grilled pizza

photo by Rob Soegtrop

Making your own pizza can be as easy or as complex as you want it to be. If you’re saving this for a weekend project, you may want to go all-out and make each ingredient from scratch. If you’re looking for a quick mid-week meal to enjoy in the backyard, no problem! There are plenty of shortcuts to take with grilling pizza that seriously cut down on prep time, but hardly sacrifice the finished product; I’m talking store-bought dough, a few toppings, and a really simple, fresh tomato sauce. Check out my blog post all about pizza for a deeper dive into the different components and cooking methods of a delicious pie! If you’re stomach’s grumblin’ and you’re ready to dive in, check out my recipe below!

Grilled Pizza

The grill is a home cook's best tool for making crispy, thin crust, delicious pizza in just minutes. 

Serves 4

Total Time: 2.5 hours

Hands-on Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

The Basics

• 1 pound pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
•  32 oz can unseasoned crushed tomatoes (about 3.5 cups, or 800ml) 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 basil leaves
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 250 g fresh mozzarella

For Homemade Pizza Dough (optional)

• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup lukewarm water
• ¾ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Toppings for Pesto Pizza with Grilled Tomatoes

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful fresh oregano leaves
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 handful basil
• 1 small bunch of arugula leaves
• 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• zest and juice of of 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt

Toppings for Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Arugula and Prosciutto

• 1 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 /2 tsbp butter
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 handful of arugula
• 5 slices of prosciutto
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Pizza Basics

1. For the homemade pizza dough (optional): dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water and set aside to activate for 10-15 minutes. Combine flour, salt, olive oil and activated yeast and water mixture together to form a wet dough in a bowl. Turn the dough out on to a clean surface and knead until the dough starts to form a smooth ball, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add a small bit of flour at a time. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a clean bowl, place the dough in, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1.5- 2 hours.
2. For the sauce, combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, olive oil and vinegar in a food processor, with a hand blender, or with your hands (crushing the tomatoes between your fingers). Taste and adjust for seasoning, and set aside for at least 1 hour before using to allow the flavours to meld. 
3. Before preparing your dough for the grill, it is essential that you have all of your toppings complete and laid out on a portable tray to bring with you to the grill
4. Preheat grill to high heat. Just before placing the dough on the grates, clean the grate very well with a steel brush and then oil the grill by rubbing paper towel dipped in oil over the grill grates (hold the paper towel between long tongs to help you will this). 
5. Divide the dough in 4-6 balls (depending on how big you want your pizzas, remembering that the smaller they are, the easier they are to handle). Use your fingers to gently stretch the dough into a thin circle. If you lift up the dough, it should be thin enough that you can see the light through it. If using store-bought dough, you may need to use a rolling pin to roll out the dough because it is a bit more elastic and tough to work with. Slide the stretched dough out onto a flat, floured cutting board and bring to the grill. Gently brush one side of the dough with olive oil, and then flip the dough on to the grill, oil side down. Close the lid and allow it to cook until it bubbles and the underside has nice grill marks, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip the dough (it should remove easily. If not, leave it on a bit longer) to cook the other side. While on the grill, add your sauce, cheese, and toppings to the grilled side up. Once the pizza is topped, the underside of the pizza should be almost crisp and have grill marks. Reduce the heat directly under the pizza to medium, while maintaining other burners on high. Close the grill lid and let cook about 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the pizza from the grill, top with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil, and serve!

For Pesto Pizza with Roasted Tomatoes

1. Preheat the grill to high heat. Slice the cherry tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes you have) in half and place on a grill-proof baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with salt, pepper, and plenty of fresh oregano leaves. Reduce the heat directly under the tomatoes to medium, while keeping the rest of the grill very hot. Close the lid, and allow the tomatoes to cook until bubbling and roasted, about 20 minutes. 
2. To make the pesto, combine the garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese in the food processor until combined but still a little chunky. Add the basil and arugula, and taste. Add salt accordingly. 
3. Top your pizza with just pesto as the sauce (instead of tomato sauce), or top first with a thin layer of tomato sauce and then drizzle with pesto afterwards. Add the mozzarella cheese and roasted tomatoes, and cook with the BBQ top closed for about 3-5 minutes. Garnish the pizza with fresh basil leaves and chili flakes. 

For Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Arugula and Prosciutto

1. In a pan over medium heat, add butter and olive oil and let melt (30 seconds). Add the sliced onions and garlic and stir to ensure everything is coated. Let the onions cook gently, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown and caramelize (about 15 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, and add a dash (about a teaspoon) of balsamic vinegar if you want a little acidic kick to your pizza. 
2. Top your pizza with a layer of tomato sauce, add the mozzarella slices, a thin layer of caramelized onions** and some prosciutto. Close the BBQ lid and let cook for 3-5 minutes. 
3. While the pizza cooks, gently toss the fresh arugula leaves with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, and salt and pepper. 
4. Garnish the pizza with fresh arugula, basil leaves, and chili flakes. Buon appetito! 

Recipe Notes

Make sure to combine and blend all of the other ingredients in your pesto before adding the basil, because it bruises and turns brown-ish quite easily. If you’re committed to achieving that vibrant green colour (unlike mine in the photos), you can even add a bit of arugula, spinach, or parsley to enhance the colour.