How to Grill Pizza

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:

Please let me know how your grilled pizzas turn out in the comments. I’m excited to hear how you top yours!

How to Grill Pizza

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Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2 pizzas 1x
Category: Entree
Method: Grilled
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

★★★★★

4.5 from 2 reviews

Learn how to grill pizza with this simple recipe! My easy whole wheat pizza dough comes together in no time and grills beautifully, or you can use store-bought dough. Recipe yields two 11-inch pizzas (about 6 to 8 servings).

Scale

Ingredients

1 batch easy whole wheat pizza dough or 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
1 cup pizza sauce or pesto
8 ounces (2 cups) freshly grated low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese or goat cheese, crumbled
Toppings of your choice*

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Instructions

Preheat the grill to about 400 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (if your grill doesn’t have a temperature gauge, you’ve reached this temperature when you can comfortably hold your hand about 5 inches above the grate for just one second—be careful!).
On a floured surface, prepare the dough through step 5. Lightly brush the top of the dough all over with olive oil. Scoop one round of dough onto a pizza peel (in a pinch, use a flat cookie sheet with no rim).
Carefully flip the dough onto the preheated grill so that the oiled side is against the grate. Close the grill and cook until the dough is bubbling all over and lightly cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Scoop the pizza crust back onto your pizza peel, then place the pizza on a flat surface and add your toppings: divide half of the sauce over the pizza and spread it around, leaving about 1-inch bare along the edges, followed by half of the cheese, and any toppings you desire.
Return the pizza to the grill, cover the grill, and cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 to 4 minutes. Scoop the pizza back onto your pizza peel and transfer it to a flat cutting surface.
Add any remaining toppings (like arugula, balsamic reduction and red pepper flakes, as shown in photos). Repeat the process with the second pizza. Slice and serve! Leftover pizza will keep well in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days.

Notes

*Toppings as shown: I used goat cheese and a handful of Kalamata olives (pitted and halved). Once the pizza was done, I added a handful of fresh arugula, a drizzle of balsamic reduction and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

▸ Nutrition Information

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How to Grill Pizza