This prawn and pesto pizza used to be the best thing on King Taps' menu, right up until it vanished without so much as a farewell. Somewhere out there, the chef who created this is living their best life, blissfully unaware that I've spent actual hours of my life reverse engineering it. This pizza is stacked with crispy kale, seasoned shrimp, gooey mozzarella, pesto drizzle, and juicy cherry tomatoes. I did my research, and more than one review mentioned wanting more shrimp on it, so this version packs a whopping full pound!
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If pizza night is a regular occurrence at your house, you're in good company around here. I've got a whole lineup of homemade pizzas that will put the delivery guy out of a job, like my camembert, fig, and roasted garlic arugula pizza, this sweet-and-savoury cranberry brie chicken pizza (which also works great with Thanksgiving leftovers), and my ridiculously good honey butter sausage apple pizza. If you're into shrimp specifically, don't miss my easy garlic butter shrimp recipe or grilled bang bang shrimp skewers for more ways to put those little guys to work.
Why You'll Love This Prawn & Pesto Pizza 🌿🦐
- It's a King Taps copycat you can actually still "order". No more mourning a discontinued menu item. This pesto pizza recipe brings back everything I loved about the original, minus the "sorry, we don't carry that anymore".
- The kale gets crispy instead of burnt. Rubbing it with a teeny bit of oil before it hits the oven is the one trick that keeps it crispy instead of turning bitter and burnt.
- This isn't a boring seafood pizza. The shrimp are tossed and cooked with a simple seasoning before they go on the pizza, so you get flavor in every bite.
- It comes together faster than takeout. Between the pesto base, homemade (or store-bought) dough, and a hot oven, this is a 30-ish-minute pizza night win!
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What You'll Need To Make It
- Pizza Dough: Store-bought works great for a quick weeknight pizza. Homemade dough gives you total control over thickness if you want a thinner, crispier base like King Taps used.
- Basil Pesto Base and Drizzle: Store-bought pesto works perfectly for this pizza recipe. If you love working with pesto, or have some extra to use up, try my pesto chicken pasta, too!
- Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded, low-moisture pizza mozzarella works best. Just steer clear of the pre-shredded bagged cheese. It is packed with anti-caking agents that can give the cheese a grainy texture once melted.
- Kale: Use curly kale, stems and ribs removed, and roughly chopped. Rub it with a tiny bit of oil before adding it to the pizza to prevent it from burning.
- Shrimp (Prawns): Raw, peeled and deveined, with the tail off, is what you'll need to use for this pizza. I used the 31-40 size, but any size will work.
- Spice Blend for the Shrimp: Garlic powder, salt, and pepper. If you want a tasty (smokier tasting) shortcut, my Cajun seasoning is a great sub here.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Halved, are added for a juicy, slightly sweet addition.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Pesto Pizza Variations To Try
- Make it Spicy - Add extra chili flakes to the shrimp seasoning, or finish with a drizzle of hot honey or chili oil.
- Swap the Greens - Try arugula instead of kale for a peppery bite.
- Change Up the Cheese - Burrata torn on top after baking is delicious, or try a mix of mozzarella and goat cheese for extra tang.
- Swap the Shrimp - No shrimp on hand? Diced, juicy cooked chicken works perfectly.
Want to try some more restaurant copycat pizza recipes? Try this spicy perogy pizza recipe (a Boston Pizza copycat) or this dill pickle pizza (from the Mash).
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How To Make Prawn and Pesto Pizza
Prep The Kale and Shrimp
Massage the chopped kale with a little bit of avocado oil to prevent it from burning in the oven.
For the shrimp, toss the peeled and deveined shrimp with a neutral-tasting oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then bake at 425°F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway. Set aside.
Build The Base
Lightly oil your pizza pan and dust it with cornmeal.
Press the dough out to around 14 inches, then spread basil pesto generously over top.
Add The Cheese
Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the pesto.
Layer On The Toppings
Add the massaged kale, cooked shrimp, halved cherry tomatoes, and a drizzle of extra pesto.
Bake
Bake at 475°F for 14-15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and crispy.
Finish and SErve
Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese, let it cool slightly, then slice and serve.
Expert Tips For The Best Pesto Pizza
- Rub the kale in oil before it goes in the oven. This is non-negotiable. Dry kale will burn fast, and when it does, it turns bitter. Oiled kale will turn beautifully crisp on the edges.
- Bake your raw shrimp separately before it ever touches the pizza. If the raw shrimp is added straight to the pizza, it won't have enough time to fully cook before the pizza crust is done. Baking the shrimp separately ensures it is fully cooked and not watery when added to the pizza.
- Don't overcook the shrimp. Since they're technically baking twice, keep an eye on them. They can go from tender to rubbery in the blink of an eye.
- Pat all of the toppings dry before adding them to the pizza. Extra moisture is the enemy of a crispy-crust pizza.
HOw To Store and Reheat
- Storing: Let the leftovers cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Skip the microwave, it'll turn the crust soft and the shrimp rubbery. Reheat slices in a 375°F oven or air fryer for a few minutes until everything's warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prawn and pesto pizza is a homemade pizza topped with basil pesto instead of red sauce, mozzarella, oven-crisped kale, seasoned shrimp, and cherry tomatoes, finished with a pesto drizzle and Parmesan cheese. It's my copycat version of a discontinued King Taps menu item, built to give you that same flavor combo, and one truly delicious pizza.
Yes, just thaw them completely and pat them dry before seasoning and cooking.
There are a few things you can do to prevent a soggy crust, like brushing the crust with a thin layer of oil before adding the pesto (if your pesto is on the waterier side). Doing this creates a barrier to prevent the pesto from causing a soggy crust. Another thing to watch out for is not to overload the pesto base, or consider a quick 4-5 minute par bake for the naked crust before adding the toppings.
Yes! Use diced cooked chicken breast, like my velveted chicken, crispy baked tofu, or honey garlic salmon bites are all great options.
Yes! I always bake my shrimp separately first. There isn't enough time for the raw shrimp to fully cook if you add it straight on top, so it definitely needs to be cooked on its own first.
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Prawn and Pesto Pizza Recipe (King Taps Copycat)
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Seasoned Shrimp
- 1 lb Raw Shrimp 31-40 size, peeled and deveined
- 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Pizza Crust
- 1 Pizza Crust 14"
- ½ teaspoon Avocado Oil for the pan
- 1 teaspoon Cornmeal for the pan
Pizza Toppings
- 1 cup Kale stems removed and chopped
- ½ teaspoon Avocado Oil
- 6 Tablespoons Basil Pesto divided
- 2 cups Pizza Mozzarella shredded
- 10 Cherry Tomatoes halved
- Freshly Grated Parmesan for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Toss the shrimp with the avocado oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Gently massage the kale with the avocado oil and set aside.
- Increase the oven temperature to 475°F. Lightly oil a pizza pan and dust with cornmeal. Press the dough out to about 14 inches and transfer to the prepared pan. Spread 4 Tablespoons of pesto generously over the dough.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the pesto. Top with the kale, cooked shrimp, and cherry tomatoes, then drizzle with the additional 2 Tablespoons of pesto. Bake for 14-15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven, top with Parmesan cheese, and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
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Notes
- Pizza Dough: Store-bought or homemade pizza crust works perfectly for this recipe.
- Basil Pesto: Use any kind of basil pesto for this pizza, store-bought or homemade work wonderfully. Just ensure it is not overly oily.
- Kale: Rubbing the kale with oil is what keeps it from burning in the oven, don't skip this step.
- Shrimp: Peeled, deveined raw shrimp with the tails removed work best for this pizza recipe. The shrimp must be cooked before adding them to the pizza.
- Ensure all of the toppings are patted dry before adding them to the pizza. This helps produce the crispiest crust and keeps the pizza from turning soggy.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Edward says
Love this style of pizza, tastes amazing and it is a beauty!
Jessica says
Thank you!
Jessica says
When I tell you this pizza was quite literally my favorite thing on the King Taps menu, I wasn't lying. I dream about this pizza and had to recreate it now that it's a dropped menu item!