How to grill the best homemade pizza dough - This easy recipe uses yeast and all purpose flour to make a simple, fast, and healthy thick crust. You can use Instant Yeast or active dry yeast and this recipe has no baking powder. We use our KitchenAid mixer and the dough hook to form the dough. Includes instructions for how to grill the pizza.
We have branched out from burgers and grilled zucchini and discovered the brilliance of grilled pizza dough.
Have you ever heard of grilled pizza before? I hadn't, and I was skeptical when I first read about it.
See, our two-year-old oven croaked this summer, and we're waiting for a repair appointment. We have spent the summer using the microwave, Instant Pot, CrockPot, and our gas grill to cook until the technician can come.
Prior to our broken oven, we had homemade pizza every Sunday night for dinner. It's our family's tradition, and I'm too uptight to deviate from our planned menu.
Every Sunday, I feel like we're committing adultery by eating the wrong food. I can't help myself.
A couple of weeks ago, I read up on grilled pizza dough, and I decided I was going to try it.
"Grill a pizza?!" the kids scoffed. "You can't do that." I was undeterred, and I tried it anyway. I'm so glad!
The grilled pizza dough was awesome. The first time I grilled it, I had the grill a little too hot and left the pizza on a little too long, but the pizza was otherwise amazing. The second time, the grilled pizza was perfect.
There is a big difference between grilled pizza and baked pizza. The grilled crust was much lighter and airier than any pizza we've ever had. It was perfectly crisp on the outside, nicely browned and crunchy, and on the inside, it had the lightest and softest texture.
I can't gush enough about our grilled pizza crust. It was just delicious.
Why this is the best grilled pizza crust recipe
This pizza crust is thick. A thin-crust pizza would burn in no time flat on the grill because it's so hot, but this thick crust gets nice and crispy and brown.
This recipe cooks in no time at all. This thick crust heats up nicely and cooks all the way through in under two minutes per side thanks to the direct heat.
The crust is perfection. The outside is crispy and the inside is light and delicious. This might be the best pizza crust you've ever tasted.
My grilled pizza dough instructions are different than most. Most grilled pizza recipes tell you to oil the grates and put the pizza down without flipping. This results in the bottom getting brown grill marks and a crispy texture but the top stays softer. I don't like this as much as the texture when I flip the pizza and then put the toppings on the already cooked side. This way, the crust gets evenly crispy on both sides.
What you'll need to make the best grilled pizza crust recipe
EQUIPMENT
- Instant read thermometer - I used this to make sure my water was the correct temperature. You want it to be between 110ºF and 125ºF.
- Stand mixer - I used to use my KitchenAid stand mixer with its dough hook to make this pizza dough, and that worked great. However, we had a house fire and lost everything, and I have not replaced my stand mixer because I didn't use it that much. So now I mix dough with my hands and/or a wooden spoon. It's harder but not impossible. You can't really use an electric hand mixer. The dough is too heavy and will burn up the motor.
- Pizza stone - You're going to use this just for a couple of minutes to roll out the dough. You could go without it and be okay as long as you have a nice, big surface to roll the dough out and a pizza peel to transport it to the grill. DO NOT PUT THE PIZZA STONE ON THE GRILL. I can't emphasize that enough. For the best grilled pizza, the pizza dough goes directly on the grill grates. You are not going to cook on the pizza stone.
- Grill I use propane but charcoal would also be fine. This is one time when you can't use a grill pan or electronic grill. Grilled pizza dough needs to go on grill grates in a very hot grill.
- Pizza board - This is sometimes called a pizza peel. It's a big wooden paddle with a long handle, used for reaching the pizza into a hot oven or grill. Note that you do NOT cook on the board. You must remove the board from the oven or grill before cooking. The board is wood and will catch on fire. One of my kids didn't understand this and burned my first one.
- Heat-safe tongs - I don't know how else you would get the pizza off the grill grates.
- Pizza Cutter - This is to cut your finished and cooled pizza.
INGREDIENTS
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.
For the grilled pizza dough
- Active dry yeast - You can use Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast. Yeast is alive, and you need to activate it with warm water and feed it with sugar or it will not grow and make the air bubbles you need for your dough to rise.
- Warm water - This needs to be very warm but not hot. If it's too hot, the yeast will die. If it's too cold, the yeast will not activate. Ideal is 120ºF to 125ºF, but you could go as low as 110ºF and be okay.
- Sugar - This recipe uses a very small amount of sugar for two purposes. First, you have to feed the yeast in order for it to activate and develop. Second, a small amount goes into the dough to give it a good flavor. I have never tried making this pizza dough with artificial sweeteners, so I don't know if they will work or not. I'm going to try that soon, but in the meantime, I will be making my zero carb chicken crust pizza instead.
- All-purpose flour - I have tried this recipe with a gluten-free flour blend, and I did not like the results. If you need a gluten-free pizza crust, I would recommend my chicken crust pizza instead.
- Extra virgin olive oil - You need some oil in your dough. You could also use canola or vegetable oil, but I like the flavor that olive oil brings.
- Salt - Salt helps the dough to rise.
- Oil for the grill grates - The grates need to be well-oiled so the pizza dough doesn't stick.
For assembling the grilled pizza
Note that the nutritional information provided below is only for the dough and does not include pizza sauce or any toppings.
- Pizza sauce
- Mozzarella cheese - shredded or torn. Fresh mozzarella is nice, but any cheese will do. It's also nice to sprinkle some Parmesan on top of the mozzarella.
- Fresh basil - This is optional but delicious.
How to make the perfect grilled pizza crust
- In a small bowl, heat the water to approximately 125ºF. You can use a thermometer to make sure it's the right temperature, but generally, it's okay if it feels warm to your skin but isn't too hot to put your hand in for a bit.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon of the sugar in the warm water.
- Add the yeast and stir gently to dissolve.
- Let yeast stand for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is frothy and full of bubbles.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining sugar, flour, and salt and whisk together.
- Add the yeast mixture.
- Add the oil.
- Stir until the dough is thoroughly combined and beginning to stiffen. It is helpful to use the dough hook of a KitchenAid mixer for this step.
- Form the dough into a smooth ball.
- Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and allow it to rise for 30 minutes, until it has doubled in volume.
- While the dough is rising, make sure the grates on your grill are very clean. Oil the grates by soaking a paper towel in olive oil and rubbing it on them. Alternately, you could brush the oil on the grates using a basting brush and a small dish of oil.
- You can proceed when the dough has doubled in size. It may take more or less than 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Preheat the grill on high. You want the grill to be so hot that you can't keep your hand over the grates for more than two seconds.
- Also prepare the toppings while the dough rises. You won't want to lose any time prepping ingredients while you're trying to count minutes later.
- Dump the dough onto a well floured pizza stone or countertop. Roll it into your preferred shape (rectangle or circle). I like to rub the pizza with a halved clove of fresh garlic at this point, but that is optional.
- Slide the pizza only (NOT the pizza stone - it may break at this high temperature) on the now very hot grill grates. Wait one minute and then check to make sure that the crust is browning. Wait one more minute and use heat-safe tongs to remove the pizza to a heat safe surface like a pizza board and close the grill lid.
- Turn the grill down to medium.
- Brush the cooked side of the pizza with olive oil.
- Cover the pizza with a little tomato sauce (less than you would normally use - only about a ¼-cup for a 10-inch pizza).
- Add any additional toppings and cheese. Note: if you are using fresh herbs such as basil, do not add them until after you take the pizza off of the grill the second time. They will wither and burn in the heat of the grill.
- Transfer the pizza back to the grill grates.
- Grill the pizza for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom is browned and the cheese is melted.
Tips for the best grilled pizza dough
The grilling process goes very quickly because the grill is so hot. Make sure everything is prepared before you put the pizza on the grill. This means that your sauce is out and open, your toppings are cut and on the counter, and the cheese is cut or shredded and also on the counter.
You can get away without a pizza stone if you have a big enough pizza board or pizza peel. If you don't have a peel, I suppose you maybe could transfer the pizza on a very large cutting board, if you have that, but that's going to be pretty tough. And if you don't have any of those things, you're going to have to invest in one of them because I don't know how else you could transfer the pizza from your counter to your grill.
I have only ever made a thick-crust pizza with this recipe, but if you pull it or roll it out more, you could create 2 thin-crust pizzas from the dough. Just be aware that thin crusts will cook much more quickly on the grill.
If you have a thermometer in your grill, aim for 450ºF. If you go a lot hotter than that, your pizza may burn.
If you are grilling more than one pizza, close the lid after removing the first one and allow the temperature to rise back up to 450ºF before you add the second one. It should only take 2-3 minutes, but this is an important step.
You can brush the uncooked pizza dough with olive oil on both sides if you're worried about it sticking to the grill.
The best toppings for grilled pizza
Grilled pizza is just like any pizza, and you can put any toppings you want on it. Meats (pepperoni, prosciutto, bacon, ham, sausage), vegetables (mushrooms, red onions, sliced red peppers, green bell peppers, diced tomatoes, black olives, sliced garlic), even fruit (pineapple or peaches)... whatever you want will be tasty on the grill. Here are 24 different pizza recipes to try.
Because the toppings are in the heat for less than 3 minutes, they are not going to cook. Any meats you put on your pizza must be pre-cooked, and any veggies you don't want to be crunchy should also be pre-cooked. You can steam or sauté them before you get started.
I've made a margherita pizza here with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil, but you can make many different types of pizza, including:
- Margherita (sometimes incorrectly called margarita) - Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil. You can also add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan and/or thinly sliced tomatoes if you want.
- Upgraded pepperoni - Tomato sauce, pepperoni, a drizzle of hot honey, and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
- Hawaiian - Tomato sauce, ham or canadian bacon, pineapple chunks, fresh mozzarella.
- BBQ chicken - BBQ sauce (that's a link to a sloppy joes post, but there's a homemade BBQ sauce recipe on the recipe card), shredded or chopped cooked chicken breast, cheddar or mozzarella, red onion. You can also add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan if you want.
- Chicken bacon ranch - Ranch dressing, shredded or chopped cooked chicken breast, crumbled bacon, cheddar or mozzarella, red onion. You can also add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan if you want.
- Veggie - Tomato sauce or pesto, grilled zucchini, sliced red onion, sliced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella.
- Broccoli & cheddar - Ranch dressing, chopped broccoli, sliced garlic, cheddar cheese. You can also add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan if you want.
Consider pre-cooking any veggies as they will be in the heat for less than 5 minutes and will not cook much.
You can also use different cheeses. Fresh mozzarella is nice, but so is feta or blue cheese. Note that feta and blue cheese don't melt like mozzarella does, but they still taste great.
If you don't like tomato sauce on your pizza, you can use pesto, garlic sauce, ranch dressing, or BBQ sauce (sugar-free BBQ sauce recipe here).
The only caveat to the toppings is that you can't put fresh herbs on the pizza before grilling it because they will wither and burn. You have to save your herbs like basil and oregano for after the pizza is off the grill.
Storing leftover grilled pizza
Grilled pizza is best when it's fresh, but you can store it if you have to.
Place any leftovers in an airtight container or zippered plastic bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven for a few minutes or until heated to your preferred temperature. You could also reheat in the air fryer. Microwaving leftover pizza will make it soggy.
Try these other delicious pizza recipes:
- The Best Homemade Pizza Dough
- Bread Machine Pizza Crust
- 2 Minute Microwave Pizza in a Mug
- Chicken Crust Pizza - Low Carb & Gluten-Free Pizza Recipe
- 10 Pizzas to Cook on a Pizza Stone
- 24 Frugal & Healthy Homemade Pizza Recipes
- Chicken & Bacon Pizza with Ranch or BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
- Chicken Salad Pizza
- How to Make a Heart Shaped Pizza
- Upside Down Pizza Casserole - AKA Popover Pizza
- Easy Mini Breakfast Pizzas on English Muffins
- 10 Uses for a Pizza Stone
Recipe
Grilled Pizza Dough
Equipment
- Grill I use propane but charcoal would also be fine.
Ingredients
For the grilled pizza dough
- 1 package active dry yeast ¼ ounce
- 1 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoon sugar divided
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Oil for the grill grates
For assembling the grilled pizza
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded or torn
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar and yeast packet in warm water. Let the yeast stand for 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is frothy.
- In a large bowl, combine remaining sugar, flour, oil, salt, and yeast mixture. Stir well, until the dough is thoroughly combined and beginning to stiffen. We use the dough hook and our big KitchenAid mixer for this step.
- Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and allow it to rise for 30 minutes, until it has doubled in volume.
- While the dough is rising, make sure the grates on your grill are very clean. Oil the clean grates by soaking a paper towel with oil and rubbing it on or brushing the grates with a basting brush dipped in oil.
- Preheat your grill on high. You want the grill to be so hot that you can't keep your hand near the grates for more than 2 seconds.
- Also, prepare the toppings at this time. You won't want to lose any time prepping ingredients while you're trying to count minutes later.
- Dump the dough onto a well floured pizza stone or cookie sheet. Roll it into your preferred shape (we did a rectangle) and put it on the now hot grill. Wait a minute (really, just one minute), and check to make sure the pizza dough is browning. Wait another minute (for a total of two) and remove the pizza from the grill to a heat-safe surface (we used the big pizza board my sister gave us for Christmas) and close the lid.
- Turn the grill down to medium.
- Brush the cooked side of your pizza with a little oil, whatever oil you like then cover with a small amount of sauce (a little less than you'd use when baking pizza), toppings, and cheese, and grill it for another 2-3 minutes, until it's browned sufficiently on the bottom.
Valerie C. says
I just tweeted:
https://twitter.com/dragonfly777/status/228548103609917441
thanks!
Tara Ziegmont says
Valerie - Can you come back and leave your comment in the BlogFrog widget? I forgot to turn comments off on this post, and entries only count if they're in the widget. Sorry!