These mini grilled pizzas are topped with red pepper pesto and juicy, plump shrimp. The crust is perfectly tender and crispy!
Have you been firing up those grills (see my How-to on the subject) and pulling out your favorite summer barbecue recipes? Marla of Family Fresh Cooking and I can't wait to see what you are going to share with us during our six-week Get Grillin' event. The theme for this week is appetizers. Please scroll down to find more information on entering your recipes. In the meantime, you can whip some of these mini grilled pizzas, topped with shrimp, roasted red pepper pesto, feta cheese and cilantro. Remember, you recipes don't have to be made on the grill. As long as they are summer barbecue-friendly, they are eligible. Next week's theme will be side dishes, so put on your thinking caps.
Thanks to our sponsors, Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans, we have some fabulous prizes to give away each week . Scroll down to find out about this week's giveaway. Remember, you have to enter a recipe to be eligible for the giveaway.
The recipe:
The pesto:
Place roasted red bell peppers in the bowl of a food processor. Add slivered almonds, garlic, cilantro, Parmesan cheese, and lime juice. Pulse until combined. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set the pesto aside.
The Pizzas:
Heat olive in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp, sprinkle them with salt, and sear very briefly. The shrimp should sear about 30 seconds per side. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Using a golf-sized piece of dough for each pizza, roll the dough into 4-inch rounds. Lay them on a flour-covered cutting board until you're ready to use them.
Before the pizzas go on the grill, be sure to have all of your ingredients ready and sitting right beside the barbecue.
Place the pizza dough rounds on the grill. Depending on the size of your grill, you may have to do this in two batches. Close the lid and grill for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and there are grill marks on the bottom of each round.
Flip the rounds and press down slightly with the back of a metal spatula to get rid of some of the air inside the dough. Quickly spread 1 tablespoon pesto, 2 shrimp and 1 tablespoon feta cheese one each pizza.
Close the lid and grill until the cheese starts to melt, about 3 more minutes. Remove from the grill and let the pizzas sit for about 5 minutes so that the crust absorbs the olive oil released from the pesto. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve.
Mini Grilled Pizzas with Shrimp & Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Pesto:
2 roasted red peppers, chopped (how to roast your own peppers)
3 tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted
1 garlic clove, chopped
â…“ cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ teaspoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pizza:
1 recipe of my homemade pizza dough, or store-bought dough
24 medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup roasted red pepper pesto
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
â…“ cup chopped cilantro
The pesto:
Place roasted red bell peppers in the bowl of a food processor. Add slivered almonds, garlic, cilantro, Parmesan cheese, and lime juice. Pulse until combined. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set the pesto aside.
Pizza:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp, sprinkle them with salt, and sear very briefly. The shrimp should sear about 30 seconds per side. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Using a golf-sized piece of dough for each pizza, roll the dough into 4-inch rounds. Lay them on a flour-covered cutting board until you're ready to use them.
Before the pizzas go on the grill, be sure to have all of your ingredients ready and sitting right beside the barbecue.
Place the pizza dough rounds on the grill. Depending on the size of your grill, you may have to do this in two batches. Close the lid and grill for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and there are grill marks on the bottom of each round.
Flip the rounds and press down slightly with the back of a metal spatula to get rid of some of the air inside the dough. Quickly spread 1 tablespoon pesto, 2 shrimp and 1 tablespoon feta cheese one each pizza.
Close the lid and grill until the cheese melts, about 3 more minutes. Remove from the grill and let the pizzas sit for about 5 minutes so that the crust absorbs the olive oil released from the pesto. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve.
Makes 12 mini pizzas.
Belinda @zomppa
These are so elegant (and yummy!) - great way to raise the bar at any BBQ.
Gabby@foodchowdown
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I've been looking for a new recipe to make with shrimp. This sounds so good!
Michelle @ Brown Eyed Baker
Yum! I just had pizza over the weekend at a restaurant with pesto as the sauce and topped with mushrooms, onions and olives - it was delicious!
Jenny Flake
Love this! You are Marla are superwomen, love that you organized this fun event!!
Nancy@acommunaltable
Love this idea and can't wait to see what everyone comes up with - I definitely am ready for some new grilled appetizer recipes!!
I love the size (and toppings!!) of these little pizzas - can't wait to make these this summer!!
Amy | She Wears Many Hats
Delish! I can just think of all kinds of things to make mini pizza with - perfect for a youth party.
Celeste Jenkins
Ooo! I am grilling pizzas for dinner tonight and this would be perfect! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Marla
Dara these pizzas look wonderful! Wish I had some today for lunch....
Yay us for kicking off the first week of Get Grillin'
It is so fun seeing all these delicious appetizer recipes.
Eva
That sound excellent! What a great way to make miniature pizzas, awesome idea. The toppings are fantastic too!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
These mini pizzas are so cute, but they also sound delicious! Love that roasted red pepper pesto!