Grilled Pizza Margherita
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Learn how to make amazing Grilled Pizza Margherita with step-by-directions straight on the grill, or with a pizza stone! It is much easier than you think and perfect for entertaining friends and family.
Summer is the perfect time of the year for enjoying friends and grilled foods! When I say pizza…what’s the first thing to pop in your head? You better not have said delivery! Most of us cook our homemade pizzas in the oven, but grilling pizzas is a fun way to involve your guests and this Grilled Pizza Margherita is a perfect example of how easy it is to do.
I have been on a quest to learn how to make authentic Italian pizza using “00” flour from Italy….and I have finally mastered it!!! Here is my post on how to make this amazing Italian Pizza Dough. Today I will explain two different ways to prepare this awesome pizza on a gas grill….just skip over the one that does not pertain to you. 🙂
What you will need:
- Pizza dough that has preferably been made the day before. Remove from refrigerator and allow the dough to warm up while the grill is preheating.
- olive oil
- pizza peel or aluminum foil
- pizza sauce
- fresh mozzarella cheese slices
- fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese
- pizza stone and cornmeal – optional
How to make Pizza Margherita on the Grill:
To cook your pizza directly on the grill:
Preheat to 500 degrees. Oil your hands and press dough out into desired size and shape, and place on an oiled sheet of aluminum foil.
To cook your pizza on a baking stone:
Place the stone in the grill and heat at 500 degrees for one hour. Press dough out on a floured work surface to desired size and shape and place on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal.
Spread a light coating of pizza sauce over prepared dough within an inch of the edge, and place cheese slices on top of the sauce. I squished the cheese slices between my fingers to make them an even thickness.
To grill pizza:
Place dough on grill and cook for one minute with the lid closed. Flip dough over, spread sauce and lay cheese slices on top. Close the lid and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown and cheese is bubbling.
This is actually for my Grilled Peach and Arugula Pizza {which does not cook with toppings}, but it shows you the pizza on the grill, and no it does not stick.
If using a baking stone:
Slide pizza off the cornmeal coated pizza peel directly onto the baking stone.
Close the lid and cook for 4 to 8 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
Carefully remove pizza from grill and sprinkle with basil and Parmesan cheese.
Allow pizza to rest for one to two minutes before slicing.
assuming that you are going to share, of course. 😉
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- The amount of cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pizza, how you cook your pizzas, how many toppings you have on your pizzas, and how many times you open the lid to check your pizzas!!
- To check your pizza while it is cooking, you need to barely crack the lid open and look inside to check the crust color.
- Obviously, the more times you open the lid, the longer your pizza will take to cook.
- One hour to heat the baking stone sounds like a long time, but it took the full hour for my grill to reach 500 degrees!
- The crazy shaped pizza images are the ones that were cooked straight on the grill. For perfectly shaped pizzas, use a pizza peel with cornmeal.
- Make sure your gas tank is FULL before starting!
Tools used to create this recipe:
- Using a pizza stone on the grill is not much different than using it in the oven, you just don’t heat up your house!
- Pizza Peel
- Silicone Pastry Brush
- Spatula
- My newest obsession is baking pizza with a grill pizza oven insert! It goes right in the grill and has it’s own stone built in.
You can see the rest of my favorite kitchen tools and gadgets here in my Amazon Affiliate Page. I earn a small commission when you purchase through my links, at no cost to you, so I can keep bringing you more delicious recipes!
More grilled pizza recipes:
- Greens Pizza
- Grilled Peach and Arugula Pizza
- Grilled Summer Squash Pizza
- Prosciutto-Arugula Pizza
- Grilled Chicken and Pesto Pizza
I have listed pizza recipes that were cooked on the grill, but any pizza recipe will work!
If you love this recipe, please rate it five stars and help me share on facebook and to help other readers in our community!
Enjoy!!
Grilled Pizza Margherita
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian Pizza Dough chilled overnight
- 0.5 cup pizza sauce
- 8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese I used Belgioioso – a ball of cheese packed in water and found in the specialty cheese section.
- .25 cup chopped, fresh basil
- .25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- cornmeal for dusting pizza stone
Instructions
To cook directly on the grill
- Preheat to 500 degrees. Oil your hands and press dough out into desired size and shape, and place on an oiled sheet of aluminum foil.
- Place dough on grill and cook for one minute with the lid closed. Flip dough over, spread sauce and lay cheese slices on top.
- Close the lid and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown and cheese is bubbling.
To cook on a pizza stone
- Place the stone in the grill and heat at 500 degrees for one hour. Press dough out on a floured work surface to desired size and shape and place on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal.
- Spread a light coating of pizza sauce over prepared dough within an inch of the edge.
- Place cheese slices on top of the sauce.
- Slide pizza off the cornmeal coated pizza peel directly onto the baking stone. Close the lid and cook for 4 to 8 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
- Carefully remove pizza from grill with the pizza peel and sprinkle with basil and Parmesan cheese.
- Allow pizza to rest for one to two minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
- Italian Pizza Dough Recipe
- Make sure your gas tank is FULL before starting!
- The amount of cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pizza, how you cook your pizzas, how many toppings you have on your pizzas, and how many times you open the lid to check your pizzas!!
- To check your pizza while it is cooking, you need to barely crack the lid open and look inside to check the crust color.
- Obviously, the more times you open the lid, the longer your pizza will take to cook.
- One hour to heat the baking stone sounds like a long time, but it took the full hour for my grill to reach 500 degrees!
- For perfectly shaped pizzas, use a pizza peel with cornmeal.
Oh yummy grilled pizza. I need to make some before summer ends. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Shared.
Grilled pizza was my favorite in college, but I also made it from frozen. Your instructions for cooking the dough on the grill are awesome, I can’t wait to try it! I found your link at What’s Cookin Wednesday!
These look so yummy! My hubby will love these…. he loves homemade pizza!
We love to grill fish with lots of fresh mint, oregano, garlic, chilli and some lemon juice during the summer! Yummo!
This looks lovely! I keep meaning to make homemade dough to grill pizza this summer, but so far it hasn’t happened!
This is one delicious looking pizza! Thanks for linkin’ up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
This looks so good. Do you put any oil between the aluminum foil and pizza dough?