The Best Grilled Pizza Relies On This Expert Toppings Tip

About 30 years ago, George Germon and his wife, Johanne Killeen, opened Al Forno, an upscale Italian restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island, that's still in operation today. One day, in an attempt to make efficient use of every single piece of expensive restaurant equipment, Germon tossed some pizza dough on their wood-fired grill, and just like that, grilled pizza was born. Grilling pizza is a great way to get the dough hot and crispy on the outside, with that steamy, chewy middle. Plus, there's an added flavor bonus when the smoke from your wood develops a nice, Neapolitan-like char on the dough. However, the best grilled pizza lies in its toppings.

We spoke to Tony Gemignani, a 13-time World Pizza Champion master pizzaiolo, to get his expert opinion on how to nail the toppings part of your grilled pizza. "Try cooking your vegetables prior to adding them onto your grilled pizza, such as bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, link sausage, [and] even pineapple," the pizza master instructs. "You can easily grill these prior with some salt, pepper, and olive oil and then add them on top for the final bake of your grilled pizza." By cooking the toppings first, you will get rid of any excess moisture, which could negatively impact your dough.

Pizzas cooked on a grill rely on a lot of the same cooking principles as wood-fired oven pizzas, but in a much more accessible manner. However, as we mentioned above, there is a meticulous order of operations that greatly differs from the oven pizza-making process. Unlike with wood firing, where you place the whole pizza (sauce, cheese, toppings, and all) in the oven, grilled pizza must be constructed in stages. Similar to par-baking pizza (you should always par-bake breakfast pizza, by the way), grilling provides a solid crust on the dough first. Once you have an even brown grill on one side of the dough — which should take only a few minutes in a hot, closed grill — pull out your dough and layer the grilled side with sauce, cheese, and additional toppings.

When it comes to toppings for grilled pizza, as with any pizza, it's a matter of preference — though loading up your grilled pizza with veggies (as in this grilled veggie grilled pizza recipe) never disappoints. This is especially true if you follow Gemignani's advice and cook up the veggies first for an even seasoning and sear. If you're looking to use less cookware or to cut down your prep time, then we recommend going the Margherita route, that is, using toppings that won't add too much liquid to your dough, such as low-moisture mozzarella, basil, or drained and dried tomatoes.