Yes, for dinner tonight, a fantastic grilled pizza can be yours! This version celebrates veggies like broccoli and peppers. Make your own pizza dough or just take it and buy it at the store. Score!
Making pizza on the grill takes a little courage the first time. Throw uncooked dough directly over the fire on the grid? Top the pizza while it’s on the grill? Seems a bit daunting.
But once you try it and see how delicious it is, you’ll come back for more.
Even better? Few grilled dishes have as much “wow” factor as grilled pizza! The mere fact that you actually cooked a wholesome pizza entirely on the grill is impressive. The crunch of the crust and the slightly charred grill marks are delicious. If you want to go for the gold, you can top the pizza with some veggies that you previously grilled – now make the most of your grill!
At my house we celebrate BBQ season pretty much every year and it’s one of my most requested dishes of the summer by both family and friends – and you’ll see why!
How to make pizza on the grill
This recipe has step-by-step instructions, but Elise also has some very helpful tips for the basics of pizza grilling.
There’s no shame in using store-bought pizza dough and tomato sauce– believe me, people won’t notice or complain when these bubbly and flavorful pizzas sail off the grill. If you want to make your own, check out the ones in this recipe.
Sure, this grilled pizza is vegetarian, but if you and your gang are also keen to add pepperoni or crumbled boiled sausage, we won’t stop you.
What to serve with your pizza
These pizzas stand on their own as a meal (thanks to the veggies), but if you want to serve them with a slaw, try my Romaine and Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing recipe (from my site, The Mom 1oo).
More ideas for pizza night!
- Sliced artichoke and potato pizza
- Sheet metal pizza with roasted cauliflower and vegetables
- Tortilla pizza with onions, mushrooms and ricotta
- Spinach Artichoke Sheet Pan Pizza
Grilled pizza with peppers, broccoli and onions
Prep time reflects use of store-bought batter and sauce.
ingredients
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1 (1-pound) ball of pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
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Olive oil for sautéing vegetables and for coating and brushing the dough
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1/2 cup sliced red onions
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1/2 bell pepper, thinly sliced
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Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
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1/2 cup chopped broccoli
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1/2 cup sliced black olives
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Coarsely ground cornmeal or flour for rolling and stretching the dough
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1 cup tomato sauce, store bought or homemade
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2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh
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1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves (optional)
method
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Divide the dough and let it rest:
Divide the dough in half and gently shape into two balls. Gently brush each with olive oil and allow the batter to come to room temperature, either in a large bowl or on the counter covered with a tea towel, for about an hour.
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Preparation of the toppings:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers, season with salt and pepper and sauté 6 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
Add the chopped broccoli and sauté for another minute. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 1 minute, then remove the lid and sauté another minute or two, until the broccoli is just tender and the water has evaporated. Stir in the olives and place the vegetables on a plate.
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Form the pizza rounds:
Sprinkle a lightly oiled baking sheet with cornmeal or flour. Use two baking sheets if you want more space or are baking multiple pizzas. Gently begin to stretch or roll each ball into a 12-inch circle or rectangular shape.
You need to stretch or roll it a bit, give it a few minutes to relax, and then stretch it further so it doesn’t keep springing back into a smaller shape, which is easier if your dough has room temperature. The goal is to make it about 1/4 inch thick (it will puff up on the grill). Give it one last stretch and don’t worry if it’s unevenly shaped.
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Heat up the grill and collect your toppings:
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Place your sauce in a small bowl and bring to the grill along with a brush, grill tongs, grill spatula, cheese, batter, and veggies.
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Grill the dough on the first side:
Brush the top of the formed pizza circles with olive oil and, in one quick motion, pick up a circle of dough by one edge and place oiled side down on the grill. Repeat with the other round of dough.
Close the lid and do not open for 2 minutes so that the dough can rise and firm up a bit. Open the lid and use tongs to peek under the batter and check that it is firm on the bottom (not wet batter), lifts easily and has some light grill marks.
Lightly brush the unbaked tops of the crusts with olive oil, then flip them to the other side.
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Immediately add the sauce and toppings:
Gently brush the surface of each crust with the sauce. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the tops, followed by the toppings.
Close the lid and cook for 4 minutes. Lift the lid and inspect the pizzas: the cheese should be completely melted and the crust should have a nicely browned underside and barely bend when you lift it with tongs.
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Serve pizzas:
Remove the pizza from the grill with a large spatula, sprinkle with fresh basil if desired. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes to allow cheese to firm up a little before cutting into chunks.
