The ultimate Grilled Pizzas! For two decades this has been my favorite way to make pizzas. With those dark grilled char marks, that crisp outer crust and soft interior, and a super fast cook time it’s the best way to go without buying a pizza oven!
Looking for more fun ways to make pizza for a small crowd? Also try my easy French bread pizzas or bagel pizzas.
Easy Grilled Pizza Recipe
I’ve used this method to make pizzas regularly each and every summer. It’s a fun family recipe to make together, and also great for serving to friends at parties and gatherings. Everyone loves to customize and top their own to just how they like.
You’ll love this versatile recipe because you can use store-bought dough and sauce, or when time allows homemade of both is an excellent option. Just keep in mind with the shortcuts you can easily have these ready in under 30 minutes especially with friends or family help.
They are perfectly adaptable too. You can use other sauces, cheeses, and final toppings.
The key is just to stick to the simple process. That is to grill the crust on one side first, remove from the grill, flip it to that grill mark side, add your toppings, then grilling to finish after that. This way you end with a non-soggy crust that’s not overly charred, and so much flavor throughout!
Here are some topping ideas to get you started
Use the basic pizza crust and build it from there:
- Tomato pizza sauce, white pizza sauce, pesto, hummus, bbq sauce, olive oil
- Mozzarella, parmesan, Romano cheese, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, feta
- Cooked chicken, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, minced ham or prosciutto
- Olives, fresh tomatoes, or cooked bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, kale, spinach, or artichokes
- Fresh basil, parsley or oregano
- Pears, grapes, pineapple, figs, or cherries
- Balsamic glaze, or ranch for dipping
- Red pepper flakes
Grilled Pizza Ingredients
- Pizza dough: Homemade pizza dough ingredients, or 2 store-bought doughs
- Flour: You’ll just need a little for rolling dough
- Extra virgin olive oil: Regular refined olive oil works fine too.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: Look for those in tomato puree rather than juice if you want a thicker sauce, or simmer longer to thicken.
- Dried oregano: Fresh is delicious as well, use 1 Tbsp chopped.
- Fresh basil: Dried will work if needed, use 1 tsp.
- Salt and pepper: If desired you can also add a pinch of sugar if you feel the sauce needs it to balance the hint of tart.
- Whole milk mozzarella: Part skim mozzarella works too whole milk just tastes best and melts best.
- Toppings: Such as those listed above, or omit if you want plain cheese pizza.
How to Make Grilled Pizza
- Prepare pizza dough if making homemade and let rise as directed.
- Make pizza sauce if using homemade.
- To cook grilled pizza preheat grill to 475 to 500 degrees. Clean grates and brush with oil.
- Shape dough into 6 (8 inch) rounds or 10 smaller pizzas.
- Grill crusts until golden brown on bottom, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from grill.
- Flip to opposite side and cover with toppings. To do so and brush with olive oil on grill marked side, then cover with sauce, cheese and various toppings.
- Return to grill and cook through, about 2 minutes longer.
Can I make other sizes of pizza?
This method works great for small, medium or large pizzas. You could make about 6 to 10 small, 3 to 4 medium or 2 large pizzas with this recipe. If you like thicker crust go with those lesser numbers and shape into smaller rounds.
Can I use a pizza stone to grill pizza?
Yes a pizza stone can also be used when grilling pizza.
- To do so just heat the pizza stone up on a 475 to 500 degree grill for about 20 minutes.
- Add the toppings on the shaped dough (raw, not partially cooked) then slide the assembled pizza onto the preheated stone using a well floured pizza peel.
- Cover and grill until cooked through, about 6 to 9 minutes.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover pizzas in the fridge.
- Reheat in a countertop pizza oven, the microwave, a 350 degree oven, or an air fryer until warmed through.
Tips for the Best Grilled Pizzas
- Every area of the grill cooks a little different, the back tends to have more heat and hot spots. So monitor each crust individually for doneness.
- Use enough flour when shaping the dough and transferring so it doesn’t stick and slides off easily onto the grill.
- The underside of a cookie sheet works in place of a pizza peel or floured parchment paper works as well (you can flip the crust onto the falm of your hand then quickly and carefully flip onto the grill).
- Don’t overdue the toppings. They only have a few minutes on the grill so I recommend keeping the toppings to more of a minimum.
- Be sure to close the lid when grilling as this will cook the crust through and melt the cheese.
- Serve the pizzas right away for the best texture.
More Homemade Pizza Recipes You’ll Love:
Grilled Pizza
One of my favorite summer-time recipes and the perfect way to cook pizza at home! Once you try grilled pizza you’ll be hooked. It’s easy to make and has incredible flavor! To save time use a store-bought dough and pizza sauce.
Servings: 6 (8-inch) pizzas
- 2 lbs. pizza dough, recipe here or store-bought fresh
- Flour, for dusting dough
Toppings
- 16 oz. whole milk mozzarella, shredded
- Desired pizza toppings (such as pepperoni, tomatoes, olives, cooked bacon, sauteed vegetables, etc)
For the pizza crust:
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Prepare dough according to directions up to and including rising 1 1/2 hours. Preferably for best flavor and if times allows I recommend making dough the day before and refrigerate, then rest at room temp 2 hours before using.
For the sauce:
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Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20 to 30 seconds. Add in crushed tomatoes, and oregano an season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Let simmer over low heat until reduced and thickened slightly, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste then stir in basil off heat. If you have extra sauce after making pizzas it can be frozen up to 3 months.
To assemble and grill pizzas:
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Preheat grill to medium-high heat to about 475 to 500 degrees.
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Gently punch pizza dough down and divide pizza dough into about 6 equal pieces (or you can make 10 smaller pizzas). Dust work surface with flour, then shape and stretch dough to an 8-inch round or 7-inch if you want a slightly thicker crust. Shape crust level all the way across, no higher rim on the ends.
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Brush clean grill grates of a gas grill lightly with oil. Using a floured pizza peel, transfer pizza doughs in an even layer to hot grill (as many as you can fit). Cover with grill lid and allow to cook until golden on bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes.
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Remove from grill, turn crust so grill grate lines in crust are facing upward. Brush this of crusts with olive oil then layer with sauce, cheese and desired toppings over tops.
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Return to grill, cover with lid, reduce heat slightly and cook until cheese has melted and bottom is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Nutrition estimate is per pizza. Does not include added toppings other than sauce and cheese.
Nutrition Facts
Grilled Pizza
Amount Per Serving
Calories 816
Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 60mg20%
Sodium 1742mg76%
Potassium 463mg13%
Carbohydrates 85g28%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 839IU17%
Vitamin C 13mg16%
Calcium 440mg44%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Recipe updated June 2023.