Recipe · Appetizers
Grilled Pizza on an Electric Grill
Grilled pizza is one of the most impressive and underrated things you can make on an electric grill. The high, dry heat creates a crust that is crispy and lightly charred on the outside while remaining chewy inside, with a flavor and texture that a home oven simply cannot replicate. Most home ovens max out around 500F, but the enclosed heat of an electric grill with the lid closed creates a convection-like environment that mimics a pizza oven. The direct contact with hot grates gives you the charred, blistered bottom crust that makes Neapolitan pizza so appealing, while the lid traps heat to melt the cheese and cook the toppings from above. The two-stage cooking method is what makes this work. Grilling the dough on one side first gives it structure, so when you flip and add toppings, the crust is already set and can support the weight without sagging through the grates. This is the same technique used at professional pizzerias that grill their pizza. Store-bought dough from your grocery store's bakery section works perfectly for this. Let it come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes so it stretches easily. Do not worry about making a perfect circle. Rustic, freeform shapes are part of the charm of grilled pizza and actually work better on grill grates than round pizzas.
Technique how-to
How the grilled pizza method works
A method demonstration from Meathead's AmazingRibs — watch it for the technique, then follow the ingredients and steps in our recipe above. We do not produce our own videos.
Meathead Goldwyn's technique translates directly to an electric grill with a preheated cast-iron skillet — the method our cast-iron pizza recipe uses.
Ingredients
- 1 lb store-bought pizza dough (or homemade), room temperature
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce or crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Flour or cornmeal for dusting
Instructions
- 01
Divide dough into 2 portions. On a floured surface, stretch each into a thin oval about 10-12 inches. The shape does not need to be perfect.
- 02
Preheat the electric grill to 450-500F with the lid closed for 10 minutes.
- 03
Brush one side of the stretched dough with olive oil. Place it oil-side down directly on the grill grates. Close the lid immediately.
- 04
Grill the first side for 2-3 minutes until the bottom is golden and has grill marks. The top will start to bubble.
- 05
Carefully flip the dough. Quickly spread sauce over the grilled side, add mozzarella slices, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Close the lid.
- 06
Cook for 3-4 more minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bottom crust is crisp.
- 07
Slide the pizza off the grill onto a cutting board. Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Let it rest 2 minutes, then slice and serve.
Pro Tips
Tips for this cook
- ★Make sure the dough is at room temperature. Cold dough will tear when you stretch it and shrink back on the grill.
- ★Work fast when adding toppings after the flip. The second side is cooking the whole time, so have your sauce, cheese, and toppings prepped and within arm's reach.
- ★Less is more with toppings. Overloading a grilled pizza makes it soggy. Keep it simple with sauce, cheese, and one or two additional toppings at most.
We recommend for this recipe
Ninja Woodfire Pro XL OG850
The Ninja Woodfire Pro XL's 700°F ceiling mimics a real pizza oven — most home ovens cap at 500°F, which is why grilled pizza crust is so much better. The 406 sq in surface fits two 12-inch pizzas side by side, and the woodfire pellets add the subtle char that makes grilled pizza taste like it came from a wood-fired pizzeria.
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