Description

This Grilled Caprese Pizza recipe brings together fresh, vibrant flavors with the smoky aroma of the grill. Featuring store-bought or homemade pizza dough, tangy pizza sauce, creamy mozzarella cheese, ripe heirloom tomato slices, and fragrant basil, this recipe is a quick, delicious option for a summer main course that captures the essence of a classic Caprese salad in pizza form.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pizza:

1 pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
⅓ cup (123 g) pizza sauce, more if needed
1 ½ cups (112 g) shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
½ large heirloom tomato, thinly sliced

For Topping:

Handful of basil, thinly sliced or hand-torn
Flour and cornmeal (for dusting pan)

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Instructions

Preheat the Grill: Preheat your outdoor grill to high heat, ensuring the grates are clean and ready for cooking to achieve that signature char and crispy base.
Prepare the Dough: On a floured and cornmeal-sprinkled 9-inch pizza pan, roll out the pizza dough and gently stretch and pull it to fit the pan, creating a rustic edge.
Grill the Dough: Carefully slide the prepared dough onto the grill, positioning it centrally. Close the lid and grill for 3-5 minutes on each side, checking often to avoid burning and ensuring grill marks develop properly.
Assemble Toppings: Once the crust is grilled on both sides, lower the grill to medium-low, bring the dough inside, spread pizza sauce evenly over the top, sprinkle generously with shredded mozzarella cheese, and arrange thin tomato slices on top.
Finish Grilling: Return the assembled pizza to the grill. Close the lid and cook for another 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts and the toppings warm through. Remove from grill, garnish with fresh basil, slice, and serve.

Notes

Keep an eye on the crust while grilling as grill temperatures can vary greatly and crust can char quickly.
Use fresh mozzarella and seasonal heirloom tomatoes for the best flavor and texture.
The pizza dough can be prepared ahead of time or substituted with store-bought dough for convenience.
For extra flavor, drizzle balsamic glaze on the pizza after grilling.
Ensure grill grates are clean and oiled well to prevent sticking when grilling the dough.
Allow the dough to come to room temperature before rolling for easier handling.
Rest the pizza for a minute before slicing to let toppings settle and prevent cheese slide-off.