If you are a seafood lover looking for the ultimate pizza night upgrade, this Gourmet Garlic Shrimp Pizza is an absolute game-changer. It features a thin, crispy, wood-fired style crust topped with a rich garlic butter base, bubbly shredded mozzarella, and velvety pools of creamy white cheese.
Finished with juicy, perfectly seasoned pink shrimp and a sprinkle of Italian herbs, this restaurant-quality pizza is elegant enough for a date night but simple enough for any weeknight craving!
Prep time, Cook time, & Servings
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Servings: 3-4 servings (Makes one large 12-inch pizza)
Ingredients
For the Pizza Crust & Base:
- Pizza Dough: 1 store-bought or homemade dough ball (12-14 ounces)
- Cornmeal: 1 tbsp (for dusting the pizza peel/pan)
- Pizza Sauce: 3-4 tbsp of a light, smooth marinara or traditional red pizza sauce base
The Rich Garlic Butter & Shrimp Sauté:
- Large Shrimp: 1/2 lb (peeled, deveined, and tails removed)
- Unsalted Butter: 2 tbsp
- Olive Oil: 1 tbsp
- Garlic: 3 cloves, finely minced
- Red Pepper Flakes: A pinch (optional, for a tiny kick)
- Lemon Juice: 1 tsp (freshly squeezed)
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste
The Cheesy Layers & Toppings:
- Mozzarella Cheese: 1.5 cups, shredded
- Cream Cheese or Catupiry Cheese: 1/2 cup (dropped in smooth, creamy dollops across the pizza)
- Dried Italian Seasoning: 1 tsp (oregano, basil, and thyme blend)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Crank Up the Heat
- Preheat your oven to its highest setting—usually 500°F (260°C) or 550°F (285°C). If you are using a pizza stone or steel, place it on the middle rack while the oven preheats for at least 30 minutes.
2. Quick-Sauté the Garlic Shrimp
- Melt the butter and olive oil together in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Toss in the shrimp. Season with salt and black pepper, and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes per side until they turn pink and slightly curl. Do not overcook them, as they will finish baking in the oven!
- Stir in the lemon juice, remove from heat, and set the shrimp aside. Save the leftover garlic butter in the pan!
3. Stretch and Shape the Dough
- Dust a pizza peel or baking sheet generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
- Stretch your pizza dough gently into a 12-inch circle on the peel, keeping the edges slightly thicker to form a beautiful, puffy rim.
- Brush a thin layer of the leftover garlic butter from your shrimp skillet all over the bare dough.
4. Layer the Ingredients
- Spread the light pizza sauce thinly and evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese in a uniform layer.
- Drop smooth, round spoonfuls of cream cheese (or pipe catupiry cheese) symmetrically across the mozzarella base.
- Arrange the sautéed garlic shrimp neatly over the white cheese dollops.
- Dust the entire pizza with the dried Italian seasoning.
5. Bake Until Blistered and Bubbly
- Slide the pizza carefully onto the preheated pizza stone (or slide your baking sheet into the oven).
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust edges are beautifully puffed, golden-brown, and slightly charred (leopard-spotted), and the cheese is melted and bubbling fiercely.
6. Slice and Devour
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for 2 minutes on a wire rack or wooden board.
- Cut into triangles with a sharp rolling pizza cutter and serve hot while the cheese pull is at its peak!
Chef’s Tips for Success
- Dry Your Shrimp: Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels before sautéing. This ensures they sear beautifully in the garlic butter instead of steaming and releasing excess water onto your pizza.
- High Heat is Key: Commercial pizza ovens cook at incredibly high temperatures. Cranking your home oven up as high as it safely goes helps you achieve that classic, crispy, blistered crust texture.
- Cream Cheese Shortcut: If your cream cheese is too firm to drop into clean pools, microwave it for 10-15 seconds to soften it up before layering.