How to Grill Pizza without a Pizza Oven – easy, step by step recipe for delicious artisan pizza every time!
Crispy golden brown pizza crust, melty cheese plus all your favorite toppings cooked completely on your gas grill.
- No pizza stone
- No expensive pizza oven
It’s the ultimate summertime grilling recipe and I’m walking you through it with a few simple steps.
Ingredients needed for Grilled Pizza:
The ingredients below are for a Margherita pizza but the directions for grilling regardless of toppings.
- premade pizza dough (or homemade)
- olive oil
- pizza sauce
- fresh mozzarella cheese
- burrata (optional – add just before removing from grill)
- fresh tomatoes thinly sliced and seasoned with sea salt and black pepper
- fresh basil sliced to ribbons or torn
Note: You’ll also need a baking sheet, cutting board or other large surface to carry the pizza dough out to the grill.
How to make the Best Grilled Pizza:
Slice tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Gather and prep all other toppings. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees) with a small section of the grill set lower for indirect heat.
Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to stretch and shape the dough until it’s about 1/3″ thick.
Transfer dough to a large flat surface (cutting board or baking sheet) to carry outside along with toppings.
Brush dough with little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) then lay the dough oiled side down onto the hot grill.
Close the lid of the grill and and grill 2-4 minutes.
When the dough starts to bubble, use tongs to lift an edge to see if the bottom is crispy with golden grill marks. Grilling times vary with grills and the thickness of the dough.
When the crust is gently crisped/charred on one side, flip it over.
Quickly spread sauce onto the grilled side along with the other toppings (mozzarella and tomatoes – optional burrata is added after mozzarella is melted.
Close the lid and continue grilling 4-6 minutes or until the bottom is crispy brown, the cheese is softened and the toppings warm. Tear and add burrata.
Note: If the cheese isn’t completely melted, slide the pizza to indirect heat and close the lid for a couple of minutes.
Transfer the grilled pizza to a cutting board, add fresh basil and a light sprinkle of sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Eat right away.
Tips for the best Grilled Pizza:
- Have all your toppings prepped and grillside before you start grilling because the crust grills super fast!
- Use your grill brush to clean the grates well so you start with a clean grill.
- I buy a ball of dough premade from a local Italian market but if you have a dough recipe, use it.
- Take the dough out of the fridge 30 minutes before it so it rolls out easier and holds its shape.
- Don’t worry about shaping the dough perfectly.
- Your grill temperature will fluctuate when you lift the lid on the grill but try to keep it around 400°.
- Cooking times vary with temperature of the grill and the thickness of the dough.
Frequently asked questions:
Will the dough fall through the grill grates? No, the dough doesn’t fall through the grates but be sure to start with a hot grill.
You may notice the dough dip slightly between the grates. Use your tongs to give it a quarter turn and it’ll right itself.
Does the crust get crispy? You bet. Crispy, golden, lightly chewy crust. The stuff pizza dreams are made of.
What kind of pizza can I make on the grill? Oh man . . . literally ANY kind of pizza, from Margarita to Pepperoni, BBQ Chicken – the possibilities are endless.
Will this recipe work on a charcoal grill? I’ve never tried this recipe on a charcoal grill but I my opinion is that it would work well. If you try it, please let me know!
Pizza topping ideas:
The possibilities are endless but below you’ll find a few suggestions.
- pepperoni
- green pepper
- fresh corn or other summer veggies
- red onion
- black olives
- ham
- prosciutto
- artichokes
- mushrooms
- shaved or grated parmesan cheese
- pesto instead of pizza sauce
Why I love grilling pizza:
- Flavor: insanely delicious and rivals wood fired pizza from restaurants and pizza ovens.
- Keep the heat outside: No heating up the kitchen.
- Ideal recipe for: weeknights, pizza night, entertaining – anytime you crave the perfect pizza!
- Gas grill: the only tool you need.
- Fun: Grilling pizza is fun to do and easy – even if it’s your first time!
What goes with Grilled Pizza:
Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
Enjoy!
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How to Grill Pizza
Ingredients
Margherita Pizza
- 1 ball premade pizza dough can use homemade dough
- 1 tablespoon olive oil approx (may use less with size of pizza)
- Heirloom or other slicing tomatoes seasoned with sea salt + fresh cracked black pepper
- pizza sauce
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced or torn
- 4 ounces burrata torn
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves or more to taste
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Gather and prep all other toppings.
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees) plus a small section of the grill set lower for indirect heat.
- Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to stretch and shape the dough until it’s about 1/3″ thick.
- Transfer the dough to a large flat surface (cutting board or baking sheet) to carry outside along with the toppings to keep grillside.
- Brush the rolled out dough with little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) then lay the dough oiled side down onto the hot grill.
- Close the lid of the grill and and grill 2-4 minutes. When the dough starts to bubble, use tongs to lift an edge to see if the bottom is crispy and golden. Grill times will vary with grills and the thickness of the dough.
- When the crust is gently crisped on one side, flip it over. Quickly spread sauce onto the grilled side along with the other toppings (mozzarella and tomatoes – optional burrata is added after grilling).
- Close the lid and continue grilling 4-6 minutes or until the bottom is crispy and golden and the cheese is melty then add torn burrata.. Note: If the cheese isn’t completely melted, slide the pizza to indirect heat and close the lid for a couple of minutes.
- Transfer pizza to a cutting board, add fresh basil and a light sprinkle of sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Eat right away.
Jiminy cricket honeychile…….this pizza looks so simple and easy with all the tips you included! I have never grilled pizza, but that is changing very soon. You have made it less intimidating…thank you. Pinned. Have a great week my friend. Chat again soon.
Oh Mary ~ your kind words always make my day! Thank you so much — believe me, it IS simple ~ and so delicious. Enjoy my friend and have a good weekend.