Prawn & Chorizo Pizza (Tomato or Garlic-Oil Base)

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: Serves 2 to 3
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 thin pizza base (about 250 g), homemade or store-bought
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) pizza tomato sauce or garlic-infused olive oil
• 150 g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
• 60 g spicy chorizo, thinly sliced
• 150 g mozzarella, torn or shredded
• 60 g roasted red pepper strips (jarred or homemade)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Small handful fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
• Lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Do This

• 1. Preheat oven to 250°C / 230°C fan / 475°F with a pizza stone or tray inside for at least 20 minutes.
• 2. Pat prawns dry, season lightly with salt and pepper.
• 3. Fry chorizo in 1 tbsp oil until it releases its orange oils; add garlic, prawns, and smoked paprika and cook just until prawns turn pink. Set aside.
• 4. Stretch or roll pizza base; spread with tomato sauce or brush generously with garlic-oil.
• 5. Top with mozzarella, roasted red peppers, then scatter over prawns and chorizo. Drizzle with remaining chorizo oil from the pan.
• 6. Bake 8–12 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is golden and bubbling. Sprinkle with parsley, add a pinch of smoked paprika, slice, and serve with lemon wedges.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfect balance of smoky, spicy chorizo with sweet, succulent prawns.
• Choose your favorite base: rich tomato or fragrant garlic-oil, both simple to make.
• Restaurant-quality pizza that comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients.
• Flexible and forgiving: use shop-bought bases, jarred peppers, and frozen prawns if you like.

Grocery List

• Produce: Garlic, fresh parsley, lemon, roasted red peppers (jarred or fresh to roast), optional chili flakes.
• Dairy: Mozzarella, optional Parmesan or Pecorino for finishing.
• Pantry: Pizza base (or dough ingredients), spicy chorizo, olive oil, tomato passata or pizza sauce, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, dried oregano.

Full Ingredients

For the Pizza Base

• 1 thin pizza base (about 250 g), ready-made or homemade, 26–30 cm / 10–12 inch

Tip: If you prefer homemade, use your favorite dough recipe for 1 medium pizza. Par-bake according to that recipe if recommended.

Base Option 1: Simple Tomato Sauce

• 80 ml (1/3 cup) tomato passata or smooth pizza sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• Pinch of sugar (only if your tomatoes taste very sharp)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Base Option 2: Garlic-Oil Sauce

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped or grated
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano or mixed Italian herbs
• Pinch of salt

For the Toppings

• 150 g raw prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined, tails removed (about 12–16 medium)
• 60 g spicy cured chorizo, thinly sliced into rounds
• 150 g mozzarella cheese, well-drained and torn, or 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 60 g roasted red pepper strips (about 1/2 cup), patted dry
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying the chorizo and prawns)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (plus a pinch more for finishing, optional)
• 1–2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (optional, for extra savoriness)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Finish

• Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Lemon wedges, for squeezing over just before eating (highly recommended)
• Optional: pinch of chili flakes for extra heat

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare Your Equipment

Place a pizza stone or a heavy baking tray (turned upside down) on the middle rack of your oven. Preheat to 250°C / 230°C fan / 475°F for at least 20 minutes. A thoroughly preheated surface is the key to a crisp, well-cooked base.

While the oven heats, take the pizza dough or base out of the fridge (if chilled) so it can come closer to room temperature. This makes it easier to stretch and helps it cook evenly.

Step 2: Prepare the Prawns and Chorizo

Pat the prawns very dry with kitchen paper. Moisture is the enemy of a crisp pizza, so do not skip this step. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Slice the chorizo into thin rounds if it is not pre-sliced. Aim for slices about 2–3 mm thick so they crisp nicely and render their orange-red oils quickly in the pan.

Step 3: Sauté the Chorizo and Prawns

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo slices and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to crisp at the edges and release their vivid orange fat into the oil.

Add the finely chopped garlic and stir for 20–30 seconds, just until fragrant (do not let it brown deeply or it may taste bitter). Sprinkle in the 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and stir to coat the chorizo.

Add the prawns in a single layer and cook for 1–2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and opaque. They will finish off in the oven, so avoid overcooking. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chorizo and prawns to a plate, leaving as much of the flavorful chorizo oil in the pan as possible. Reserve this oil to drizzle on the pizza later.

Step 4: Mix the Tomato or Garlic-Oil Base

Choose your base:

For the tomato base: In a small bowl, mix the passata, tomato paste, olive oil, grated garlic, dried oregano, and a pinch of sugar if needed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. The sauce should be thick enough to spread without being watery. Set aside.

For the garlic-oil base: In another small bowl, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped garlic, dried oregano, and a pinch of salt. Stir well and let sit for a few minutes so the garlic infuses the oil.

Step 5: Shape the Base and Add the Sauce

If using fresh dough, dust your work surface lightly with flour or semolina. Press the dough from the center outwards with your fingertips, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Gently stretch or roll it into a circle about 26–30 cm / 10–12 inches wide.

Transfer the dough to a piece of baking parchment for easy sliding into the oven. If using a ready-made base, place it directly on the parchment.

Spread a thin, even layer of your chosen base over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge. For the tomato sauce, use about 3–4 tbsp; for the garlic-oil base, brush generously so the surface glistens but is not swimming in oil.

Step 6: Top the Pizza

Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the sauced base. Do not pile it too thickly in the center or the middle may become soggy. If using, sprinkle over a tablespoon or two of grated Parmesan or Pecorino for extra depth of flavor.

Arrange the roasted red pepper strips across the pizza. Then distribute the sautéed prawns and chorizo slices evenly so every slice will get some of each topping.

Finally, drizzle 1–2 tsp of the reserved chorizo oil over the top. This gives the pizza a beautiful color and smoky richness. If you like a touch more heat, add a small pinch of chili flakes now.

Step 7: Bake, Finish, and Serve

Carefully slide the pizza (still on its parchment) onto the preheated stone or tray. Bake for 8–12 minutes, depending on your oven and the thickness of the base, until the crust is puffed and golden, the underside is crisp, and the cheese is melted and starting to brown in spots.

Remove the pizza from the oven. Immediately sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and an extra pinch of smoked paprika if you want more smokiness. Let the pizza rest for 1–2 minutes, then cut into slices.

Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side. A light squeeze of lemon over the prawns just before eating brightens the whole dish and balances the richness of the chorizo and cheese.

Pro Tips

• Dry everything well. Pat prawns, roasted peppers, and mozzarella dry to prevent excess moisture that can make the center of the pizza soggy.
• Preheat thoroughly. Give the stone or tray a full 20 minutes at high temperature; a blazing-hot surface is crucial for a crisp base.
• Do not overcook the prawns. Only cook them in the pan until just pink; they will cook a bit more on the pizza.
• Go light on sauce and cheese. A thin layer of sauce and an even but not overloaded layer of cheese will help the base stay crisp.
• Use the chorizo oil as flavor gold. The richly colored oil left in the pan is packed with smoky flavor; drizzle it over the pizza instead of extra plain oil.

Variations

• Extra-spicy version: Use hot chorizo, add 1/4–1/2 tsp chili flakes to the pan with the garlic, and finish the pizza with more chili flakes or a drizzle of chili oil.
• Creamy garlic base: Mix 2 tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream into the garlic-oil base for a richer, slightly tangy white sauce before spreading on the dough.
• Skillet mini-pizzas: Make smaller individual pizzas and cook them in a heavy oven-safe skillet, starting on the hob to crisp the base and finishing under a hot grill.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The pizza is best eaten fresh from the oven, but leftovers keep well. Cool completely, then store slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat on a hot baking tray or in a dry frying pan over medium heat until the base is re-crisped and the toppings are hot. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it softens the crust.

For make-ahead prep, you can slice the chorizo, roast or drain the peppers, and mix the sauce up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. Prawns can be peeled and deveined a day ahead, kept chilled and covered. If you are using homemade dough, you can cold-proof it in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then bring to room temperature before stretching.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values, assuming 3 servings and a tomato base:

Calories: ~620 kcal; Protein: ~32 g; Fat: ~35 g; Saturated fat: ~13 g; Carbohydrates: ~45 g; Sugars: ~4 g; Fibre: ~3 g; Sodium: depends heavily on the chorizo and cheese used, but typically around 1,400–1,700 mg per serving.