• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Recipe Runner

Eat Well - Run Happy

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
      • Disclosure & Privacy Policy
      • Privacy Tools
  • Recipes
  • Running
    • Training Tip Tuesday
  • Travel

Grilled Caprese Pizza

June 24, 2019 by Danae 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe
2522shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Grilled Caprese Pizza is a wonderful summer dinner or appetizer! Topped with pesto, thick slices of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. Drizzle with balsamic glaze for grilled pizza perfection! 

Grilled Caprese Pizza with small bowl of pesto on the sideHappy summer! What better way to kick off my favorite season than with this Grilled Caprese Pizza! Not only is it a great use of the tomatoes and basil you might be growing in your garden, but it’s the best way to get your pizza fix and keep the heat out of the kitchen.

It wasn’t until we moved to Colorado that I really started to love making grilled pizzas. It would have made more sense for me to make them when we lived in Arizona and it was a 110 degrees, but better late than never. 

If you love the way wood fired pizzas taste then you’ll love grilled pizzas. I find that grilling gives you the closest results to that of a wood fired oven. They get that same char, crisp bottom and big air bubbles on the crust. The air bubbles are my favorite part. 

Grilled Caprese Pizza on parchment paper with a slice cutI think a lot of people don’t grill their pizzas because it seem intimidating. Well, I’m here to boost your confidence and show you that it’s actually very easy.

Tips for Making a Grilled Pizza

  1. Make sure your grill grates are clean and that you brush or spray them with oil before placing the dough on the grill.
  2. Roll or shape your pizza dough on oiled parchment paper. This will make it easy to transfer onto the grill. Also, rub a little oil on top of the dough too to ensure it won’t stick to the grill and give you a nice golden, crisp crust.
  3. When you shape the pizza dough don’t make it too big. I usually divide the dough in half and make two smaller pizzas, it’s easier to handle.
  4. Have your toppings prepped, organized and keep them simple. I like to have each ingredient in a separate bowl or divided out on a plate. Don’t use ingredients that need a lot of cooking time.

Following the above tips will guarantee that you have grilled pizza success.

A slice of the Grilled Caprese PizzaThe toppings for this Grilled Caprese Pizza are what you would expect. Pesto for the sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese slices, tomato slices, fresh basil and balsamic glaze. You could of course make your own pesto and balsamic glaze, but if you’re like me and short on time, buy your favorite brand at the store.

My go-to for store bought pesto is made my Blue Moose of Boulder. It’s the closest to homemade tasting that I’ve been able to find and a little lighter on calories than some brands. Instead of a balsamic glaze I just buy aged balsamic vinegar. I love this one by Napa Valley Naturals because it’s thick, sweet and syrupy just like balsamic glaze.

Grilled Caprese Pizza on parchment paperThis Grilled Caprese Pizza is perfect for dinner or you can cut it into smaller wedges and serve it as an appetizer. Either way it’s best enjoyed al fresco with a glass of wine. Enjoy!

Grilled Caprese Pizza Pinterest collage

More Grilled Pizza Recipes

Grilled Zucchini, Ricotta and Pine Nut Pizza on rimmed baking sheetGrilled Zucchini, Ricotta and Pine Nut Pizza

Fig, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Grilled Pizza on a baking sheetFig, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Grilled Pizza

Grilled Cherry, Goat Cheese, and Arugula Pizza on cutting board with balsamic glaze being drizzled on with a spoon.Grilled Cherry, Goat Cheese and Arugula Pizza

Continue to Content
A slice of the Grilled Caprese Pizza

Grilled Caprese Pizza

Yield: 8 slices of pizza
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pizza dough
  • 2 tablespoons pesto
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • 8-12 fresh basil leaves
  • Olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • Balsamic glaze for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Preheat grill to high heat and oil the grill grates well, mine was about 500° F.
  2. Divide the pizza dough in half and place each half onto a piece of oiled parchment paper. Roll or stretch out each half into round or oblong shaped crusts. Place them on a baking sheet and brush the tops of the crust with more oil.
  3. Place the slices of mozzarella and tomato on a plate. Bring the crusts, pesto and mozarella and tomato out to the grill.
  4. flip the rolled out pizza dough onto the grill and peel off the parchment paper. Grill the crust for approximately 1-2 minutes or until it bubbles up and there are grill marks on the bottom.
  5. Flip the crust over and lower the heat to medium. Spread on the pesto and top with the slices of mozzarella and tomato. Cover with the grill lid and cook just until the cheese is melted. This should only take 1-2 minutes.
  6. Remove the pizzas from the grill and top with fresh basil leaves, a sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
© Danae
Category: Pizza
2522shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

You may also like:

  • A slice of Crustless Vegetable Quiche on a white plate with a fork.
    Crustless Vegetable Quiche
  • Sausage, Apple, and Thyme Breakfast Pizza | Pizza for breakfast is always a good idea!
    Sausage, Apple, and Thyme Breakfast Pizza
  • Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese | An easy and elegant dinner that is sure to impress everyone! | @reciperunner
    Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Filed Under: Pizza Tagged With: Basil, caprese, Dinner, grilled, mozzarella cheese, Pizza, Tomatoes, vegetarian

Previous Post: « Grilled Baba Ganoush
Next Post: Chimichurri Potato Salad »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rhonda

    October 26, 2019 at 8:46 am

    This looks fantastic. Where do you get your pizza dough? Do you make it?

    Reply
    • Danae

      October 26, 2019 at 8:50 am

      Hi Rhonda. Occasionally I’ll make my own, but most of the time I buy my dough from Whole Foods. I’ve tried others, but theirs is by far my favorite.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Danae! Welcome to Recipe Runner. This blog is all about my love of food, cooking, baking, and running. I hope that I can tempt you with my recipes and inspire you with my running stories! Enjoy! Read More ↝

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of emails you receive.

Recipe Runner Favorites

Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Pasta topped with ricotta cheese in a metal pan with a wooden spoon holding up some of it.
Creamy Mushroom Chicken in a skillet with a wooden spoon holding one of the chicken breasts.
Blueberry Maple Baked Oatmeal in a white baking dish with a corner piece cut out and a black spatula in it's place.
Turkey Meatballs in Roasted Red Pepper Sauce in a metal skillet with a wooden spoon in it.
Chicken Cheesesteak Skillet with red and green peppers, onions and melted provolone cheese on top. A wooden spoon is in the skillet.
Greek chicken bowl with rice, tzatziki and tomato cucumber salad in a white bowl with a small bowl of feta cheese behind it.
Cheesy Chicken, Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Rice in a metal skillet with a wooden spoon in the skillet.
Baked pizza chicken topped with melted cheese, pepperoni and black olives in a metal skillet.

Footer

Reader Favorites

Mexican Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans topped with melted cheese in a cast iron Skillet with a wooden serving spoon in the skillet.

Mexican Chicken, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Skillet

Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce | Delicious and healthy Greek chicken skewers with a sauce you'll want to slather on everything!

Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce

Metal skillet filled with ground turkey, rice, zucchini, tomatoes and cheese. Wooden spoon scooping some out of the skillet.

Southwest Turkey, Vegetable and Rice Skillet

Cranberry Vanilla Energy Bites | These healthy energy bites are gluten-free, vegan, paleo and bursting with cranberry and vanilla flavors!

Cranberry Vanilla Energy Bites

Copyright © 2021 · Designed by Snixy Kitchen · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework

This site uses cookies to help provide the best user experience. Find out more.