Grilled Pizza from Scratch
Grilled pizza produces results that rival a wood-fired oven — charred bottom, blistered crust, and smoky flavor that your kitchen oven simply cannot replicate. The technique is slightly terrifying the first time, but once you nail it, you'll never go back to oven pizza.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough (store-bought works fine, or make your own)
- Olive oil for brushing
- ½ cup pizza sauce or crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
- Fresh basil leaves
- Optional toppings: pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers (pre-cook any raw meats)
- Cornmeal or semolina flour for handling
Step by Step
Prep the dough
Divide dough into 4 balls. On a floured surface, stretch each into a thin round (about 10 inches). Don't use a rolling pin — stretch by hand for better texture. The dough should be thin enough to see through slightly.
Set up two-zone heat
Get one side of the grill ripping hot (500°F+) and leave the other side on low. You'll sear the bottom on the hot side and finish with toppings on the indirect side.
Oil and grill the first side
Brush one side of the dough liberally with olive oil. Place oiled-side DOWN directly on the hot grate. Grill for 2-3 minutes until the bottom has dark char marks and the dough is firm enough to flip. Don't panic at the bubbling — that's normal.
Flip and top quickly
Flip the dough to the indirect side. Brush the grilled side with olive oil, then immediately add sauce, cheese, and toppings. Work fast — you have about 3 minutes before the bottom burns.
Close lid and finish
Close the grill lid to melt the cheese and cook the toppings (2-3 minutes). The dome heat creates an oven effect. Remove when the cheese is bubbly and the bottom is charred but not burnt. Finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
Pro Tips
- Cold dough tears. Let it come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before stretching.
- Less is more with toppings. Overloaded pizza won't cook through on the grill and the dough collapses.
- A pizza peel or rimless baking sheet makes transferring dough to the grill much easier.
- If the dough sticks to the grate, your grill wasn't hot enough or clean enough. Oil the grates AND the dough.
Recommended Gear for This Recipe
KettlePizza Deluxe Kit $200
Turns your Weber into a pizza oven
Pizza Peel 14" $15
Launch and retrieve pizzas safely
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Grilled Pizza from Scratch take to cook?
What's the single most important tip?
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