Want to make pizza outdoors? Try this grilled pizza recipe. You only need to master one simple technique to make perfectly grilled pizza every time!
I love a good pizza and I know many of you do as well. Whether it's enjoying the timeless flavors of a classic caprese pizza, making a quick flatbread pizza or savoring the exquisite Mediterranean pizza that has received rave reviews from many readers, there's no denying that pizza deserves a place in any household's meal planning. In the summer, this grilled pizza is one of my family's favorites and today I want to share it with you!
Table Of Contents:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Flavors: The smokiness of the base coming from the grill combined with the delicious toppings of your choice turns this pizza into a new flavor experience.
- Toppings: I'm all about recipes that are customizable to your liking. Check out my DIY pizza bar tutorial for some pizza topping inspiration!
- Perfect for summer: Summer is all about grilling recipes. If you're looking to make pizza outdoors without a pizza oven, this recipe is for you.
Expert Tips To Make Pizza On The Grill
Here are some of our tips on how to grill pizza perfectly every time:
- Roll the dough: Roll the pizza dough thicker than you would do for the oven or pizza oven to have better control on the dough and its crispiness.
- Toppings: Don't go overboard with the toppings and the sauce so the pizza doesn't fall apart when grilling.
- Grill: In order to make sure the dough doesn't stick to the grates, make sure the grill is completely hot and you've rubbed the grates with a piece of potato. The starch in the potato will make the grates nonstick.
Ingredients
- Pizza dough: You can use store-bought or homemade pizza dough for this recipe.
- Sauce: For this Mediterranean grilled pizza I used my homemade toum which is Lebanese garlic sauce. You can use other sauces or simply use olive oil; we'll talk more about that below.
- Toppings: The beauty of pizza is that you can use whatever toppings you like. I used a combination of zaatar, olives, marinated artichokes, spinach, olives and sundried tomatoes.
- Cheese: I used creamy feta but you can use any other cheese you like. More on that below.
How To Make Grilled Pizza
- Prepare the grill: You need the a two-zone grill for this recipe, which means you should have both direct and indirect heat. If you're using a charcoal grill, place all the briquets on one side; that would be your direct heat and the other side will be indirect. If using a gas grill, turn it on only on one side (direct) and leave the other half off (indirect). Cut a potato in half and rub the grates with a piece of the potato to make them nonstick.
- Prepare the dough: Roll out the dough thicker than usual. Once the grill is hot, place the dough on the direct zone and grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Keep an eye on it so the dough doesn't burn. The top of the dough will be somewhat dry.
- Arrange the toppings: Remove the dough from the grill and place it on the back of a baking sheet. Spread the sauce on the grilled side and arrange the toppings of your choice on the pizza. Make sure the pizza is not getting too heavy.
- Grill the pizza: Slice the pizza back on the grill on the indirect side and grill for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dough starts to get grill marks.
Variations
- Sauce: Get creative with the sauce! You can use toum or zhoug as well as pesto and even harissa.
- Vegetables: You can use many different vegetables for your pizza including mushrooms, red onions and all kinds of pepper as well as grilled zucchini and eggplant.
- Meat: Anything from pepperoni and sausage to grilled chicken and steak would do well on grilled pizza.
- Cheese: Use any cheese you like. Some of our favorites are feta, mozzarella and blue cheese.
- Go extra: Finish the pizza with some arugula, balsamic glaze or tahini sauce right before serving for some extra flavor!
Serving Suggestions
This grilled pizza makes a delicious meal alongside some fresh salad such as Greek salad, caprese or cucumber tomato feta salad. We also love serving it with some extra grilled vegetables, grilled stuffed mushrooms and pan con tomate on the side.
Leftovers
It's best to serve and eat grilled pizza right away when it's hot. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the pizza slices in a pan with a tablespoon of water. Cover and place the pan over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until heated completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if using a pizza stone, place it on the grates as the grill heats. Roll out the dough and place it on a parchment paper dusted with corn flour. Add the sauce and the toppings and transfer it to the pizza stone. Grill for about 5 minutes until the dough is cooked and the cheese is melted.
If using a pizza pan, heat the grill and prepare the pizza on the pizza pan. Place the pizza pan on direct heat and grill for 5 minutes or until the dough is cooked.
No. As long as the dough is a bit thicker than usual and the grates are hot and are rubbed with half a potato, the pizza dough will stay put and won't stick or fall through.
Yes! If using flatbread, there is no need to grill it first. Simply top it with the sauce and the toppings, then grill it for 3 to 5 minutes until it's ready.
More Grilling Recipes
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!
Step-by-Step Recipe
Mediterranean Grilled Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough homemade or store-bough
- â…“ cup toum
- 1 tbsp zaatar
- 1 cup marinated artichokes
- ½ cup kalamata olive
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes
- ½ cup feta crumbled
- ½ red onion sliced
- 1 cup arugula optional
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium heat and have both direct and indirect heat (See notes). Roll out the dough and once the grill is hot, rub it with half of a raw potato to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Transfer the dough to the grill grates on the direct heat side and grill for 2 minutes. Remove the dough from the grill and place it on a baking sheet.
- Spread the toum on the grilled side of the dough and top with zaatar, artichoke, kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, crumbled feta and red onion.
- Place the pizza back on the grates and grill on indirect heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a board, top with arugula and serve.
Notes
- Two zone grilling: If you're using a charcoal grill, have all the briquets on one side, that would be your direct heat and the other side will be indirect. If using a gas grill, turn it on only on one side (direct) and leave the other half off (indirect).
- You can use other sauces such as marinara or pesto as well as other toppings including pepperoni, sausage, peppers or grilled zucchini and eggplant.
- Use any cheese that you prefer. Some of our favorites are feta, blue cheese and mozzarella.
- You can use a flatbread instead of a pizza dough. If doing so, simply top it with the sauce and toppings then grill for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Nellie Tracy
Delicious pizza recipe! One that even my kids love. Make all the time during the summer!!
Brandy
Love making pizza at home! This grilled recipe was easy, tasty, and delicious! So happy I made it!