Pizza on the Grill

Pizza on the grill is a fantastic way to make pizza at home. The heat of a hot grill is a perfect match for a professional pizza oven. Learn the tricks for making and grilling pizza from scratch with this recipe. Feel free to use your favorite toppings, but keep in mind not to overload the pizza.

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Additional Time: 2 hrs

Total Time: 3 hrs

Servings: 16

Yield: 2 pizzas

No pizza oven? No problem! Make your homemade pizza on the grill for that classic smoky, wood fired oven flavor.  And even if you have a pizza oven, you might prefer the grill from time to time.

How to Make Pizza on the Grill

You’ll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the grilled pizza recipe below, but let’s go over the basics:

Grilled Pizza Toppings

This grilled pizza is topped with tomato sauce, tomatoes, black olives, roasted red peppers, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Of course, you can use whatever toppings you like!

How to Grill Pizza

Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade pizza on the grill: 

1. Make the dough. 
2. Make the garlic oil, then brush it onto the grill grates. 
3. Shape the dough and place it on the hot grill. 
4. Flip the crust and brush with oil. 
5. Top the pizza however you like, close the lid, and cook until the cheese melts. 

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 16 servings

Pizza Dough:

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 pinch white sugar
• 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Garlic Oil:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Pizza Toppings:

• ¼ cup tomato sauce, divided
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes, divided
• ¼ cup sliced black olives, divided
• ¼ cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped, divided
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Make dough: Pour warm water into a large bowl; dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Mix in flour, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes.
5. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth.
6. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down; knead in garlic and basil. Set aside to rise for 1 more hour, or until doubled again.
7. Meanwhile, make garlic oil: Combine 1/2 cup olive oil with minced garlic in a microwave-safe cup or bowl. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave.
8. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat; brush the grate with garlic oil.
9. Make pizzas: Punch down dough and divide in half. Form each half into an oblong shape 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.
10. Carefully place one piece of dough on the hot grill. Dough will begin to puff almost immediately. When the bottom crust has lightly browned, turn dough over using two spatulas.
11. Working quickly, brush garlic oil over crust.
12. Top with 1/2 of each of the following: tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, olives, red peppers, cheese, and basil.
13. Close the lid and cook until cheese melts. Remove from grill and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Repeat with second piece of dough.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)