It's summer, so why not take everyone’s favorite family dinner outside? Grilled pizza is easy to make once you get the hang of it, and it’s the perfect base for any number of toppings. Here, we use fresh tomatoes, ricotta, Pecorino Romano and a touch of honey (so good!), but you can mix it up and try cheesy, peppery Cacio e Pepe Pizza or a colorful Summer Squash Pizza. Or, go rogue! Once you learn how to grill pizza, you can top it off with whatever you like.
Bonus: This recipe is meant to be cooked on the grill, so it does not require an oven, so you don’t have to worry about heating up your kitchen when temps outside are scorching. Plus, the smoke from the grill will give your pie more of that wood-fired flavor than an indoor oven. Need a new grill? Choose from our top-rated outdoor grills to find your perfect pick.
Unlike pizza cooked in an oven, a grilled pizza gets charred on one side before adding toppings so that the dough cooks through completely — no soggy crust here. You’ll cook the dough on one side first, flip it and then add toppings and continue to cook until the toppings are warmed through and both sides of the dough are golden brown. Be sure to check out our step-by-step photos and instructions below for pizza grilling success.
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Ingredients
Flour, for dusting
1lb.
pizza dough, at room temperature
1Tbsp.
plus 4 tsp. olive oil, divided
1Tbsp.
champagne vinegar
1
small shallot, finely chopped
1tsp.
fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/2tsp.
honey
Kosher salt and pepper
3/4cup
fresh ricotta cheese
1oz.
Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
3
medium to large mixed-color heirloom tomatoes
Fresh basil, for sprinkling
Directions
Step 1Heat grill to medium-high and arrange so half will give direct heat and other half will give indirect heat.
Step 2Working on floured surface, shape pizza dough into 12- to 14-inch round and place on flour-dusted baking sheet. Brush top with 2 teaspoons oil.
Step 3Transfer pizza dough to grill over direct heat, oiled side down, and grill, covered, until top begins to bubble and bottom is crisp, 2 minutes (use tongs to peek underneath).
Step 4Working quickly, brush top of dough with 2 teaspoons oil.
Step 5Flip dough to indirect-heat side of grill, then grill, covered, until dough is cooked through and charred in spots on bottom, 3 to 5 minutes more; transfer to cutting board.
Step 6In bowl, combine vinegar, shallot, oregano, honey, remaining tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Step 7In second bowl, mix ricotta until smooth, then stir in Pecorino and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread onto pizza crust. Slice tomatoes and arrange on top of ricotta and drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with basil if desired.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving): About 490 calories, 21 g fat (8 g saturated), 17 g protein, 660 mg sodium, 58 g carb, 2 g fiber
Kate Merker
Shape pizza dough into a 12- to 14-inch round and place on a flour-dusted baking sheet. Brush top with 2 teaspoons of oil.
Kate Merker
Transfer pizza dough to the grill over direct heat, oiled side down.
Kate Merker
Grill, covered, until the top begins to bubble and bottom is crisp, 2 minutes
Kate Merker
Use tongs to check the underside of the pizza as it cooks.
Kate Merker
Working quickly, brush the top of the dough with 2 teaspoons of oil.
Kate Merker
Flip the dough to the indirect-heat side of the grill (if adding toppings that need to be warmed or melted, add toppings at this point), then grill, covered, until the dough is cooked through and charred in spots on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes more; transfer to a cutting board.