Sourdough Pizza on the Grill: Outdoor Cooking Done Right

Short answer: preheat your grill on high (500°F+), grill the dough on one side first, then flip, top quickly, and finish 2–3 minutes with the lid closed. The result is smoky, crispy, and fast.

Why grill pizza

Grilled pizza:

• Smoky flavor (impossible in an oven)
• Crispy bottom (direct heat)
• Fast (3–5 min total)
• Outdoor cooking (no heating up the kitchen)
• Impressive at a party

Once you've had it, grilled pizza is a summer staple.

The recipe

For 4 pizzas:

• 500g bread flour
• 350g water (70%)
• 100g active starter
• 10g salt

Toppings (per pizza):

• 60g sauce (or olive oil + garlic for white)
• 80g cheese
• Whatever else you like

Method

Mix dough

Combine ingredients. Bulk 4–5 hours at 75°F.

Divide into 4 balls. Cold retard 12–48 hours.

Pre-grill setup

Pre-heat grill on high (500°F minimum) for 15 min.

Clean the grates well.

Shape

Take one dough ball out. Stretch by hand into a 10-inch round.

Brush both sides with olive oil.

Grill side 1

Place dough directly on grill grates.

Grill 2 minutes with the lid CLOSED until the bottom is charred and the dough has puffed.

Flip and top

Flip dough with tongs.

Working FAST: brush with sauce or oil, sprinkle cheese, add toppings.

Grill side 2

Close lid. Grill 2–3 minutes until cheese is melted and bottom is charred.

Serve

Slide off the grill onto a board. Cut and eat immediately.

Why grill side 1 first

Grilling one side first:

• Sets the bottom
• Provides a stable base for toppings
• Lets you assemble the pizza on the cooked surface
• Prevents the dough from falling through the grates

This is the only way to grill pizza without a stone.

Why the lid must be closed

Closed lid:

• Traps heat
• Cooks the top of the pizza (cheese melts)
• Creates an oven-like environment

Open lid:

• Bottom burns
• Top stays raw
• Cheese doesn't melt

Always close the lid.

A pizza stone on the grill

Alternative method:

• Place a pizza stone on the grill
• Preheat with grill on high (45 min)
• Bake pizza on the stone (4–5 min)

This produces a more pizza-oven-like result. Less smoky, more even.

Variations

Margherita

Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil.

Bianca

Olive oil, garlic, fresh mozzarella, ricotta dollops.

BBQ chicken

BBQ sauce, cooked chicken, red onion, cilantro, smoked gouda.

Fig and prosciutto

White base, prosciutto, sliced figs, blue cheese, balsamic drizzle.

Pepperoni

Tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni.

Mushroom truffle

Olive oil, sautéed mushrooms, mozzarella, drizzle of truffle oil after.

Vegetarian

Tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives, peppers, onions.

Why thinner dough works better

For grilled pizza:

• Thin dough cooks fast (matches grill time)
• Crispy throughout
• Doesn't get soggy

For thick crust, use a stone or steel instead of direct grill grate.

A timing note

Grilled pizza is FAST:

• 2 min side 1
• 1 min topping assembly
• 2 min side 2
• = 5 min per pizza

Have everything ready before you start. There's no time to chop or measure mid-grill.

A party setup

For pizza party:

• Make 8 dough balls (double recipe)
• Cold retard
• Set up topping station (sauce, cheese, vegetables, meats)
• Grill pizzas one at a time
• Each pizza serves 1–2

Guests can choose their toppings; you assemble fast on the grill.

What to pair with

Grilled pizza is summer food:

• Cold beer
• Iced tea
• Salad
• Outdoor setting

Best enjoyed at a backyard table.

Storage

Grilled pizza is best fresh:

• Reheats poorly (loses smoky char)
• Day 1 is the day

Cook only what you'll eat.

A weeknight option

For a faster grilled pizza:

• Use 3-hour bulk
• Shape and grill same day

Lower flavor complexity but still excellent.

Common failures

Dough sticks to grill — grates not hot enough, or oil not applied.

Dough burns before topping is ready — lid was open too long, or grill is too hot.

Cheese doesn't melt — lid was open during second grill.

Bottom is charred but top is raw — dough was too thick. Stretch thinner.

Why dough quality matters

Grilled pizza highlights dough character:

• Sourdough fermentation flavor
• Slight tang
• Wheaty depth

A good dough makes a great grilled pizza. A mediocre dough makes a mediocre one.

A "naked" pizza option

Grill the dough on both sides without toppings:

• 2 min side 1, flip, 2 min side 2
• Result: grilled flatbread

Top after grilling with:

• Olive oil, salt, herbs
• Or pesto and tomatoes
• Or burrata and prosciutto

This avoids the "fast topping" stress.

Charcoal vs gas

Charcoal grill:

• More smoky flavor
• Harder to control temperature
• More authentic

Gas grill:

• Easier to control
• Less smoky
• Faster setup

Both work. Charcoal produces more "pizzeria" character.

A sourdough advantage

Sourdough grilled pizza:

• More flavor than yeast dough
• Better keeping (cold ferment longer)
• More complex tang

The grill amplifies the fermentation flavors.

A final note

Grilled pizza is one of the most fun cooking experiences:

• Outdoors
• Fast
• Smoky
• Customizable

Once you've grilled a pizza, the oven feels limiting in summer.

Try it on the next warm weekend. Make 4 pizzas. Each one different.

Watch your friends ask, "How did you do that?"