When my omniscient editor asked me to write a post on how to grill pizza, I literally yelled, YESSSSS! In my short career of grilling pizzas, I have become obsessed. I honestly can’t believe how satisfying and easy it is to make homemade grilled pizzas. And keep in mind that I’m a New Yorker — ordering in for pizza here is as natural as drinking coffee.
Choose your grill wisely because it’s responsible for imparting that wonderful smoky flavor. The high heat crisps the dough so that you get a soft and crisp texture in almost every bite. No soggy boxed pizza here, promise!
Most of the time I make grilled pizza with a few store-bought shortcuts and can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes. Like I said, it’s not difficult, but here are a couple of tips, recipes and, most importantly, my step-by-step method for how to grill pizza like a pizzaiolo! It’s the perfect easy, summer dinner for the family to keep you (mostly) out of the kitchen.
Ready to learn how to grill pizza? I’ve got you covered!
All Photos © Jane Sweeney for Cool Mom Eats
Some purchases may generate a small commission to support our work at no additional cost to you
How to Grill Pizza: The Prep
1. Do all the prep work ahead of time. from slicing fresh mozzarella to making homemade tomato sauce — or pouring good jarred pizza sauce into a bowl (yay for shortcuts!) — ahead of time so that you are ready to go. Because the whole process goes down rather quickly.
See also: How to improve your jarred tomato sauce: 7 easy ideas to make it more like homemade
2. Take the dough out of the fridge if you haven’t yet — give yourself at least 30 minutes before grilling so that it can rest while you prep the toppings.
3. Place all of your ingredients on a platter or baking sheet before you even think about grilling. Grilled pizza success comes to those who are organized.
4. Divide the dough into two rounds. A chef friend gave me this tip, and I’m a believer: I buy the Whole Foods 16 oz. pizza dough and divide it in half. (Trader Joe’s makes a good one too.) Smaller pizzas, about 6- to 8-inches in diameter, are not only easier to roll out, but they’re also much easier to place and flip on the grill. Plus, I like having two pies to top since my kids have no love for mommy’s favorite Broccoli Rabe with Chili Flakes and Garlic Pizza (above).
Side note: If your inner Italian is calling for a homemade crust, see Jim Lahey’s recipe below.
How to Grill Pizza: Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the grill with one side set to high and the other side to low. If you’re working with wood or charcoal, control the heat with a 2-fire zone, using these tips from the pros at Kingsford.
2. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, lightly flouring your rolling pin as needed. (I like a tapered French rolling pin like this one.) Don’t worry if you don’t end up with a perfect circle of dough — mine never is. (Proof: See above.) If your dough is stubbornly shrinking back, let it sit for another 5 minutes and try again.
3. Lightly oil both sides of the dough with olive oil (this California olive oil is a top pick of chefs, food editors and home cooks), and place on a cutting board or baking sheet.
4. Once the toppings are ready, bring everything to the grill. Slide the oiled pizza dough onto the high-heat side of the grill. Note: This is the only part I find tricky. It’s a little awkward, but it does get easier the more you do it.
5. Cook for about one minute, or until char marks appear. Flip over and repeat on the other side. The dough is ready when it releases easily from the grill.
6. Move the dough to the cooler side of the grill and add toppings. Smear a thin layer of tomato sauce, sprinkle or place slices of cheese on top, and add any other toppings you like.
7. Close the lid of your grill and allow the pizza to cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
Tip: If the underside of your crust looks like it is cooking faster than you want, turn the heat off completely; I’ve found that with the lid closed, I don’t even need the direct heat to get the toppings where they need to be.
8. If you have space, start the second pizza as the first one finishes cooking.
9. Let the pizzas rest for a few minutes and top with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt and fresh pepper to taste. And don’t blame me if it this becomes your new summer addiction.
Related: This portable outdoor pizza oven lets you make delicious brick-oven pizzas like the pros
How to Grill Pizza: Our Favorite Recipes for the Basics
Easy Rustic Pizza Sauce | Stacie Billis
The Sauce
Nothing more than tomatoes, olive oil, and salt, this Rustic Pizza Sauce (above) from Stacie Billis, is simplicity at its finest. A little time and a little love (in the form of a spoon) is all you need for a delicious homemade sauce. If you’re looking for how to grill pizza the easiest way possible, of course you can also use store-bought tomato sauce and make it more homemade with one of these 7 smart tips.
The Dough
If you’re feeling lost on which pizza homemade dough recipe to use, turn to baking expert Jim Lahey. Check out his famous 3-ingredient 3-Ingredient No-Knead Pizza Dough at Serious Eats, along with smart tips on how to handle the dough.
The Toppings
If you want to know how to make homemade pizza, you can’t stop before you get to the toppings! To start, check out our article on 25 creative pizza toppings for the most awesome DIY pizza party. For even more combinations, see the Perfect Homemade Pizza article at Mel’s Kitchen Café. That scrumptious BBQ Chicken Pizza and Kale, Sausage, and Ricotta Pizza is calling my name for the next time I fire up the grill.
Voila! How perfect is this mozzarella and broccoli rabe pizza in all its imperfections?
I make a bunch of small pizza’s ahead of having guests over. Then I do a large prep of toppings. Everyone makes their own and we put a few on the grill at a time! Really fun for the kids and no oven required! Just have to get them out of the pool long enough. Although I find when the kids participate in cooking they eat more!
What a great idea, Catherine! And we totally agree that it seems kids eat more when they help cook. Your plan is genius for that — and easy clean up too. Ha!
Nothing beats homemade pizza dough, but in a pinch, I have had great success with store bought naan as the dough and grilled that.
Fantastic idea!