Grilled pizza is so fun to make! I love grilling pizzas on hot days because I don’t have to crank up the oven to high heat. Grilled pizza makes dinnertime feel like an event, and it’s simple enough to manage on a weeknight. Grilled pizza is especially doable when you start with my Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, which comes together in a flash—no rising time required—and grills beautifully.
Today, I’m sharing a full tutorial on how to grill pizza. As you’ll see, grilled pizzas differ a bit in technique from oven-baked pizzas. Choose your toppings wisely (you’ll find suggestions below) and follow my recipe until you get the hang of it. Then, you’ll be a grilled pizza champion!
How to Grill Pizza
You’ll find the full details below, but here’s the basic rundown:
1) Preheat the grill.
Aim for a grill temperature between 400 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m offering a wide range here because grills, as opposed to ovens, tend to fluctuate more in temperature. I’ve achieved great results with this range. You can let the grill get a little hotter, but over 550 degrees, you run the risk of your char marks tasting a little, well, burnt. Tip: If your grill doesn’t have a built-in temperature gauge, you can use your hand to help determine the correct temperature. The grill is hot enough when you can hold your hand about five inches above the grates for just one second before it becomes uncomfortable. Obviously, use caution and your best judgment with this technique!
2) Flour one side of the dough, and lightly oil the other side.
Simply roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to help prevent it from sticking to the pizza peel later. Lightly brush the top of the dough all over with olive oil. The oil helps prevent sticking when we flip the dough onto the grate.
3) Lightly grill the dough, then remove it from the grill.
Contrary to baked pizzas that enter the oven fully dressed, we’ll need to grill the pizzas in two part. First, we grill the dough (oiled side down) until it’s lightly firmed up. This takes just a couple of minutes. Then, remove the dough from the grill for the next part.
3) Flip the dough and add toppings.
Flip the dough over so the grill marks are on top. Top as desired.
4) Grill again!
Grill the pizza until the cheese is melted. This will happen quickly! Pull your pizza from the grill, add any final toppings like fresh basil or arugula, and enjoy.
Grilled Pizza Topping Suggestions
When it comes to grilled pizzas, less is more. Grilled pizzas will never develop golden, bubbling cheese like you can achieve in a hot oven, and I recommend working with tender toppings since the pizza will not be in the grill for long. Since we’re most likely to grill pizzas during the warmer months, here are some of my favorite grilled pizza toppings:
Arugula or basil (added after grilling) Bell peppers or better yet, roasted red peppers Cheese: Soft cheeses especially, like feta and goat cheese, as well as mozzarella and Parmesan Drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction (added after grilling) Fresh figs Hot pepper rings, like jalapeños or pepperoncinis Pineapple Olives Sauce: Pizza sauce, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or basil pesto Tomatoes, or better yet, roasted cherry tomatoes
More Pizzas to Try
Try these pizza recipes on Cookie and Kate, or draw inspiration for your grilled pizzas from them:
Arugula-Almond Pesto Pizza Barbecue Pineapple, Jalapeño and Feta Pizza Greek Pizza Strawberry, Basil and Balsamic Pizza Ultimate Veggie Pizza
Please let me know how your grilled pizzas turn out in the comments. I’m excited to hear how you top yours!
