How to Make Margherita Pizza: Grilled Recipe

Have you ever wondered How to Make Margherita Pizza on the barbecue? All secrets revealed to make this Napoletana pizza without a wood-burning oven!

You may not live in Naples, but you can still make a great Pizza Margherita in the comfort of your own home.

Today, we will attempt to mimic a wood-burned Neapolitan pizza.

How?

By using a pizza stone and high heat to grill it on the barbecue.

I guarantee you will get all that smokey flavor without having to deal with wood. As a bonus, you will also get a crispy pizza crust.  

Just in case you are wondering, yes, you can still make this amazing pizza in your oven. 

I’m so excited to share this simple pizza recipe with all of you. 

Ingredients

The printable recipe card at the bottom of the page has specific amounts for each ingredient. 

• Pizza dough. Store-bought or homemade. I am partial to my family recipe (link below).
• Pizza sauce. No need for a special Margherita pizza sauce -use your favorite tomato sauce or my mom’s pizza sauce (link below).
• Mozzarella. Use a high-quality cheese like mozzarella di bufala.
• Oregano. An aromatic garnish that is optional.
• Basil. Fresh. Just a few leaves to garnish our pizza. 

How to Make a Margherita Pizza

Ideally, all of the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Let’s make pizza dough

I use my mom’s recipe for active dry yeast pizza dough.  

This is my family recipe; in my humble opinion, it is the best homemade pizza dough. That being said, feel free to use whatever dough is convenient for you.

Since I already have some in my refrigerator, I transfer it to the counter. Always leave the dough covered with the plastic film, as this prevents a crust from forming on the surface of the dough.

The pizza dough must be at room temperature before I can even stretch it. This can take a couple of hours, so it is important to plan ahead.

Let’s prepare the pizza toppings

I love to use my mom’s no-cook pizza sauce. It requires just 5 minutes to make with a few quality ingredients. Once you try it, you will never return to any commercial product.

Next, remove the fresh mozzarella balls from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before topping the pizza. We need about 100 grams per pizza. Bocconcini cheese is also a great cheese to use.

After letting the dough rest at room temperature, divide it into two smaller balls by cutting it in half and gently reshaping them.

Kneading the dough isn’t required; instead, rotate and pull the dough towards the bottom of the ball to distribute the air bubbles evenly throughout the dough.

Now that we are within 30 minutes of making our pizza place the room-temperature pizza stone on the barbecue grill. Then, fire up the BBQ to the highest setting. Never place your pizza stone on a hot grill (or in a hot oven), which can result in a cracked pizza stone. 

Let’s grill our pizza

Place one ball of dough on a piece of parchment paper. This facilitates the transfer of the pizza to the pizza stone. Using parchment paper means no need to use cornmeal or extra flour. 

Smooth out the surface of the dough with lightly oiled fingertips. Allow the dough to rest for 10-15 minutes. This will make stretching it a lot easier.

After this wait time, with lightly oiled fingertips, gently stretch out the pizza ball into a 10-12 inch circle. 

If your pizza dough tears while stretching, pinch it back together and wait a few minutes before stretching it again. 

Once the dough is stretched, use scissors to trim the excess parchment paper. Cut as close as possible to the edge of the pizza, as the parchment paper will char due to the high heat.

Please note: For a thin-crust pizza, spread toppings and bake immediately. Allow the dough to rest for 10-15 minutes for a thicker crust. The longer the waiting period, the thicker the pizza crust. Experiment for yourself to suit your personal preferences.

With a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, spread about ¾-1 cup of pizza sauce over the surface of the stretched-out pizza dough. 

Add about 100 grams of fresh mozzarella cheese. You can drain the excess moisture from the mozzarella by quickly blotting it on a paper towel.  

Drizzle the pizza with olive oil and transfer it to the pizza stone with the help of a pizza paddle.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the pizza’s bottom crust is golden brown and the sauce and cheese are bubbly. My barbecue reaches a temperature of 800 °F. Please adjust the total time for your barbecue. 

Allow the pizza to rest for a few minutes.

The only thing left to do is garnish with basil leaves, dried oregano (optional) and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Tips 

• Please verify the appropriate temperature range for your pizza stone for your barbecue.
• For a great-tasting pizza crust, make and refrigerate the pizza dough at least 3 days before you plan on making your pizza. This is referred to as a cold rise. 
• NEVER use a rolling pin to stretch out the dough, as these will break all of the wonderful air pockets that are responsible for a light, airy pizza crust. 
• Remove the mozzarella cheese from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making your pizza.
• Quantities for the ingredients are for 1 (10- 12 inch) pizza. 

FAQ

Can I use the oven to bake this pizza?

Yes, if using your oven, it’s important always to preheat it. Make sure the oven stays at 500 °F (260 °C) for about one hour before lowering the oven temperature slightly to 425° F (220 ° C) and bake for about 20 minutes. Experiment, and feel free to adjust your oven temperature in order to get the best pizza.

Why did my pizza dough tear while stretching it?

If using a stand mixer, the dough should be kneaded for at least 5 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This is the time when the gluten develops. Also, allow the dough to rest before stretching it after the second rise.

Easy pizza recipes we love

• Pesto Pizza
• Potato Pizza
• Best Homemade Pizza [Mom’s Slab Pizza]
• Pizza Rolls
• Salad Pizza

Visit my Pizza page for more recipes, including this seafood pizza!

Recipe origins

Growing up Italian, having pizza at least once a week was a norm during childhood.

My mother preferred simple recipes; her Italian pizza sauce recipe and mozzarella topping were classic examples. Despite the minimal ingredients, the pizza was packed with incredible flavors.

My mom also used the herbs my dad would grow in the backyard. Some examples include Italian parsley, basil, and oregano.

She would also use her canned tomatoes to make the pizza sauce. If interested, please refer to the step-by-step guide in this tutorial on canning raw-pack whole tomatoes. 

Although you may not have access to a backyard garden, quality ingredients can be found at farmers’ markets and specialty stores.

I am convinced this makes all the difference for the best homemade pizza toppings. 

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to join us on YouTube where we share how to make tasty pizza recipes from start to finish.

While there, subscribe to the YouTube channel and join in on all the fun!

Hope to see you there!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this Neapolitan pizza recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe