Greek Pizza on the Grill

Pizza on the grill is one of summer’s greatest pleasures. The crust becomes so crisp you can hear its crunch with each bite—a special treat you rarely find with an oven-baked or store-bought pizza.

You can top a grilled pizza with almost anything, but when I came up with this recipe, I was thinking Greek-ish and all vegetarian, so I started with feta, olives, and fresh oregano for the topping.

Because there is nothing I like more than carbs upon carbs, potatoes seemed like a good addition. I cooked the potatoes on the grill first so they would be ready for the topping. Revelation, people! I am definitely repeating the operation next time I grill. They are perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

I like the combination of fresh and cooked ingredients on pizza. I wanted to add something green, and zucchini, sliced into thin ribbons with a peeler, was a great solution because it cooks in a nanosecond. Once the pizza was hot, I put fresh cherry tomato halves and herb leaves on top just before serving.

A drizzle of olive oil over the pizza is the finishing touch.

The Best Dough for Grilled Pizza

Store-bought dough is fine for this pizza, but you can make your own with this recipe for Easy No-Knead Dough. If you prefer a whole-wheat dough, try this No-Knead Whole Wheat Pizza Dough.

The no-knead dough is very hydrated, so it is slack and a bit sticky. To make it easier to work with on the grill, knead in 2 to 3 tablespoons additional flour, so it holds its shape better and is not as sticky.

The no-knead dough recipe makes more than you will need for two pizzas, but you can keep the extra in the fridge for up to three days or freeze it for up to three months.

To freeze leftover homemade pizza dough: Oil the dough and slip it into a zip-top bag or another freezer-safe container. Or even better, roll it out and place it on a parchment-lined sheet, and when it freezes, wrap it in a large bag and keep it in the freezer until you want a quick pizza.

Tips and Tricks for Topping Grilled Pizza

Whatever toppings you add to your pizza, remember that less is always better than more.

• An abundance of sauces and toppings will not do pizza any favors—especially pizza on the grill.
• Go easy on the sauce so the crust doesn’t end up soggy.
• Have all your toppings ready and set on a baking sheet before you start grilling the pizza.
• Precook sturdy ingredients like potatoes, eggplant, or peppers; the pizza only cooks for a few minutes, which is not enough time for those vegetables to become tender.

Swaps and Substitutions for Greek Pizza

• The Olives: Use any kind you like; just be sure they are pitted! I like small Nicoise olives for this pizza. Kalamata olives are also delicious here.
• The Cheese: I chose feta, but there are many other options such as shards of Parmesan, grated cheddar, slices of Fontina, or fresh mozzarella, just for starters.
• The Herbs: Fresh oregano really stood out for me on this pizza. It’s grassy, earthy, a bit astringent, and pungent. My usual go-to would have been basil or rosemary, and they are both fine, but I loved the chance to use oregano leaves.

How to Grill Pizza

I have a gas grill right now, but I have also used a charcoal grill. Both are good. You will need to go by visual cues because temperatures vary widely depending on your type of grill.

Transferring the Dough

Let’s get real here. The most difficult part of grilling pizza is getting that dough onto the grill. There are at least two options. To start with, divide the dough in half to make two pizzas. Two smaller pizzas are much easier to handle than a single giant one.

The first method is to dust a peel with cornmeal and slide the pizza onto the grill. If you’re using a peel, only oil the top of the dough so the bottom can slide freely off of the cornmeal-dusted peel.

The second method is to oil the grill grates and both sides of the dough. Slip your hands, palm sides down, under the dough to give it some stability. With the dough resting on your knuckles, you should have enough control to place the edge of the dough farthest away from you onto the back of the grill grates. This anchors the dough. Quickly pull your hands out toward you so the whole pizza lands in one piece, nice and flat. This is a great alternative if you don’t have a pizza peel. Be careful not to touch the grill grates!

The Best Temperature for Grilled Pizza

All grills are not created equal! Temperatures can vary. You will need to pay attention to the visual cues of the pizza crust more than the exact timing and be vigilant. But luckily, this is not rocket science; it’s supper.

• Heat the grill to about 550°F.
• Cook the potatoes first over direct heat and set them aside.
• With the grill at 550°F, place the dough directly onto the grates and cook until the air pockets appear, and the bottom has light brown grate marks. Since this is the bottom side of the pizza and will cook again with the toppings, you don’t want to brown it too much.
• Flip the dough over and grill it on the other side for another couple of minutes, until it is lightly cooked. Remove it from the grill.
• Flip the dough over again, add your toppings, place the pizza back on the grill, and cook with the cover on just until the toppings are heated through, about five minutes.

5 More Creative Homemade Pizzas

• Grilled Pizza With Red Peppers, Broccoli, and Onions
• Easy Summer Vegetable Pizzas
• Spinach & Artichoke Sheet Pan Pizza
• Mozzarella and Tomato Skillet Pita Pizzas
• Spicy Sausage Pizza