If you’re craving grilled pizza but can’t get outside due to the weather or lack of an outdoor grill, a Grill Pan pizza is the answer. The superior heat distribution and retention of our enameled cast iron Grill Pans creates a chewy, blistered crust with a subtle smoky flavor. In fact, Grill Pan pizza is quickly becoming our favorite way of cooking pizza indoors at home. It’s faster and easier than using a pizza stone, plus you can grill the toppings in the same pan, making cleanup a breeze. Read on for how you can perfect your indoor pizza grilling skills for a perfect pie, each and every time.
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The Technique of Grill Pan Pizza
The key to grilling pizza is to be prepared. Since the process goes quickly once started, you’ll want to have the mise en place completed before you preheat the grill pan. This means the dough is rolled out, any sauces are ready nearby, and toppings are fully prepped. Homemade dough is always an option, but high quality pre-made dough from a local market also delivers delicious results.
All of the toppings that go on a grilled pizza need to be ready-to-eat before cooking the dough because they are only in the oven for a few minutes. But this is where using a grill pan gets even better – instead of having to use a separate pan or baking dish, you can grill most toppings directly in the pan before grilling the dough. Classics like sausage, peppers and onions all make excellent toppings but any grilled meat or veggie can be creatively added to a grill pan pizza. Just remember to practice restraint – no one likes a soggy pizza weighted down with too many toppings.
The same method can also be used for grilling flatbread, naan or pre-made crusts as well. Simply follow the recipe for grilled pizza without adding the toppings. The grilled dough is an excellent accompaniment for soaking up every delicious bite of curries and stews, using as wraps for things like gyros, serving sliced alongside your favorite dip, or to quickly serve pizza anytime.
"How do you get that great pizza crust? The answer is cast iron."
Michael Ruhlman
Tips from our Kitchen
- Prep the dough – If you’re preparing dough from scratch, start making the dough a few hours before grilling. And if you’re using pre-made dough, remove it from the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling so that it can come to room temperature.
- Prep the sauce and toppings – Slice, dice and cook anything you need before you preheat your grill pan.
- Preheat the grill pan – For best results, the pan needs to be evenly heated. Let the grill pan heat for about 5 minutes on medium to medium-high. The heat level depends on your stovetop, so it might take a few tries to figure out your perfect level.
- Oil the pan – Using a silicone basting brush, lightly oil the pan to increase caramelization and prevent sticking.
- Grill one side of the dough – Grill the first side of the dough until bubbles begin to form on the top. Lift the edge of the dough to check for dark, charred grill lines. The dough will release easily from the grates once cooked. Flip and then add toppings.
- Add sauce and cheese with restraint – the pizza isn’t in the oven long enough to evaporate excess moisture so a little goes a long way.
- Finish in the oven – Unlike an outdoor grill, the grill pan doesn’t have circulating heat on all sides. To fully cook the dough as well as warm the toppings and melt the cheese, place the whole grill pan in the oven for a few minutes to finish.
- Garnish before serving - add fresh herbs or greens at the end so that they don’t wilt. And it’s best to add that drizzle of reduced balsamic or hot honey right before serving for maximum flavor.
How to Choose your Grill Pan
Which grill pan you choose depends on which size and shape pizza you want to make. But the one non-negotiable is that it is made of cast iron. Only heavy duty cast iron grill pans have the even heat distribution and high-heat capacity necessary for a crisp, chewy crust. Le Creuset Grill Pans are crafted from cast iron, but then finished with a black satin enamel interior which allows for higher surface temperature cooking ensuring perfectly grilled toppings as well as expertly cooked dough. It also is easier to clean and maintain than raw cast iron.
The exact grill pan you choose will depend on the space available, the amount and size of foods you want to prepare and the type of stovetop in your kitchen. Single-burner grill pans like our Signature Deep Round Grill or Signature Square Skillet Grill work equally well on electric or gas stovetops. They are ideal for grilling flatbreads and small pan pizzas that serve 1-2 people. The Giant Reversible Grill is a great choice when you are grilling pizza for a crowd since you can grill one large pizza or multiple small pies at once. However due to the size, it is most effective for use on gas stovetops.
