The sweet earthiness of the beets plays so well with the creamy nuttiness of the tahini.
One of my favorite dishes with the red root veggies is this beet and tahini relish that a local Mediterranean restaurant serves here on their mezze platter. It’s supposed to be a dip, but I take my fork to it like the very (un)classy lady I am.
Using that as a jumping off point, combined with my other favorite thing, chickpeas, or more specifically chickpea flour, I thought I’d make a beet socca with tahini and za’atar, an Israeli spice blend with oregano and sesame seeds I fell in love with on a trip to Israel a few years back. 
If you haven’t heard of socca. That’s totally cool. But it just may change your life. It’s a chickpea flour and olive oil-based flatbread that comes together in no time and has a distinctly nutty flavor that I find addicting.
To make quick work of this, get your beets roasting first. Then mix your socca batter. Combine your za’atar sauce, cook your socca, and then peel and chop your beets. Maybe make a nice green salad in between some of the oven time.
I made little ones because I happen to have little cast iron pans, but you could make larger ones and you’ll have pretty pizza-like things gracing your table.
To save even more time, but still get a really nice flavor, ditch the socca and use store-bought pita. Toast it, slather on the za’atar mix, top with beets, and drizzle with tahini. It will still be delicious. Promise.
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Roasted Beet and Za’atar Chickpea Flatbread
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings 1x
Description
An earthy and vibrant chickpea flour flatbread topped with sweet roasted beets, a zesty za’atar sauce, and creamy tahini. Perfect for a unique lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
- Socca
- 1 cup (237ml) chickpea flour
- 1 cup (237ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil (plus more for pan)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons (6ml) salt
- 1 large beet or 2 medium beets (washed)
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) za’atar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22ml) extra-virgin olive oil (plus a little extra for the beets)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) Greek yogurt (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) tahini (plus more if desired)
- 3 tablespoons (44ml) pine nuts (toasted)
- Handful fresh cilantro (chopped)
- Sea salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Roast beets. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Drizzle beets with a touch of olive oil. Wrap in foil and place in oven and roast until a knife pierces through easily, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully unwrap, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove peel and chop beets into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) pieces. Toss beets with zest and juice of 1/2 lemon.
- Meanwhile, make socca. Mix chickpea flour with water, olive oil, and salt. Stir to combine and allow to rest 20-30 minutes. Grease bottom and sides of a 12-inch (30 cm) cast iron skillet with a thin layer of olive oil until well-coated. Preheat pan in the 425°F (220°C) oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove pan, and swirl in batter to coat the bottom in a 1/4-inch (6 mm) layer. Return to oven and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes or until beginning to crack on top and springy to touch.
- Remove from oven, use a spatula to lift socca from the skillet, and repeat with remaining batter (if using a smaller skillet), greasing the pan generously with olive oil as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Make za’atar sauce. Mix za’atar with yogurt (if using), olive oil, and a generous pinch of salt.
- Assemble socca. Spread sauce over the socca rounds. Sprinkle chopped beets over top, drizzle with tahini, and sprinkle with cilantro and pine nuts. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of beets should I use for this recipe?
You can use any variety of beets, but red beets are the most common and will provide the sweetest earthiness that complements the tahini.
Can I substitute the chickpea flour used for the socca?
Chickpea flour is essential for socca, but if you’re looking for alternatives, you might try a gluten-free flour blend, though the texture and flavor will differ.
How can I adjust the za’atar sauce if I cannot find it in stores?
If you can’t find za’atar, you can make a simple mix using dried oregano, sesame seeds, and a bit of salt to mimic the flavor profile.
This is right up my wife’s alley. She has been making socca for several years & she loves beets. I like her socca. Beets – not so much. Have to make a version of this next weekend. Thanks.