
I feel like I should be so guilty about this tikka masala stuffed crust pizza. But guess what?? I'm definitely not! Zero guilt!! Because this pizza may sound crazy (and yea it might be a tad indulgent) but it is 100% worth it!!

Let's talk about the features of this pizza of my dreams:
- The crust is flavored with garlic cilantro butter and stuffed with mozzarella cheese.
- The sauce is tikka masala! Usually I like to use leftovers! Because you just need a little bit of sauce for this pizza anyways.
- This is a pan pizza cooked in a cast iron skillet. So the dough is crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside. I just get so nostalgic about Pizza Hut pan pizzas every time I make cast iron pan pizzas.



How do you make a tikka masala stuffed crust pizza?
Prep the Ingredients: tikka masala sauce, shredded cheese, pizza dough, garlic cilantro butter, mozzarella sticks
- Ok this tikka masala sauce is really simple, it just serves as a quick pizza sauce. All the flavor and very little hassle. But if you're looking for an even better shortcut, grab a tikka masala simmer sauce, use up some tikka masala leftovers or even just grab a frozen entree.
- This pizza dough recipe is my go to and it works perfectly for this pizza recipe. You could make two pizzas from this recipe! But you can also buy refrigerated pizza dough from your local market. I've used both and don't see much difference with taste or texture.
- Dress up the crust in a little garlic cilantro butter! Just combine the ingredients and set aside to brush on the crust. I know it sounds a bit extra but you really get the full garlic naan - tikka masala experience with it!
- You need mozzarella sticks to create that stuffed crust. You can just use more shredded mozzarella for this step, but the sticks are so much easier. Just like the edges of the crust with the cheese sticks and wrap the dough around. That's it!

You might also be interested in Spicy Spinach and Artichoke Naan Pizza, Eggplant Parm Caprese Grilled Cheese, Calabrian Caprese Salad
📖 Recipe

Tikka Masala Stuffed Crust Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough
- ½ cup tikka masala sauce
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 4-5 mozzarella sticks for stuffed crust
- all purpose flour for rolling
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- Olive oil for greasing pan
Tikka Masala Sauce
- 2 teaspoons cooking oil
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1½ teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a lightly oiled bowl, place the pizza dough at room temperature for an hour.
Make the Tikka Masala Sauce
- In a saute pan, heat oil on medium high heat, saute onions for about 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook for another 30 seconds. Add all of the dry seasoning and stir. Let the spices bloom in the oil, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato sauce and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and remove from heat.
Garlic Cilantro Butter
- Combine melted butter, minced garlic and cilantro in a small bowl.
- Stir and set it aside.
Assemble the Pizza
- Preheat oven to 450°F
- Grease a 12 inch cast iron pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to slightly larger than the pan you are using. Place the dough into the pan.
- Place the mozzarella sticks at the edge of the pan and roll the edge of the pizza dough over. Press the dough around the cheese stick to seal.
- Spoon the tikka masala in the center of the crust, spread to create a thin layer of sauce. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over top.
- Brush Garlic Cilantro Butter over the crust.
- Place the pizza pan over medium heat on the stove and cook until the bottom of the crust begins to brown lightly, 3-5 minutes. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese melted, about 10-15 minutes.
- Allow the pizza to cool for 10 minutes, use a large spatula to remove from the pan, slice and serve!
Maya
Such a fun idea!
Jill Patel
Thank you!!