes that has stayed useful over the years because it is simple, nourishing and endlessly adaptable. I still make variations of this regularly on retreats and for private chef events because it works brilliantly as a sharing dish. Slice it up, place it in the middle of the table, and watch it disappear.
This version is topped with sun-dried tomato tapenade, homemade cashew mozzarella, olives, avocado, rocket and pumpkin seeds. Think Mediterranean pizza, but with a protein-rich chickpea base and a lighter, fresher finish.
Ingredients You Will Need
Full recipe quantities and method are below in the recipe card.
- For the chickpea flatbread base, you will need chickpea flour, warm filtered water, olive oil, baking powder, nutritional yeast and sea salt.
- To make the sun-dried tomato tapenade, you will need sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, olive oil and nutritional yeast.
- For the toppings, you will need cashew mozzarella, red onion, avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, black olives, rocket and pumpkin seeds.
This is a great recipe for using up small amounts of Mediterranean-style ingredients you already have in the fridge. A few olives, a spoon of pesto, leftover roasted vegetables, some greens, happy days!
Equipment You Will Need
You will need weighing scales, a mixing bowl, whisk, spatula, non-stick frying pan or oven-safe skillet, food processor and serving platter. A good non-stick pan makes life much easier here. Chickpea batter likes confidence, heat and enough oil.
How To Make Chickpea Flatbread Pizza
Start by making the chickpea flatbread batter. Whisk the chickpea flour, sea salt, baking powder and nutritional yeast together in a mixing bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil, then whisk until smooth. Leave the batter to rest for at least 20 minutes so the chickpea flour can hydrate properly.
Next, make the sun-dried tomato tapenade. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, olive oil and nutritional yeast to a food processor. Blend until finely chopped and spreadable, scraping down the sides as needed. Add a little extra olive oil if the mixture is too dry.
To cook the base, preheat the grill or broiler with an oven-safe non-stick pan inside. Once hot, carefully remove the pan, add olive oil and swirl to coat the base. Pour in the chickpea batter and return the pan to the grill or broiler. Cook until the socca is set, golden around the edges and starting to pull away from the sides.
Once the base is cooked, add the toppings. Drizzle or brush with olive oil, then add cashew mozzarella, olives, red onion, cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. Bake briefly until the toppings soften and the edges of the flatbread are crisp.
Finish with sun-dried tomato tapenade, avocado, fresh rocket and pumpkin seeds. Slice and serve warm.
What To Serve With Chickpea Flatbread Pizza
This chickpea flatbread pizza is lovely served as part of a sharing table with salads, dips and seasonal vegetables.
Serve it with a fresh green salad, roasted vegetables, hummus, cashew sour cream, zhoug herb sauce, marinated olives or a simple tomato and cucumber salad.
For retreat menus, it works well as a light lunch alongside soup or as part of a colourful mezze-style spread. For private chef events, cut it into smaller slices and serve it as a casual canapé or sharing starter.
How To Store Chickpea Flatbread Pizza
This recipe is best served fresh while the base is still warm and slightly crisp.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot oven or dry frying pan until warmed through and crisp around the edges.
For best results, store the base and fresh toppings separately. Add avocado, rocket and pumpkin seeds just before serving.
FAQ
Yes. The base is made with chickpea flour instead of wheat flour, so it is naturally gluten-free. Always check your baking powder and other packaged ingredients if cooking for someone with coeliac disease or a serious gluten intolerance.
This recipe is based on socca, a traditional chickpea flour flatbread from the south of France and Ligurian coastal regions. Here, we use the socca-style base as a pizza-style flatbread and add Mediterranean toppings.
You can make the batter and tapenade ahead of time. Store the batter in the fridge and whisk again before cooking. For best texture, cook the flatbread base fresh and add the toppings just before serving.
Absolutely. This recipe is very flexible. Try roasted peppers, courgettes, mushrooms, caramelised onions, pesto, fresh herbs, artichokes, capers or different plant-based cheeses. The base is the hero; the toppings are where you get to play.
Yes. This is exactly the kind of recipe that works well for retreats, workshops, buffets and private chef events. It is colourful, nourishing, easy to slice, and suitable for many plant-based and gluten-free guests.
More Recipes
- Cashew Mozzarella - coming soon!
- Thai Rice Noodle Salad
- Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Coconut Flatbread
- Lentil Flatbread
We hope you enjoy this delicious recipe. If you give it a try, let us know in the comments below - we love hearing your feedback and seeing your recreations.
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