At a glance
Heat olive oil, butter, sliced garlic and chili in a cast iron pan in the pizza oven with the stone at about 600°F to 700°F. Add dry, seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook them for 2 to 4 minutes until pink and opaque. Finish with lemon and parsley and serve with crusty bread.
A pizza oven is perfect for shrimp. The intense heat cooks them in a couple of minutes, keeping them juicy while the garlic butter sizzles and the edges pick up a little char. This Spanish inspired dish, close to gambas al ajillo, is one of the quickest and most impressive things you can make while the oven is hot.
Choosing shrimp
Use large shrimp, around 16 to 20 per pound. Small shrimp overcook before they pick up any color. Peeled and deveined shrimp with the tails on are easiest to eat. Frozen shrimp are fine. Thaw them in the fridge and pat them completely dry so they sizzle rather than steam.
Temperature and timing
Full pizza heat will burn the garlic before the shrimp are cooked. Turn the flame down so the stone reads 600°F to 700°F. Preheating the oil and butter with the garlic means the shrimp start cooking the moment they hit the pan. They are done in 2 to 4 minutes. If you are new to managing heat in your oven, our Ooni 101 guide covers the basics.
Recipe
Pizza Oven Shrimp
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 6 min
- Total
- 21 min
- Makes
- 4 servings as a starter
- Stone at about 600°F to 700°F (315°C to 370°C)
- Preheat the pan in the oven
- Cook to 145°F (63°C), pink and opaque
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) large shrimp (16 to 20 per lb), peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 3 tbsp (45 g) butter
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Crusty bread, to serve
Equipment
- Pizza oven
- Cast iron skillet or small paella pan that fits the oven
- Heat resistant gloves
Method
- Pat the shrimp very dry and season with the salt, smoked paprika and lemon zest.
- Heat the pizza oven, then lower the flame until the stone reads about 600°F to 700°F (315°C to 370°C).
- Put the olive oil, butter, garlic and red pepper flakes in the skillet and place it in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, until the butter is foaming and the garlic is just turning golden.
- Carefully add the shrimp in a single layer and return the pan to the oven.
- Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, turning the pan and flipping the shrimp halfway, until they are pink, opaque and curled into a loose C shape, or 145°F (63°C) inside.
- Take the pan out, squeeze over the lemon juice and scatter with parsley.
- Serve straight away, sizzling, with crusty bread to mop up the garlic butter.
Notes
- Watch the garlic closely. It burns in seconds at pizza oven temperatures.
- Shrimp curled into a tight O shape are overcooked. Pull them at a loose C.
How to tell when shrimp are done
Shrimp change from gray and translucent to pink and opaque as they cook. Pull them when they curl into a loose C shape. A tight O means they have gone too far. The safe temperature for shellfish is 145°F, but you rarely need a thermometer with shrimp.
Serving ideas
- Straight from the pan with crusty bread or pizza oven bread rolls.
- Tossed through linguine with the garlic butter.
- As part of a spread with pizza oven roasted vegetables and chicken thighs.
Frequently asked questions
How long do shrimp take in a pizza oven?
About 2 to 4 minutes in a preheated pan with the stone at 600°F to 700°F.
Can I cook shrimp directly on the pizza stone?
It is not recommended. The butter and juices stain the stone and smoke. Use a cast iron pan.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw them in the fridge and pat them very dry before cooking.