Every good meal has a story that goes with it. Don’t you think? I happen to believe that to be true at least! For me, it doesn’t have to be an epic story with a funny twist ending. There doesn’t have to be a lot of flash and pizzazz involved. The story behind my grilled pizza isn’t so much about this particular recipe, but about pizza itself.
If you asked us right now what our favorite “go-to” weekend meal to make together happens to be, Justin and I would probably both tell you it’s pizza. But not just any old carry out pizza…homemade pizza. And this wasn’t always the case. I’ve always loved pizza, but it became our “thing” once Justin and I got together. I liked that we could customize it, it wasn’t too difficult to throw together, and it tasted so much better when it was fresh. We began having pizza probably about once a week it seemed. It just so happens that Justin admitted he barely ever ate pizza before I came around. Talk about a big switch: from little to no pizza in his life to it being pretty much a staple in our weekly menu! It’s a good thing he likes it, because I don’t plan on stopping my pizza creations any time soon. So many options…
When we moved into our house and acquired a grill, the grilled pizza stage of our life began and we have never looked back. The very first thing we cooked on our grill was not a steak, chicken, ribs, or any of the other items you’d think would be the perfect way to christen a grill. Our first meal on the grill was a pizza, of course! We might be the only people in history who bought a grill with the intention of cooking pizza on it regularly. Oh, how we love the slightly charred flavor of a grilled pizza crust. It is especially fantastic on the pizza I have to share today. It may be simple in nature, but it is explosive in flavor. You’ve got your smooth mozzarella, your spicy kick from the pepperoni, sweetness from tomatoes/sauce, and a fresh zing of herbs from basil.
And we have to talk about wine pairing when it comes to pizza. The grilled pepperoni pizza is so delightful with a glass of Gallo Family Vineyards’ Merlot. The flavors are smooth and approachable, with plum and cherry notes. The wine is dry and medium bodied, and it pairs well with a wide range of dishes, especially with grilled items and Italian food…a perfect match for this dish! For me, this meal cannot be beat.
If you’d like to see where you can pick up a bottle of Gallo Family Vineyards’ wine, check out their and their website for more information. Make sure you find them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram as well!
What is your favorite pizza topping combination?
Grilled Pepperoni Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza dough (I cheat and buy pre-made dough from Publix)
5-6 tbsp marinara or pizza sauce
4-6 oz fresh sliced mozzarella
10-12 large deli pepperoni slices
Fresh basil leaves
Grated parmesan cheese, if desired
Instructions
1. Preheat your grill to around 500° F. As it is heating up, stretch/roll the pizza dough to about 1/4 inch thick. I like to roll my dough with a sprinkle of cornmeal on the working surface! Place on a baking sheet or other surface to transfer to the grill.
2. When the pizza dough is rolled out, carefully slide it directly on to the grill grates (you can spray the grates with a bit of nonstick cooking spray if desired). Close the grill lid and let the dough cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is golden and some char lines can be seen. Transfer the dough back to your baking sheet, but flip the pizza crust so the bottom that was touching the grates is now facing up.
3. On the turned over pizza dough, lightly spread the marinara sauce, then top with the sliced mozzarella and pepperoni. When this is complete, transfer the pizza back on to the grill for an additional 3-4 minutes, until it is cooked through to desired levels and cheese is bubbly.
4. Remove cooked pizza from the grill and on to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves. Slice into pieces, top with parmesan cheese, and enjoy!
***Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.***
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Make sure you check out the other amazing recipe stories (and wine pairings) from the Sunday Supper crew!
Brunch:
- Crepes with Sweet Wine Poached Berries by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Overnight Blueberry Baked French Toast by Alida’s Kitchen
- Sangria Stuffed French Toast by Melanie Makes
Mains and Sides:
- Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken Spinach and White Wine Sauce by Family Foodie
- Baby, That’s a Good Merlot Onion Burger by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
- Beef Braciole with Parmesan and Prosciutto by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
- Beef Daube by The Foodie Army Wife
- Chicken and Couscous Stuffed Peppers by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Chicken Sausage and Mushroom Skillet over Goat Cheese Grits by Neighborfood
- Giambotta an Italian Veggie Stew by Country Girl In The Village
- Grilled Pepperoni Pizza by Ruffles & Truffles
- Rosemary Garlic Chicken Thighs by Hip Foodie Mom
- Short Rib Ragu with Rigatoni by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff by Foxes Love Lemons
- Spaghetti All’Ubriaco by kimchi MOM
- Tarragon Chicken by girlichef
- World’s Best Turkey Meatballs by Shockingly Delicious
Beverages and Desserts:
- Tropical Breezes Sangria by The Weekend Gourmet
- Lemon on a Cloud by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Merlot Cherry Cupcakes with Sweet White Frosting by Magnolia Days
This is going to be the year that I finally grill pizza instead of making it in the oven. I love grilled foods and the special grilled flavor so I can only imagine how great it is with pizza too.
Yesss! Pizza on the grill is seriously awesome…and easy too. And it takes less time than baking, which is a plus for this impatient eater…haha
We love homemade pizza, too, and your gorgeous pepperoni version wouldn’t last but mere seconds at our house!!!
I am slightly ashamed to say that Justin and I chowed down the entire pizza. We usually have leftovers, but apparently we couldn’t help ourselves with this one…
You have totally inspired me to try grilling pizza! Gorgeous photography!
Thanks so much! You definitely have to give this a try; it’s worth it for that nice bit of char/crispy crust!
love love love homemade pizza!!! it’s the best! your grilled pepperoni pizza looks fabulous!
Thanks! I don’t think I’ve ordered out for pizza in…years now. Not when you can make it better at home! 😉
Grilled pizza…Yumm-o! I love simple ingredients with big flavor.
Indeed. Some of my favorite things don’t require a long list of ingredients. Simplicity can be so nice…
Grilled pizza = “simple in nature, explosive in flavor.” That says it all!
Haha! When I wrote that sentence I had to giggle a bit…but it totally explained what I wanted to say!
Texans grill everything, so need to add pizza to this summer’s list!!!
Oh indeed! Summer grilling season is pretty much already here in our climates 😉
I have never tried grilling pizza, but it’s on my list. Thanks for the inspiration!
I hope you try it out; definitely easy and yummy!
Yess!! Grilled pizza is where its at!! We always do this in the summer! Gosh I want pizza now SOOOO bad and its 930am lol Happy #SundaySupper!
I could probably eat pizza at any time of the day…truth!
Jeff and I love grilled pizzas, too! We make them at least once a week for dinner in the summer, and he makes them for parties, too! So easy and SO good!
Definitely one of my favorites…and so great for parties too. I mean, who doesn’t like pizza? Everyone is happy!
You can’t go wrong with pizza! Never tried grilling one before!
I’m obviously biased, but I definitely recommend it!
I’ve never grilled pizza — this looks yummy, yummy!
Thanks! Try it out sometime; it’s fab!
Oh I completely agree. Grilled pizza is the best. We need to get a new grill and when we do I will be grilling away with you!!
Oooh, perhaps you can christen your new grill with a pizza like we did (haha)! I still think we might be the only people ever to buy a grill and the very first thing we cook on it is a pizza, instead of steak, burgers, etc!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE grilled pizza, and your look amazing! The Hubby and I have been a fan of grilling flank steaks since our dating days, even in the winter, and I didn’t often grill steaks before we met.
Thanks Brianne! I love meals that hold strong throughout the years like that!
I *love* grilled pizza!
Grilling pizza is on my bucket list! I’m sure it takes it to the next level. Pinning this to my Cookout Board!
Definitely give it a whirl!
Oooo…now pizza is a great way to break in a grill!!!
I’m biased, but I totally agree 😉
You can never go wrong with pizza and this one looks awesome! I want it to warm up so that I can throw it on the grill too!
Come on down to Florida – it’s always grilling weather here! 😉
Pizza and wine, perfect combination 🙂
I have to agree. It’s definitely one of my all time favorite things to have together!
We’re crazy about our homemade pizza too! I can’t wait until we can break out the grill and make some grilled pizzas this year!
Hopefully the cold weather for most of the country decides to go away soon!
I have never grilled pizza before, but you have definitely inspired me with this delicious dish. And I am so impressed…you made pizza look beautiful with your amazing photos!!
It’s funny – red and white are two of my least favorite colors to photograph…I was pretty happy to see how the pictures turned out despite my challenge!
I really want to try this! We grill out probably 6 nights a week in the summer and I’m always looking for something different to try. We are big time carnivores in this house so we always end up with some kind of grilled meat. This will be on the menu next grill day!