There is nothing quite like homemade pizza. The smell of fresh dough cooking, the gooey cheese, and the delicious toppings…yum! But sometimes, you just don’t have time to make homemade pizza dough from scratch. And that is where Ready-Dough comes in. This frozen, ready-made dough makes a fire-grilled pizza crust right on the grill!
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Why We Love This Recipe
As the temperatures start to heat up, the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven and heat up your kitchen. But that doesn’t mean you must give up your pizza night tradition.
This recipe for homemade fire-grilled pizza using store-bought frozen Ready-Dough is the perfect solution.
And grilling frozen pizza dough gives it a delicious smoky flavor that you’ll love. So, set up your grill and get ready to enjoy the best pizza of summer!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Frozen bread dough (each package has three frozen dough loaves)
- Pizza sauce – store-bought or homemade tomato sauce.
- Cheese – We used low-moisture mozzarella cheese for this recipe. I recommend using freshly shredded as this make it cheesy. We also used fresh mozzarella cheese balls that were cut into slices.
- Topping – We used pepperoni and salami as they’re popular toppings. You can substitute it with any other type of toppings you’d like.
- Olive oil – used to brush the pan before cooking.
Find frozen bread dough like Ready-Dough in the freezer section of your local grocery store.
Recipe variations
- Summer BBQ Chicken: top with our homemade easy bbq sauce, chopped chicken tenders no breading, pineapple, onion, and cilantro.
- Custom Classic: use your favorite tomato pizza sauce and toppings.
- Hawaiian: top with pizza sauce, ham, pineapple, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Margherita: top with pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.
- Vegetarian: top with pizza sauce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and olives.
You can put many different toppings on your homemade pizza from store-bought frozen dough. Be creative and use any combination of restaurant-style toppings that you like.
Equipment Used For This Recipe
- Grill
- Cast-iron skillet, pizza stone, or heavy pizza pan (rated for 500ºF)
- Heavy pot holder (rated for 500ºF)
- Plastic wrap (to cover the pizza)
Optional:
- Star-shaped cookie cutters for pizza topping to make a patriotic pizza for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or Labor Day
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
How to Make Pizza At Home With Frozen Dough
Thaw the Dough
This recipe uses thawed dough. I feel the best way to thaw the frozen bread dough is overnight in the refrigerator.
Or let it sit out on the counter for an hour.
Regardless of the method above, keep the homemade pizza store-bought dough covered so it doesn’t dry out. Spray the underside of plastic wrap with spray cooking oil so it won’t stick and cover the dough.
Once the dough is thawed, it’s time to start shaping it.
Shape the Dough
This recipe makes two crusts. Divide the thawed pre-made dough into two. Then, shape each half into a ball.
Lightly dust your countertop with flour. Then, gently stretch the pizza by pulling the dough from underneath it in an outward motion. Or, use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough into a round crust.
How thick do you want your pizza? A 9-10″ pizza will have a thick crust. For thin crust, roll it to 11″- 12″.
Then, cover and let the crust rest on your flour-covered surface for 20-30 minutes. See below to preheat your grill while the dough is resting.
How To Grill A Pizza
Grilling pizza over a grill is a great way to get that authentic fire-grilled flavor without having to invest in a brick oven. In this recipe, we use a gas grill to make this homemade pizza with frozen dough.
Preheat the grill to 500º F while the dough is resting.
I prefer preparing my pizza on parchment paper. Then place it directly in the iron skillet. If you do this, then you can skip over the next step.
Next, brush on 1-2 tablespoons of oil on your cast iron skillet, flat griddle, or heavy pizza pan. Oil is not needed on a stone.
Spread the sauce over the top of the dough. Leave a 1-inch edge around the crust. Then, add a layer of shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, and salami to the pizza.
Squeeze excess moisture from the fresh mozzarella cheese. I usually blot it between layers of paper towels before adding it to the pizza. Set aside the fresh mozzarella.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
For a patriotic pizza, use a star-shaped cookie cutter on the fresh mozzarella cheese. You can use different cookie cutters to make fun pizzas- spooky shapes, Christmas, hearts–kids and grown ups alike will appreciate the little touch of holiday joy.
Grill the store-bought ready-dough pizza at 500º F for 10-12 minutes. It’s done when the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the crust are golden.
Use a pizza peel or heavy pot holders to remove the pizza and skillet, griddle, or wood-fired pizza stone from the grill. Then place pizza directly on a baking or cooling rack for a few minutes for a crispy bottom crust. Add the fresh mozzarella cheese slices to the top.
Grate some parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top with fresh basil before serving, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Fire-grilled pizza is a showstopper that pairs wonderfully with a variety of dishes, making it perfect for a casual dinner or an outdoor gathering. Serve your pizza alongside a crisp Caesar salad or a refreshing burrata caprese salad to add a fresh, tangy contrast to the smoky flavors of the pizza.
For a heartier meal, pair it with chicken cheese spaghetti—the creamy, savory pasta complements the crispy pizza crust beautifully. Add some garlic bread or cheesy breadsticks on the side for a comforting touch, and don’t forget a light beverage like sparkling water, iced tea, or a chilled glass of rosé.
To finish, indulge in a sweet treat like tiramisu or a scoop of gelato for a perfect end to your pizza night. It’s a meal that will leave everyone smiling!
Recipe FAQs
If you’re concerned about the bottom of your pizza burning, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure your grill is preheated to 500º F. Second, use a cast iron skillet, pizza stone, or heavy pizza pan to help distribute heat evenly and prevent burning.
We don’t recommend using aluminum foil, because it can stick to the pizza and cause it to char. Plus, foil is not necessary if you’re using a cast-iron skillet, pizza stone, or heavy pizza pan. However, you can use parchment paper to roll it and place that into a cast iron skillet to grill.
More Pizza Tips And Recipes To Love…
If you tried this fire grilled pizza recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Fire Grilled Pizza – from frozen dough
Equipment
- grill
- Plastic wrap - (to cover the dough)
- rolling pin - (optional)
- parchment paper - (optional)
- skillet
- heavy pot holders
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (1 pound) Bridgford Ready Dough (there are 3 loaves in a bag)
- ¾ cup pizza sauce (fresh or jarred)
- 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 5 ounces Bridgford pepperoni
- 5 ounces Bridgford salami
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella ball or pre-sliced log (about 4 slices)
optional- toppings (olives, bell pepper, basil, and anything else your family loves on a pizza)
Instructions
- This recipe makes 2 pizzas
Thaw frozen dough
- Let dough thaw overnight in the refrigerator overnight or on the countertop for 1 hour. Bring dough to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before making pizza. The dough should be room temperature and pliable.
Shape and stretch the dough
- Divide the pre-made pizza dough into two. Shape each half into a ball. Use a floured rolling pin to shape the dough into a round crust. Or, shape it by hand by gently stretching it with your upturned hands to pull the dough from underneath in an outward motion.
- When the crust is the desired size (see notes), let the pizza crust rest on a flour-covered countertop or cutting board for 20-30 minutes while you preheat the grill to 500ºF. Depending on the size of your grill, you may need to grill your pizzas one at a time.
Fire roast the crust on the grill
- I prefer making my pizza on parchment paper, then using the parchment paper to lower the pizza onto the iron skillet. Once you do this, you can skip to step 3.
- Brush a cast-iron skillet, flat griddle, or heavy pizza pan (rated for 500ºF) with 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Place the pizza crust over the oil. If using a pizza stone, you can skip the oil.
- Spread the pizza sauce leaving a 1" edge around the pizza crust. Layer with shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and salami.
- Then, squeeze the excess fluid from the fresh mozzarella cheese. I use a layer of paper towels to blot the cheese by pressing firmly on it. Set the cheese slices aside.
- Once the grill is ready, grill the pizza at 500º F for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the crust are golden. Use tongs or a metal spatula to check to see that the underside of the pizza is golden.
- Use a pizza peel or heavy pot holders to remove the pizza and skillet, griddle, or pizza stone. Place the pizza on a cooling rack to prevent moisture from building under the pizza crust. Add the fresh mozzarella slices.
- Top the pizza with fresh basil leaves and freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired, before serving.
Video
Notes
- For a thicker crust pizza, make the pizza crust 9-10″ in size. For a thinner crust pizza, roll or stretch the pizza to 12″ in size.
- Get tips on how to thaw pizza dough.
- For a patriotic pizza, use a star-shaped cookie cutter on the fresh mozzarella cheese.
- For a patriotic pizza, use a star-shaped cookie cutter on the fresh mozzarella cheese. You can use different cookie cutters to make fun pizzas- spooky shapes, Christmas, hearts–kids and grown ups alike will appreciate the little touch of holiday joy.
- Summer BBQ Chicken: top with our homemade easy bbq sauce, chopped chicken tenders no breading, pineapple, onion, and cilantro.
- Custom Classic: use your favorite tomato pizza sauce and toppings.
- Hawaiian: top with pizza sauce, ham, pineapple, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Margherita: top with pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.
- Vegetarian: top with pizza sauce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and olives.
Nutrition
This post was sponsored by Bridgford Foods. All views are my own and based on my own personal experience using Bridgford’s products.
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Lima Ekram says
This looks absolutely delicious! I cant wait to try it this summer.