Pizza is one of those fail-safe, crowd-pleasing foods: fun, easy to cook, and endlessly versatile. Combine those friendly qualities with the freshest ingredients you can find, toss the whole thing on the grill, and you have a summer winner. These recipes work on either a gas or charcoal grill (see “Five Tips for Great Grilled Pizza,”), so get fired up for new takes on this family favorite.
Foolproof Pizza Dough
Makes three 9- to 10-inch crusts or thirty 2-inch crusts / All-purpose flour gives the dough a light, silky quality; whole-wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients. Prep tip: This is a snap to make in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, but you can certainly do it by hand. View recipe.
Shrimp and Fresh Herb Pizza
Makes 16 / Citrus-flavored, bite-size appetizers. Prep tip: Because it’s a little tricky to transfer loaded crusts to the grill one at a time, assemble these little pizzas on a metal screen or rack that can go directly on the grill. View recipe.
Leek, Goat Cheese, and Olive Pizza
Serves 8 (makes two 10-inch pizzas) / This is a riff on the flavors of Provence, especially if you use niçoise olives. View recipe. View recipe.
Grilled Peach, Sage, and Red Onion Pizza
Serves 4 (makes one 10-inch pizza) / This pie has great flavor hooks: sweet, sour, salty. The recipe may yield more onions than you’ll need; save the rest for another pizza or as a topping on grilled sandwiches. Prep tips: This is a good use for semi-hard peaches, both in terms of texture and acid. It also works with sliced, grilled pineapple. If you’re a carnivore, put thin slices of prosciutto on top of fruit before covering grill (step 3); or garnish with a sharp cheese, such as Asiago. View recipe.
Fresh Ricotta with Arugula and Flaxseed Pizza
Serves 4 (makes one 9-inch pizza) / Prep tips: Making ricotta is dead simple; leftovers are great on crackers. Of course, purchased ricotta would be fine, too. Whole flaxseeds provide a delectable crunch and added fiber; you could also use sunflower seeds. The combination of hot, creamy, cool, and crunchy is heavenly. View recipe.
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Zucchini Pizza
Serves 4 (makes one 9-inch pizza) / I like to call the squash mixture “squasage”—first, because I can’t resist a pun, and second, because using the flavor profile of Italian sausage on grated zucchini serves the desire for meat without the need to actually eat it. View recipe.
