Harissa Shrimp and Feta Pizza

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 1 large 12- to 14-inch pizza, 4 servings
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 37 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound room-temperature pizza dough
• 12 ounces peeled, deveined medium shrimp, tails removed and patted dry
• 3 tablespoons harissa paste, divided
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon flour, plus 1 tablespoon cornmeal or semolina for shaping and transferring

Do This

• 1. Preheat a pizza stone, pizza steel, or inverted baking sheet at 500°F for 30 minutes.
• 2. Toss shrimp with 2 tablespoons harissa, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; marinate 10 minutes.
• 3. Mix crushed tomatoes with 1 tablespoon harissa, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• 4. Stretch dough into a 12- to 14-inch round on parchment dusted with flour and cornmeal; brush the edge with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• 5. Top with harissa tomato sauce, mozzarella, marinated shrimp, red onion, and feta.
• 6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, rotating once, until the crust is browned and shrimp are opaque and cooked to 145°F.
• 7. Rest 3 minutes, then finish with cilantro and lemon before slicing.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bold but balanced: Spicy harissa, salty feta, sweet red onion, and fresh cilantro create a lively North African-inspired flavor profile.
• Weeknight-friendly: Using store-bought pizza dough keeps the recipe approachable while still tasting special.
• Shrimp cooks right on the pizza: No separate pan needed, and the shrimp stay tender when they bake hot and fast.
• Easy to customize: Dial the heat up or down, add olives or roasted peppers, or swap in chicken or chickpeas.

Grocery List

• Produce: Red onion, fresh cilantro, lemon, garlic
• Seafood: Peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• Dairy: Low-moisture mozzarella cheese, feta cheese
• Pantry: Pizza dough, harissa paste, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, flour, cornmeal or semolina

Full Ingredients

For the Harissa Shrimp

• 12 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp, tails removed, patted very dry
• 2 tablespoons harissa paste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Harissa Tomato Sauce

• 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon harissa paste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Pizza

• 1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for shaping
• 1 tablespoon fine cornmeal or semolina, for transferring the dough
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the crust
• 1 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, about 6 ounces
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, about 3 ounces
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven for a crisp crust

Place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or an inverted rimmed baking sheet on the lower-middle rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 30 minutes. This long preheat is important because a very hot surface helps the dough puff, brown, and crisp before the shrimp overcook.

If your pizza dough is cold from the refrigerator, let it sit covered at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before you begin. The listed prep time assumes the dough is already at room temperature.

Step 2: Marinate the shrimp

Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. If any shrimp are especially large, cut them in half crosswise so they cook evenly on the pizza. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons harissa paste, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the shrimp and toss until evenly coated.

Let the shrimp marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce and dough. Avoid marinating much longer than 20 minutes because the lemon juice can start to change the texture of the shrimp.

Step 3: Mix the harissa tomato sauce

In a small bowl, stir together the crushed tomatoes, remaining 1 tablespoon harissa paste, 1 tablespoon olive oil, honey, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Taste the sauce. Harissa brands vary a lot in heat and saltiness, so if yours is very spicy, add another teaspoon of crushed tomatoes; if it tastes flat, add a small squeeze of lemon.

Step 4: Stretch the pizza dough

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a pizza peel, cutting board, or the back of a baking sheet. Sprinkle it with the flour and cornmeal or semolina. Set the room-temperature dough on top and gently press it outward with your fingertips, leaving a slightly thicker rim around the edge.

Stretch the dough into a 12- to 14-inch round or oval. If the dough springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue stretching. Brush the outer edge with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to encourage browning.

Step 5: Add the sauce, cheeses, shrimp, and onion

Spread the harissa tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Arrange the marinated shrimp on top in a single layer so each piece has room to cook. Sprinkle the red onion over the pizza, then finish with the crumbled feta.

Try not to overload the center of the pizza. A lighter hand with toppings gives you a better crust and helps the shrimp cook quickly and evenly.

Step 6: Bake until the crust is browned and the shrimp are cooked

Carefully slide the pizza, still on the parchment, onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pizza once after about 6 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden in spots, the cheese is melted, and the shrimp are opaque and curled.

For the most accurate doneness check, the shrimp should reach an internal temperature of 145°F. If the crust browns quickly but the shrimp need another minute, loosely tent the browned edge with a small piece of foil and continue baking briefly.

Step 7: Finish with cilantro and lemon

Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro over the top and serve with lemon wedges. A quick squeeze of lemon brightens the spicy harissa, creamy feta, and sweet red onion beautifully.

Step 8: Slice and serve

Cut the pizza into 8 slices for appetizer-style pieces or 4 larger portions for a main course. Serve right away while the crust is crisp and the shrimp are tender.

Pro Tips

• Pat the shrimp dry: Extra moisture is the enemy of crisp pizza. Dry shrimp hold the harissa glaze better and release less liquid as they bake.
• Use low-moisture mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella can make the pizza watery. Shredded low-moisture mozzarella melts well without soaking the crust.
• Adjust the harissa to your taste: Mild harissa and very hot harissa can look similar. Taste yours before using and reduce the amount if needed.
• Keep cilantro for after baking: Fresh cilantro loses its brightness in the oven, so add it once the pizza comes out.
• Do not skip the hot preheat: A blazing-hot stone, steel, or sheet pan gives the dough a fast oven spring and helps the shrimp cook without becoming rubbery.

Variations

• Harissa chicken pizza: Replace the shrimp with 1 cup cooked shredded chicken tossed with the harissa marinade. Bake until hot and browned at the edges.
• Vegetarian harissa pizza: Replace the shrimp with 1 cup drained chickpeas tossed in the harissa marinade and add 1/2 cup roasted red peppers.
• Briny North African-inspired twist: Add 1/4 cup sliced green olives or 1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon before baking, reducing the salt slightly if needed.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Leftover pizza can be cooled completely, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat slices on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the shrimp are warmed through. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it can make the shrimp firm and the crust soft.

For make-ahead prep, mix the harissa tomato sauce up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it in a covered container. Slice the red onion and crumble the feta up to 1 day ahead. Do not marinate the shrimp more than 20 minutes before baking, and do not assemble the pizza until just before it goes into the oven.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 640 kcal | Carbs: 61g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Sodium: 1270mg | Cholesterol: 190mg