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Grilled pizza is a delicious way to enjoy pizza in the summer without firing up your oven or even leaving your house. Pizza ovens can cost loads of money, but you can get pretty close to a pizza oven with an outdoor grill. This grilled Margherita pizza has a crispy, chewy crust and is topped with fresh tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella cheese, and sweet basil. This homemade pizza is better and faster that pizza delivery, and it’s easy to make too!
When it comes to pizza, there are endless possibilities for toppings. However, sometimes the simplest combinations are the best. Today I’m going to show you how to make a delicious and easy grilled Margherita pizza. This recipe only requires a few ingredients, and it’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal!
why you’ll love these homemade Margherita pizzas
- Grilled, smokey flavor. If you’ve never had grilled pizza dough before, you’re in for a treat! The dough gets nice and crispy on the outside, while remaining chewy and tender on the inside. The char from the grill adds a delicious smokey flavor that you just can’t get from oven-baked pizza.
- Quick and easy to make. This recipe is so simple, and it comes together in just a few minutes. The dough only needs to rise for 20 minutes, so it’s perfect for when you’re short on time!
- Perfect for summer. These grilled pizzas are the perfect summertime meal. They’re light, fresh, and best of all, they don’t heat up your kitchen!
- Personal pizzas. Kids and adults alike will love these personal-sized pizzas. They’re perfect for a fun and easy dinner that everyone can customize to their own liking.
Ingredients
- Pizza dough: Try making up a batch of your own homemade pizza dough. You can also make a homemade flatbread or use store-bought for ease. It will still work well.
- Tomato sauce: You can use store-bought tomato sauce, or you can make your own. If you’re making your own, I recommend using this simple marinara recipe.
- Whole mozzarella: I like to use whole mozzarella because it’s so fresh and creamy. However, you can also use shredded mozzarella if that’s what you have on hand.
- Fresh basil: This is a key ingredient in Margherita pizza! If you don’t have fresh basil, you can substitute it with dried basil or oregano.
- Italian spices: I like to add a little bit of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes to my tomato sauce. This is completely optional, but it adds a nice flavor.
How to make grilled pizza
- Roll the dough into any size and thickness you want, and transfer it to a parchment paper.
- Brush the olive oil on top of the pizza dough.
- Carefully flip the dough onto the grill, oil side down with the parchment paper still on it, and then peel the parchment paper off.
- When the bottom side has grill marks and is lightly golden, flip the pizza(s) onto a plate.
- Add sauce, seasoning, and toppings to the cooked side and return to the grill.
- Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and bottom crust is golden.
Tips to make this recipe
- Use room temperature pizza dough. Let it sit at room temperature for about half an hour before adding some seasoning and stretching it. This will help it to rise, and cold dough is less pliable and more likely to rip.
- Don’t skip the parchment paper. This really helps you handle the pizza on the hot grill with ease since you place the pizza on the grill safely with the parchment barrier.
- Add seasoning to your dough. Adding extra seasoning to the dough gives it something a little special. You can skip this, but it really gives your pizza a nice burst of flavor.
- Preheat your grill. The trick to grilling pizza dough is to have the grill super hot so that it mimics a pizza oven. Don’t be tempted to put it on too early. The high heat of the grill (around 500-600 degrees) gets much closer to a real pizza oven than your standard oven ever could. If you’re using an indoor grill pan, go high.
popular substitutions & additions
- Add additional toppings. For a more hearty pizza, you can add additional toppings like beef pepperoni, peppers, or onions.
- Make it gluten-free. If you’re gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free pizza dough or flatbread.
- Use BBQ sauce. For a change from the traditional marinara sauce, try using BBQ sauce instead. It’s delicious!
- Add extra cheese. If you’re a cheese lover, feel free to add extra cheese to your pizza.
- Make them mini. You can take the same recipe and cut it into 12 mini grilled pizzas. Use the same ingredients but make them smaller like pictured here below – perfect for lunchboxes!
how to store & reheat grilled pizza
If you have any leftover pizza, it can be stored in the fridge. To reheat, simply place the pizza on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until heated through.
how long will Margherita pizza last in the fridge?
When properly stored, Margherita pizza will last in the fridge for up to four days.
Can you freeze grilled pizza?
Yes! You can make grilled pizzas and freeze them. Just reheat from frozen on a baking sheet at 350°F until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
This grilled pizza is best served as soon as it’s ready, but if you have leftovers, they will keep well for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a hot oven or toaster oven to get it nice and crispy again.
The hotter the grill, the better! Try getting it between 500°F and 600°F for the crispiest pizza base. Preheat it while you are waiting for the dough to come to room temperature.
This pizza takes less than 10 minutes to cook, so keep your eye on it! It will need 2 minutes on the first side. Then once you add the toppings, it will take another 5 minutes maximum. Way quicker than takeout!
This grilled pizza is all kinds of delicious! It’s so easy to get a super crispy pizza at home, so skip the takeout and get grilling! It has a crisp texture on the outside, but it’s still soft on the inside.
More pizza recipes:
- Pizzadillas
- Pizza Bites
- Pesto Flatbread Pizza
- Chicken Shawarma Pita Pizza
- Cast Iron Pizza
- Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Pizza Quinoa Bites
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust
- Broccoli Pizza Crust
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Grilled Pizza recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
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Grilled Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Tomato sauce store-bought or homemade
- Whole Mozzarella
- Fresh basil
- Crushed red pepper for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Allow store-bought dough to rise at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Cut the pizza dough into 2 to 8 portions depending on how big and thick you want each pizza. Roll the dough into desired size and thickness and transfer to a parchment paper.
- Brush the olive oil on top of the pizza dough. Lift the pizza dough off the surface with the parchment paper below it and carefully flip it onto the grill, oil side down. Peel the parchment paper off.
- Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes and check for doneness with tongs to see if the bottom side has grill marks and is lightly golden. Flip the pizza(s) onto a plate and add sauce, seasoning and toppings to the cooked side.
- Lower the grill heat slightly and slide pizzas back onto the grill to cook the bottom side for another 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bottom crust is golden.
- Use tongs to remove the pizza from the grill. Let cool for a few minutes and then slice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Yes, it is fast. It is fun. It is flipping delicious.