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Pesto Grilled Pizza ~A full flavored pizza made with fresh Basil Pesto and peppery arugula. Feta cheese adds a nice creamy bite to this simple but tasty pizza.
Third times a charm … right? That was true for me when it came to making grilled pizza. My daughter-in-law Callie should be proud! Twice before I’ve made homemade dough for pizza and tried to grill it. The first one turned out okay but not blog worthy. And that was only after I had forgotten to oil the grill and the first crust stuck and burned. Not pretty. I shared half the dough with my son Patrick and DIL Callie and they grilled their pizzas with much better luck. Instead of boring you with all the things you should not do when making Grilled Pesto Pizza with Arugula and Feta, I’ve included “helpful” tips in the notes section of the recipe, based on experience, and multiple pizza experiments!
I’ve been enjoying more full flavored food lately. The Sriracha Fish Tacos, Sweet Corn Salsa and now this standout pizza. Pesto alone is amazing but spread on a grilled pizza it becomes addictive.
This is a very green post today! If you’re one of those people that can’t imagine pizza without red sauce, trust a recent convert when I tell you, pizza with pesto is nothing short of memorable.
A full flavored pizza made with fresh Basil Pesto and peppery arugula. The dough is best made 1 or 2 days ahead of time. It freezes well and makes a great traditional oven baked crust too.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups tepid water, about 80 degrees
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- The sponge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 scant tablespoon table salt
- 4 balls of pizza dough
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup crumbled Feta
- 1 cup prepared pesto (see link in NOTES)
Add the yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the water stirring to dissolve the yeast. Allow the yeast to rest for 5 minutes or until it becomes creamy. Add the olive oil and then gradually stir in the flour with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover and let the sponge rest and rise in a warm place (about 85 degrees) for 1 1/2 hours. I use my microwave as a proofing oven. It is very warm inside when I keep the task light on underneath. Be sure your dough is free from drafts. The sponge should double in volume and become very bubbly.
- Use a rubber spatula to deflate the sponge and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Add 2 cups of flour and the salt to the sponge and mix on low for 2 or 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and add a spoonful of flour, one at a time, if needed to help bring the dough together. It should be cleaning the sides of your mixer bowl. Continue to knead on medium for another 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled mixing bowl and turn it to make sure all sides are moistened with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest in a warm location for another 1 1/2 hours. The dough should double in volume and hold an impression when you gently poke it with a finger.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into four pieces and cover the pieces set aside to work with later. Shape the dough into a ball and then flatten into a disk. Roll the dough into a 8-9 inch circle using a rolling pin. If the dough snaps back and doesn’t hold it’s shape, let it rest a few minutes then try again. Transfer the dough to the pizza peel or rimless baking sheet.
- Preheat your grill as hot as you can get it. Working quickly, oil the grate of the grill then slide the pizza dough onto the grill. Cook for a minute or two until it is cooked on the bottom and the top starts to bubble up. Quickly turn the pizza dough over and continue grilling until done, 2-4 minutes more.
- Repeat with the remaining dough. Top each with pesto, arugula and feta cheese. Serve immediately.
- If you want to make the dough ahead of time wrap each piece of fully risen dough in plastic wrap, then place it in a Ziplock bag. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- You can also wrap the dough tightly and freeze until needed. To thaw the frozen dough, place it still wrapped in the refrigerator overnight. Both frozen and refrigerated dough should be allowed to come to room temperature before shaping - about 2 hours.
- Generously grease the grate of your grill with vegetable oil. Pour oil into a small cup or bowl. Fold a paper towel to fit into the bowl. Use the oil soaked paper towel and tongs to grease the grate. Grease again in between crusts.
- Use a rimless baking sheet or pizza peel dusted with cornmeal to transfer the pizza dough onto the grill.
- Have an oven mitt and tongs ready when grilling the pizza dough
Click HERE to get the recipe for our easy BASIL PESTO
Adapted from a recipe by: Steve Sullivan, published in Baking with Julia
Thanks so much for PINNING!
Please don’t let the lengthy directions scare you off. The pizza dough is super simple to make – it just takes time for the yeast to do its thing. The pizza crust is wonderful and worked better than the other crust I tried to grill. The basil came from our garden and I hope it will continue to produce. It has been very hot so it may not last much longer. No matter how much we water, the blazing sun takes it’s toll. I would love to freeze pesto sauce to use this winter.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by and happy Monday!
Tricia
Pesto is my favorite alternative pizza sauce. And I am also obsessed with arugula on pizza so this is basically meant to be in my belly.
Haha Erin – I think it is great too. Love Pesto!
This is what I do all summer long. We always grill the pizza and quesadillas. Perfection at its best! Love the pesto, Tricia!
Thanks Abbe – now I won’t be able to rest until I have grilled quesadillas! Thank you so much!
Yum! Two delicious recipes! This looks like a perfect summer meal Tricia. One I could enjoy quite often on these super warm days. Pizza always sounds good to me and I love the idea of not heating up the house.
I’ve not grilled pizza — really need to. We have so much basil on hand, this would be a great way to use it. This looks totally wonderful — thanks so much.
I’ve tried grilled pizza once and it was delicious. Not sure why I haven’t done it since! This looks amazing and I love both arugula and feta and the pesto puts it over the top on the delicious meter.
Wonderful combination of flavors Susan – thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful pizza with all my favourite flavours! A green, grilled pizza is perfect for a summer dinner 🙂
Thanks Jennifer! Hope you are having a great summer 🙂
This is beautiful Tricia. I can imagine the flavors as a perfect celebration of summer. I have yet to grill a pizza but am dying to try it!
Thanks so much Toni! With your crazy wonderful grilling skills this would be a slam dunk for you 🙂
Love how you admit your less than successful ventures. There isn’t much that can beat the taste of grilled pizza crust. Your ‘green’ pizza looks excellent!
Oh Cali I could write books about my failures 🙂 I had two this past weekend! Recipe development can be painful haha. This pizza is excellent with great big amazing flavor!
LOVE basil pesto and arugula and home made dough!!!! Thank you for sharing this one, Tricia!! Glad you persisted! blessings and hugs ~ tanna
Thanks Tanna! I think I was more mad that it failed twice 🙂 I wasn’t going to let it beat me! Haha – It’s just pizza dough for crying out loud!
What a FABULOUS looking pizza with all my favourite ingredients piled on top too! Also wonderful photos, Karen
Thanks Karen – and thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
Absolute heaven on a plate I say! Gorgeous recipe Tricia.
Have a wonderful day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Thanks so much Mandy!
Hi Tricia, this is something I have been wanting to do. For some reason I have not, your pizza looks perfectly cooked, love the toppings.
Hello Cheri – I hope you’ll give this a try – it really is fun once you grease the grate and put the dough on a rimless baking sheet or peel. Without those two things this is a total failure! Haha – hope you’re enjoying your summer 🙂
This looks HEAVENLY, Tricia!!!! 😉 “Grilled Pizza” is something we’ve been talking about….. 😉 THANKS TRICIA!!!! (It is SUPER HOT here too….)
Thanks Becky! Hope you’re having a wonderful summer. Grill some pizza soon! Such fun 🙂
Tricia this looks incredible! I love ‘green’ pizzas, they’re so light, and such a nice change. I have never grilled pizza, but I do make a grilled laffa bread, which is similar, and I love the charred flavor. Pinning and sharing!!
Thank you Sue! It was a nice change and even tasty left over 🙂 I loved your grilled laffa bread – I love all your recipes! Have a wonderful week 🙂
what a lovely, summery idea for a pizza… I love how fresh and green it looks and I adore pesto so this is just gorgeous. Very much into my thin bread with toppings at the moment, it feels like the perfect thing to eat on these long summer evenings x
Love your thin bread sandwiches with fresh vegetables Dom. I bet you would like this pizza too. Have a great week!
That’s a beautiful green pizza and we love using pesto instead of red sauce! We have only tried to heat up pizza on the grill once and that was a charred mess…that said, I’ve always wanted to grill a true pizza one day. Now I am armed with your tips and I just might give it a try! Great way to start the week!
Don’t give up Monica! I am so glad I tried again. The first time was a disaster, second time it was better and the third time we nailed it! This is an easy pizza to start with because the cooking is done once the crust is grilled. Can’t wait to try some grilled veges and gobs of melty cheese 🙂
Can you believe that I have never had a GRILLED pizza? These look so very tempting with arugula and feta!
I hope you’ll give it a try Angie – I bet you would like it! Love that pesto flavor and the peppery rocket/arugula. Have a wonderful week!