Grilled Pizza with Tomato and Mozzarella

Your pizza game just got an upgrade with this easy grilled pizza recipe. I use a chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside Neopolitan-style dough that yields perfect grilled pizza results every time!

You don’t need a fancy grill or pizza stone to make delicious grilled pizza! The high heat of the grill mimics a pizza oven, making a restaurant-quality pizza without the expense or the fuss.

This grilled pizza recipe is a spin on classic pizza margherita, which my family loves. I make a Mediterranean-style “salsa” with ripe grape tomatoes, basil, garlic, sliced black olives, and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. It’s simple, fresh, delicious, and bright!

I use Homemade Neapolitan Dough, because it only takes minutes to make, and then you just let it rise on the counter overnight, but if you’re not much of a planner, you can use store-bought dough. Once the dough is taken care of you can have a perfect grilled pizza in about 15 minutes! 

Grilled Pizza Ingredients

I went for a light, summery topping of sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fresh basil, robust olives, and quality EVOO in place of a red sauce. You can absolutely treat this recipe as a template, though, for your favorite toppings. Here’s what I used:

• Dough: Our executive editor, Summer, had a stash of homemade Neapolitan Dough in her freezer and thawed it in her fridge to test this recipe. She described it as “crispy, chewy perfection.” That said, store-bought is a great option to save you time.  
• Grape tomatoes: Any small, sweet tomatoes like cherry work well, or you can cut Roma tomatoes into smaller pieces. Just avoid watery tomatoes. 
• Basil: Adds a distinctly Mediterranean vibe to the “salsa,” but other tender herbs like dill, cilantro, mint, or parsley work in its place. 
• Kalamata olives: I used these authentic Greek olives, but any high-quality olives will be delicious. If yours came with the pits, hit them using your palm on the side of your knife to crush the olive and easily remove the pit. If you don’t like olives, substitute with capers or pickled red onions.
• Garlic: Gives the salsa a more in-your-face flavor. For a milder option, swap in sliced green onion or shallot. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: There’s no red sauce, so a high-quality oil with a pleasant flavor is essential. I love our robust Greek Early Harvest with this recipe. If you’d like to swap in red sauce, just be sure to coat the dough well with olive oil and cook it before adding the sauce. 
• Mozzarella: A low-moisture mozzarella melts and caramelizes well without getting soggy. 
• Seasoning: Kosher salt enhances the flavor. Crushed red pepper flakes give a nice kick. They’re optional, or feel free to use Aleppo pepper for a milder spice. 

How to Grill Pizza So It Doesn’t Stick

Here’s my step-by-step guide for how to grill pizza, including tips for grilling and topping.

• Get ready. Ensure your dough, whether homemade or store-bought, is at room temperature. (If it’s in the refrigerator, allow it to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.) Clean and oil your grill grates, then preheat to high (500°F). 
• Shape the dough (or use store-bought). On a clean, lightly floured surface, divide the dough into two equal pieces. Coat each piece well with olive oil. Working one ball at a time, stretch the dough into a circle, pressing with the palms of your hands outward from the center. Leave the edges of the dough slightly thicker than the middle to form a crust. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Transfer each dough round to a large piece of parchment paper and let sit for 5 minutes, then reshape, if needed, to make sure each pizza is your desired size.
• While the dough rests, prepare the topping. To a clean, dry bowl, add 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes, 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, 2/3 cups sliced, pitted Kalamata olives, 1 minced garlic clove, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to combine. Set aside for now (if liquid is released, drain it before using this mixture on the pizza).
• Grill the dough. Brush the top of the dough with more olive oil. Flip the pizzas directly onto your heated grill with the oiled side down. Peel off the parchment paper, close the lid, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Flip. Open the lid and brush the top of the dough with olive oil. Use a pair of tongs to flip the dough over, then cover and cook for about 2 to 3 more minutes. The dough is ready when it turns golden brown with some grill marks on both sides.
• Melt the cheese. Brush the dough with olive oil once more and top with sliced mozzarella cheese (6 to 8 ounces). Close the lid until the cheese has melted.
• Finish and serve. Remove from the grill, spoon the tomato mixture over the pizza, finish with crushed red pepper flakes (if using), slice, and serve immediately!

Four Tips for How to Grill Pizza Without Sticking 

When it comes to putting pizza on the grill, the biggest concern is usually how to prevent the dough from sticking to the grill grates. You can grill pizza, even with fresh, rather sticky doughs like Neapolitan-style or whole wheat.

1. Clean your grill grates well. Old food bits can act like glue.
2. The grill should be ripping hot. When the grill is hot enough (like 450°F to 500°F hot), the outer layer creates a crust and releases on its own. If you try to flip the dough and it doesn’t release easily, give it another minute.
3. Oil is your friend! Coat and brush both sides of the dough with EVOO. You can also brush vegetable oil onto your grill grates. I keep my grill pretty clean, so I have never bothered to oil the grates, and the pizzas don’t stick, but some people like to as an added precaution.
4. Don’t stretch it too thin. You want the dough to be a little on the thicker side so you can easily flip it.

Ideas for Topping Grilled Pizzas 

When it comes to pizza let creativity be your guide! Because grilled pizza doesn’t cook for very long, it’s best to choose light, quick-cooking toppings or pre-cooked toppings.  

• Roasted bell peppers + Onion + Goat cheese (Chevre) + spinach or arugula (after grilling)
• Sliced Marinated Mushrooms + Feta + Thinnly Sliced Red Onion 
• Olive Oil + Italian Seasoning + Red Onion + Kalamata Olives + roasted tomatoes
• Pickled red onions + shredded chicken + mozzarella. 
• Drizzle with a sauce like Toum, a Middle Eastern whipped garlic sauce, or basil pesto

The Ultimate Pizza Recipe Lineup!

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*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in June 2021. It has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.