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Easy-to-make, 3 ingredient chickpea flour vegetable flatbread is full of delicious flavor and nutrition, yet free of eggs, grains, gluten, nuts and dairy. Make it oil-free with one easy swap! The bread is perfect for sandwiches, snacks, and all manner of gnoshing!
Table of Contents
- Baked Chickpea Flour Flatbread Made with Vegetables
- Not Socca, Not Farinata
- Recipe Benefits
- Nut-Free, Grain-Free & Egg-Free Vegetable Flatbread
- Ingredients
- How to Make 3 Ingredient Chickpea Flour Vegetable Flatbread
- Step One: Preheat the Oven
- Step Two: Make the Bread Dough
- Step Three: Spread the Batter
- Step Four: Bake
- Use Different Varieties of Vegetables
- Use 50% Cauliflower for Other Vegetables
- Variations
- How to Serve the Flatbread
- FAQ
- What are Some Variations for this Bread?
- Related Posts:
- 3 Ingredient Chickpea Flour Vegetable Flatbread (V, GF) Recipe
Baked Chickpea Flour Flatbread Made with Vegetables
How about a rainbow to start your day?
You’ve come to the right place, because I’ve been working all week on just such a thing.
Specifically, it’s a rainbow of vegetable flatbreads that come together in no time, taste fantastic, and are a great way to add some vegetable diversity to your daily routine. With one recipe, you can make multiple breads, simply by changing the vegetables. Beautiful!
Not Socca, Not Farinata
This flatbread is different from the batter-style flatbreads from Italy and France (Farinata and Socca, respectively). These breads are made from a very loose chickpea batter (chickpea flour, water and oil), which you pour into a hot skillet. The result is similar to a soft, baked pancake.
This chickpea flatbread is made with a veggies and chickpea flour dough that results in a more traditional “dry” bread. The slices can be used for toppings, as well as sandwiches. Toast them, too!
Recipe Benefits
Considering the old adage that we eat with our eyes first, these flatbreads deliver eye-candy satisfaction before you take a single bite.
They also happen to be:
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Grain-free
- Nut-free
- Seed-free
- Gluten-free
- Oil-free option
- Low in calories
- No leavening (yeast-free, no baking soda, no baking powder)
Nut-Free, Grain-Free & Egg-Free Vegetable Flatbread
Inspiration for this bread recipe comes from the folks at Green Kitchen Stories (love this blog; head on over, asap, if you have not yet made its acquaintance).
The Green Kitchen Stories recipe is made with eggs and almond flour; if you are looking for a Paleo vegetable flatbread recipe, their recipe is perfection.
But, as they note for their recipe, replacing the eggs with plant-based options is less than satisfactory.
I tried their chia-egg version, as well as my own variations (flax eggs & a flax-chia egg combo). While delicious, none held together as “bread,” by any definition. I attempted two psyllium husk combinations , as well. While they worked, in that they held together, the texture was more rubber ball than bread.
I decided to head back to the drawing board. Actually, it was the cupboard. I swapped the almond flour for chickpea flour and tried again. After a few test batches, success was, literally, in hand.
The recipe? No egg replacers are needed, since the chickpea flour functions as both flour and eggs in the recipe.
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
Hence, the only ingredients needed are
- chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour, gram flour, ceci flour, or besan flour)
- oil (only a a small amount; I used olive oil)
- raw, hard vegetables of your choice (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, beet, carrot)
You will also need a small amount of water (I use filtered tap water) and optional/adjustable salt.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Chickpea Flour Vegetable Flatbread
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Step One: Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a large baking sheet (with parchment paper or a silpat). I used a standard size half sheet baking pan, which is 18×13 inches. Spread the batter into an even rectangle that is 1/4-inch thick. My rectangles did not extend all the way to the edges of the pan.
Step Two: Make the Bread Dough
Process the vegetables into a fine, couscous/rice consistency. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until blended. (water and salt go in, too; not including these in official ingredients count) to make the bread work.
The flatbread dough is moist and easy to spread (no rolling pin required). Here is my broccoli variation:
Step Three: Spread the Batter
Scoop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
Do not worry, spreading and smoothing the dough into shape is not hard at all. You can use your hands, a spoon, or a spatula. It will take you about 1 minute, or perhaps 2 minutes, if you are a perfectionist.
Step Four: Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until just set. You’ve got flatbread!
Use Different Varieties of Vegetables
I made four varieties of vegetable flatbreads: broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and beet.
Use 50% Cauliflower for Other Vegetables
Cauliflower and broccoli flatbreads require only 3 ingredients. The carrot and beet versions need to be mixed with cauliflower. The same is true in the original Green Kitchen Stories recipe, but I thought I would test my recipe with beets and carrots alone (no cauliflower). Perhaps it would be different with chickpea flour?
Nope. Using 100% beet and or 100% carrot resulted in leathery crackers instead of bread.
My subsequent batches of beet and carrot bread were each 50% cauliflower. Perfecto!
Conclusion: 50% Cauliflower is a must for vegetable variations, except for broccoli.
These breads are such an easy, delicious, convenient & versatile way to incoporate more vegetables into your busy day.
Variations
Add additional flavors to the chickpea dough such as
- fresh herbs (e.g., rosemary, basil, thyme) or dried herbs (single herbs, or blends)
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- savory spices (e.g., cumin, chili powder, pepper, paprika)
- nutritional yeast (for vegan cheese flavor + added protein)
Or sprinkle with top of the chickpea flour vegetable dough with chopped seeds or nuts (e.g., sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts or pecans).
How to Serve the Flatbread
When kept plain, the flatbreads are remarkably neutral in flavor (especially the beet! I am loving the beet slices with nut butter & jam). Hummus, cashew cream cheese, and cashew Boursin are all great choices for instant spreads, perhaps topped with even vegetables such as sliced tomatoes.
The breads are terrific for sandwiches of all kinds, too.
Because these flatbreads are egg-free, they make exceptionally good (portable) power food for your on-the-go life (no refrigeration required, no fear of spoilage).
So grab a rainbow and go! Happy baking everyone, and have a wonderful, colorful, vegetable-packed weekend!
FAQ
- How should I store the bread? Store the flatbread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months.
- How do I make the bread oil-free? Replace the oil with an equal amount of runny tahini, cashew butter or almond butter.
- Can I use besan or garbanzo bean flour in place of chickpea flour? Yes, all three can be used interchangeably.
What are Some Variations for this Bread?
Cauliflower Flatbread: Replace the broccoli with an equal amount of cauliflower.
Carrot Flatbread: Replace the broccoli with 6 ounces cauliflower and 6 ounces peeled carrots (about 2 medium-large carrots).
Beet Flatbread: Replace the broccoli with 6 ounces cauliflower and 6 ounces peeled beets (about 1 medium-large beet).
Related Posts:
- 4-Ingredient Zucchini Skillet Flatbreads {Grain-Free, Vegan, Easy}
- Flourless Lentil Flatbread {Grain-Free, Vegan}
- Creamy Broccoli Hummus {vegan, oil-free option}
- Beet & Toasted Pepita Dip {vegan, oil-free, nut-free}
- 4-Ingredient White Bean Flatbread {grain-free, vegan}
- Easy Chickpea Flour Naan (V, Grain-Free)
3 Ingredient Chickpea Flour Vegetable Flatbread (V, GF)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces raw broccoli , (see notes for vegetable variations)
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or other oil, (see notes for oil-free option)
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200 C). Line a large (18×13-inch/ 45×32.5 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut the broccoli into pieces. Place the broccoli pieces (crowns and stems) in a large food processor and process until very fine (about the consistency of couscous; 12 oz will yield 3 cups finely chopped). Scrape mixture into a large bowl.
- Add the chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt to bowl with broccoli, stirring until completely combined.
- Spread batter into an even rectangle on the prepared baking sheet, smoothing the top. The batter should be 1/4-inch thick (the batter will not go all the way to the edges of the pan).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 24 to 28 minutes until light golden brown at the edges and the center is set.
- Transfer baking sheet to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Invert flatbread onto a cutting board and carefully peel off paper/silpat. Cut into 12 pieces and turn pieces right side up..
Hi Camilla and everyone! I am so excited to have found this site! I love to cook. I’m 66 yrs and giving up
grains….been gluten/dairy free for some time.
So I made this version today–2 cups cauliflower, 1 cup carrot with some scallions, garlic powder, thyme,
and salt. They are very good, just cracked top like another person said–I did have to bake an additional 10-15 minutes and raised to 450 degrees to get a little crisp on bottom. Mine do not look as nice and uniform
as your photos but hey–only my first shot!
Also , next time I will add a bit less water–maybe the cauliflower is more moist? I also used only a 15 x 11
pan–smaller than yours and they still came out thinner. Just sharing–we all have to make them and
learn from what we do for the next batch. —I would increase the amounts, little less water or more flour.
I’ll be making a lot of these!! and your site is beautiful! Can’t wait to try others, thank you!!
Welcome, Carol! I am so glad you found my site, and that you tried these flatbreads. I really like making them in the spring because of the colors :). Regarding the differences: there can be some variability, especially if you are not weighing the ingredients (depending on how you measured your cups of vegetables, in your note above–it could have been a lot less than 12 ounces total, which would account for the smaller size and the more cracked top). But it sounds like they came out well overall! Since this is such a simple recipe, the details make a big difference (like getting an accurate weight for the vegetables and pan size), if you want them to turn out the same as mine (more of a flatbread, not too thin, no cracks). All the best!
I love this recipe! I used what I had: small pieces of defrosted vegetables. From supermarket frozen vegetables, it was peas, corn and carrot. Didn’t even process them in the food processor.. Turned out great.
I noticed the way “x2 and x3 the recipe” works is a bit misleading. It only multiplies the first number. For example: “1 and 1/2 tablespoons, 22 mL” x2 becomes “2 and 1/2 tablespoons, 22 mL”
Thank you so many wonderful recipes!
Can I use my skillet to cook these rarher than the oven?
Also can I roast my cauliflower smd beets first?
Hi Helen! Ooh, why have I not tried that? I think that could work well. I would love to know how it goes!
what a wonderful recipe! I make this regularly now with different vegetables, thank you for the inspired recipe.
Just made this today with a mixture of broccoli and carrot and it turned out great! It is a little soft on the inside but I think that’s okay. I really love it! Thanks for posting!
Excellent, Jessi!
This bread is absolutely DELISH!!! I am a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and I am always on the lookout for recipes like this for my clients. I like to add herbs to mine, so for the broccoli bread, I add an italian mix (just a tsp), for the carrot, I added a tsp of tarragon, and for the beet, I added a tsp of dill. They received rave reviews! Tomorrow, I am teaching a client of mine how to cook. She’s a new mom and baby has a lot of sensitivities. She is now gluten. egg, and dairy free so this recipe is on the list. I’m sure she’s going to love its versatility.
Vicki, that’s wonderful! I love the sound of your herb additions and I am so glad it was well received by others. Thank you!
Great, healthy and creative …..
Thank you, Sandeep!
This looks so simple and great! I have a gluten sensitivity to I want to try this.
If I made it and put it in the freezer how do I thaw it out without it becoming a soggy mess?
Thank you for recipe!
Hi e! I almost always freeze some of the bread when I make it–it freezes very well, no soggy mess at all! For all frozen breads, I typically double wrap (plastic wrap, then a container or zippered bag) to prevent moisture or freezer burn. 🙂
Just thaw it out. It will not be soggy in the least! It freezes really well
Hi Camilla,
I just made this for the first time – cauliflower version. I forgot to oil the silpat so it stuck a bit but it’s tasty nonetheless.
What I would like to know is why mine came out all cracked along the top surface – – makes the bread less likely to hold together.
Thanks for this and the other grain free recipes – I’ll be trying the chickpea beer bread next!
Looking for a good use of my veggies and this looks great. Sadly no chickpeas (canned, but was gonna try to make hummus) I have regular flour and coconut flour. Would rather continue to avoid the store. Would either of those work?
Hi Meredith! I know that coconut flour will not work here, it does not bind the way that chickpea flour binds (it will be baked mush). You might be able to use all-purpose flour and add egg, if you use eggs, but it would take some testing to get the proportions right. Sorry!
Hello,
Can you use cooked beets instead of fresh?
Thank you!
HI Sasha,
I have not tried it, but I think that should work fine. The cooked beets will likely have a different water content than fresh (more for boiled or canned beets, less for roasted beets), so I would start by using less water than I have in the recipe and add a little bit more at a time until you have the consistency I describe in the recipe.
Would it be possible to use cooked peas instead? I don’t have chickpea flour regularly on hand, but I often cook beans and I have dry chickpeas at home. Alternatively, do you have any success making chickpea flour in a food processor?
Hi Hanna,
I have not had success subbing cooked chickpeas for chickpea flour in other recipes, it just does not work. I’m sorry.
You can definitely make chickpea flour at home. I have only used a high speed blender; it needs to be a pretty powerful motor to process the pea fine enough into a flour. However, you could try in the food processor and sift through a fine sifter to remove larger pieces. A small coffee grinder could also work. I suggest googling how to make bean flour at home, I am sure you could find some guidelines.
Cheers,
Camilla
Hello. You can definitely grind the garbanzos in your food processor! That is what the flour is… I will be doing the same tomorrow. I am in Barcelona on house quarantine, so no popping out to the eco-bakery for my daily bread. And after making the buckwheat bread (LOVE that!) came across the flatbread and it looks so pretty… going to grind up my chickpeas tomorrow and make a batch!
Thanks, Mary!
Made the broccoli bread many times, it is perfect. Today will use it again to make a pizza crust, thank you for this recipe and doing the heavy lifting up front so all I have to do is bake, eat and look like I know what I am doing.
That’s so great to hear, Michael, glad these are successful (and delicious)! 🙂
How about spinach? Do you know the ratios for this recipe with leafy greens?
Hi Anna,
I have not made the recipe with leafy greens. I am sure you could make it work, but you will have to experiment. I think it would be best if you used half of a harder vegetable (e.g., cauliflower) and half greens (go with volume of finely chopped greens to measure).
Really easy to make and super tasty! I tried the broccoli one today and I was amazed by it. Gonna try the cauliflower and carrot one next. And also going to try other recipes… if they are as good as this one… I’ll be very happy!!!
Hi Federica,
That is wonderful to hear, so glad that you had such success with the broccoli bread !!! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I hope you enjoy the other varieties, too 🙂
Made these last night with golden beets and cauliflower – so delicious! THANKS!
Whoohoo! So glad to hear it, Jude! I envy your access to golden beets 🙂
Would potato work as a substitute for 50% broccoli/cauliflower when using carrots?
Hi Sue,
I think it would all hold together nicely. Might be heavier than cauliflower, but that might be adjustable by using a little bit less potato and upping the liquid slightly. I know, pretty vague, apologies! I will have to give it a try, too, it’s a good idea.
Allergy yo chickpeas/garbanzo beans, Please what other bean proves successful? Thank you. Susanna
You could use black bean flour, but the bread will be greyish (but still delicious). You could also try lupin flour.
Camilla, I made the broccoli version tonight and it was delicious.
I also made your Flour-less Flax Pucks today to freeze for breakfast…btw they are good straight from the freezer…easy breakfast!
Thank you for sharing your delicious and nutritious recipes!
June
June, you made my day! So glad you are enjoying the recipes, and thank you, so much, for taking the time to let me know you like them! 🙂
Camilla, this looks so delicious! You amaze me with your creativity. I can’t wait to try it.
Thank you for sharing!
June
That looks awesome! Now i´m hungry 😉
These look amazing. Wow. I would love to try these, but would there be a substitute for the oil? I am eating oil-free.
Hi Christine,
Yes, these will work without the oil; just add an equal amount of water to replace it. The breads will not be quite as tender, but still tasty. If you want to add some fat to get the tenderness without oil, I would suggest adding some flaxseed meal or ground chia seeds; both are rich in natural oil (add 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons of either and replace the oil with an equal amount of water). You could also replace the oil with 1 tablespoon nut or seed butter + 1 tablespoon water. Oh, one more easy option: replace the water, and the fat, with equal amounts of milk (nondairy or dairy; one that contains some natural fat) 🙂
I just have to say that’s the most thorough response I’ve seen for any question! I was thinking about trying these and definitely will now, you can hear the enthusiasm in your words!
:):):) you are too kind, Melissa!
Thank you for all the oil free options! Can’t wait to try these!
You’ve outdone yourself!
And YOU have made my day! xo