Last week Ben and I were watching Man vs Food Nation in bed (does anyone else find that show less satisfying now that Adam’s doling out all the competitive eating responsibilities? PS – Adam, call me.)
Anyways, we’re watching MVFN in bed when Adam visited Bob & Timmy’s Grilled Pizza shop in Smithfield, RI, and things got a little nuts.
We’re shown one grilled pizza after another. Hot, charred and dripping with cheese. One in particular caught my eye. The Vegetable Medley.
Think fresh pizza dough marinated in seasoned olive oil and thrown on a hot grill before mounds of fresh and roasted vegetables and unethical amounts of cheese are piled on top. Glorious, glorious cheese! Parmesan, goat, feta and God knows what else.
I was inspired.
One problem – the last time I tried to grill pizza circa 2009, my pizza dough – which, admittedly, was Pillsbury brand and from a can – turned into something resembling a charred meteorite. Burnt and misshapen on the outside, raw and doughy on the inside.
Dislike!
I figured it’d been nearly three years since I last gave it a go though, and time had surely made me smarter and more skilled at the grill, right? Fingers crossed?
There was only one way to find out for sure, of course, and that was to make Grilled Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza for dinner tonight!
First I prepped my pizza dough. This time I used Trader Joe’s dough because it is cheap, tasty and as close to homemade as this girl’s gonna get. Those are pretty good reasons, I feel.
I drizzled a little extra virgin olive oil into a small bowl then added the pizza dough and tossed it to coat, then let it sit and and warm up a bit from the coldness of the fridge. Cold pizza dough is super hard to stretch!
While the dough was resting, I got to work on the pesto I used in place of traditional pizza sauce. Garlicky and summery – this pesto added a great big burst of flavor to the pizza.
I used my standard pesto recipe, subbing in almonds in place of walnuts,
and presto…
pesto! (sorry, I had to 
)
With the dough prepped, and the sauce made, I gathered my pizza toppings and headed out to the grill.
Let’s see, what do we have here…sautéed mushrooms (for Ben!)
sautéed Trader Joe’s Spicy Italian Wine & Cheese Chicken Sausages (BOMB!)
garden-fresh cherry tomatoes from my friend Connie’s garden (THANK YOU Connie!)
fresh sweet corn,
green onions and artichoke hearts.
Oh and goat cheese! I almost forget about the goat cheese. 
While I let the grill heat on medium-low, I stretched the dough out into a large rectangle, then popped it on the grates and let it cook until the bottom turned brown, and the top, bubbly.
Then I placed it grilled-side-up on a plate and added my sauce and toppings. Pesto and sausage,
artichokes and sweet corn,
cherry tomatoes and goat cheese,
followed by a sprinkling of green onion.
I slid the pizza back on the grill with a large spatula and let it cook for another couple of minutes with the lid down.
Just enough time to get the bottom side browned, and the toppings nice and warm.
A few minutes later – presto…pizza! 
SO much better than last time!
I think the key to success is decent dough and low heat.
And of course, super-fresh and in-season ingredients.
The pizza crust was charred and smoky on the outside, but chewy and creamy on the inside.
Can you imagine how yum this would be with grilled avocado on top? My mind is spinning with the endless flavor combo possibilities.
Have you ever tried to grill pizza?
Well my dear in-laws are in town for a visit, so I’m off to spend some quality time with them. Have a good evening!
I love grilled pizza! I’ve made it a few times and the flavor that the grill gives it is so great!!!!!
Drool!!! I love love love grilling pizza. Its the next best thing to a brick oven.
We LOVE grilled pizza! We’ve been making it at least once a week this summer. I follow the same basic method you outlined but I like to use medium-high heat on my grill. I just keep a really close eye on my dough so it doesn’t burn. Not only do I not have to heat my house with the oven on 500 F, but the pizza tastes so much better with the char from the grill
Wow, that just made my dinner plans look completely sad. I’m going to stare at these pictures for a little while and pretend this pizza will appear in my kitchen.
I’ve only ever had wood-fired, not grilled pizza… but I will have to change that ASAP.
I make grilled (pita) pizzas when I go camping! So good and super easy!
We can’t have a grill at our apartment, but when we do move and get a grill, I definitely want to try this!
Yes yes yes! We love grilled pizza. There is a cook book by Craig Priebe (sp?) called Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas. OMG! Delicious….a bit labor intensive but worth every bite!
I am obsessed with grilled pizza…my last one was a BLT & Sweet corn pizza that gave me a true food buzz!
I like to use Pioneer Woman’s pizza crust…making it at minimum the day before. So easy to work with and so good.
Definitely trying goat cheese in my future.
Um I am actually drooling. Can I come over for dinner??
I really wish I had a BBQ.
Of course!
We have never tried to grill pizza at home. We do homemade pizza a lot but always in the oven. Geez apparently I am missing out, big time. Your pizza looks awesome! We have a huge grill so no excuses as to why we can’t try this at home! yum..
I live in Providence. The main Bob and Timmy’s is actually in Providence, RI – I believe that’s the one they visited. My upstairs neighbor plays on that crazy rugby team featured. In fact, I just went to Bob and Timmy’s on Monday night and while the pizza was ok (crust was really only good part – veggies were ok, sausage ok, no cheese almost at all) – the service at that place is HORRIBLE. I wouldn’t recommend it (and frankly don’t know why they get so much national attention), so I’m glad I have a new option to try here at home.
OMG! That pizza looks delicious! I’ve always wanted to make my own pesto, but I’m not brave (patient) enough.., Have a good evening with your in-laws!
Making your own pizza dough is super easy, and so much better! I use this recipe –> http://www.fornobravo.com/pizza/pizza_dough.html The flour is secret weapon.
I also use a thick baking stone on the grill, boatload of charcoal to get it super duper hot, 700+ degrees. and toss in a handful of woodchips when I put the pizza on to get the wood fired smell / taste.
Seems almost like a waste to heat the grill up that much just to cook the pizza for 5 minutes but then I do double grill duty, and cook something else for dinner tomorrow b/cwe’re most certainly eating the entire pizza.
i’ve never had grilled pizza and unfortunately will have to wait awhile to try it, as we aren’t allowed to grill out at our apartment anymore.
looks yummy though!
I was at Great Harvest Bread Co. today and heard you were in there yesterday! I picked up some orange cranberry bread and it is so freakin delish!!
did you and Ben share this or is it personal size? It looks DELISH but I know my parents will not be fond of the pesto and goat cheese (yea, they’re crazy)
It’s personal size (for the same reason!)
Was your “personal size” half of the dough? A quarter?
Quarter!
We tried grilled pizza for the first time this summer – didn’t turn out very well. I don’t know why I didn’t think to pull the dough off the grill to add the toppings. So I’m standing over a 400+ degree grill in 108 degree heat trying to make grilled pizza – decided next time to turn on the oven in the air conditioned house!
I love grilled pizza. I think people tend to be scared of making grilled pizza at home but it really is easy!! Isn’t that chicken sausage amazing, I love it!
I absolutely LOVE grilled pizza! It’s my favorite easy dinner during the summer, and I always use store bought dough too
I feel pretty dumb after seeing the picture of you drizzling the oil into your food processor. I have to same one and never realized I could do that! Yup, pretty stupid of me! lol
Ah, no worries – it’s not super intuitive!
Great minds, girl! We totes grilled pizza tonight, too! I burned the heck out of my first dough but the dough recipe I used makes enough for two crusts luckily, so I tried again and paid attention the second time
Ours was decorated with pizza sauce, tomatoes, asparagas, mozzarella and goat cheese. It was dee-vine! I’ve got a post coming up on it!
Sounds delish! I’ll have to check it out!
BTW, Great Harvest here has fresh pizza dough you can pick up to use for your base another time.
For the sake of Adam’s cholesterol/heart health/general well-being, I am glad MVF turned into MVFN. He’s too adorable to have metabolic syndrome already.
OMG I know – poor guy gained like 50lbs in one season. It’s just not as entertaining watching randoms try and eat a 15lb burrito though!
Yum!! I’ve made grilled pizza but only with tortillas and flatbreads, not actual pizza dough. I guess it’s time to get tough…
Oh my goodness that pizza looks so incredibly delicious! I’ve never tried grilling pizza but I will have to do it sometime soon!
I’m so going to try this. We keep saying “we should try to grill pizza” and then neither of us are brave enough to just wing it! Totally agree about MVF now that it’s MVF Nation…C and I were talking about how it doesn’t feel quite as “serious” as it used to when it was just Adam doing the challenges. I can’t believe I just typed that MVF was serious! Lol!
Looks so delicious! There are so many great uses for pesto!!!!
Haha, too funny! I just returned from Trader Joe’s with garlic & herb and whole wheat pizza dough and was planning on making grilled pizza tomorrow! Thanks for the topping inspiration!
Strongly suggest using frozen Naan from Trader Joe’s. It makes perfect pizza on the grill. I like the frozen over the fresh because it grills perfectly since it calls for cooking it at a high temp like a grill would be at.
I haven’t but pizza is my hubby’s favorite so we should try it! Thanks for the tips
when you want grilled pizza even faster, try the ready-made ones at Trader Joes in the cooler….sooooo YUMMY & ZERO work….this equals a happy working mom at the end of a long day!
Now if only we would get a TJ’s here in CF….that would be a dream come true….just don’t get to DM every week for my groceries!
YUMMMMM! I want to make this asap. And yes avocado makes everything better
[...] Follow this link: How to Grill Pizza + Grilled Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza Recipe | Iowa … [...]
I love grilling pizza! It gives the pizza just so much flavor. I’ve only grilled pizza once and I’ve been dying to do it again. I think this weekend calls for a Trader Joe’s trip! I need their whole wheat pizza dough. So good
I’m TOTALLY with you on the Man vs Food Nation thing. It was way more fun to watch when Adam was the one doing the actual challenges. Some of the people they’ve found have been…not so exciting. But we still watch – I enjoy Adam too much not to.
I’ve been grilling tons of pizza this summer. And, agreed, TJ’s dough works great. I roll it pretty thin and flat, spray the grill grates and let it go for a few, flip and cook with toppings. It has never charred once!
[...] Pizza rules. I wasn’t the only person who made pesto pizza recently. Check this delicious Grilled Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza recipe. [...]
YES! Hubby and I have a double griddle pan (we’re apartment dwellers) that we use. Not quite as exciting, but it works! We used TJ’s WW crust, pesto, goat cheese, parm, mozzarella, sliced potatoes, leeks, mushrooms, jalapeno’s … etc. I like my toppings
it was WONDERFUL. Need to get it back on our menu!
I don’t think I am a big fan of grilled pizza, it just don’t look that good to me. I would be wishing for a nice slice of pan or regular!
You have a wonderful time with your in-laws
i love making grilled pizza! in my house, we call it pizzaonthegrill…one word and said very quickly – it’s a favorite! however, i always get the grill going at at least 600 degrees…i like it super hot to attempt to recreate those professional pizza ovens which are crazy hot!
This beer pizza dough is perfect for grilling and very easy! It’s our favorite. But you are right – low heat is the key!
http://tellystastytidbits.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/beer-pizza-dough/
I think Adam’s mannerisms are soooo adorable but, yes, I miss the old Man vs. Food. I’d like to try and get to Black Market Pizza sometime in Ames. Every time I go there, though, Great Plains calls my name.
You must get this question asked often,but what kind of camera do you use?
I use a Nikon D3000 at home, and a Canon Digital Elph when I’m out and about.
Goat cheese and pesto are two of my favorite flavors! Why did I not think of combining them sooner!?! Thanks for the kitchen inspiration
Keep the recipes coming! Yum!
that pizza looked soooooo goooood, now instead of talking about how good it looks, I need to go try it!!!!
OK so your recipes and posts have been great lately, but I do miss your workouts!! It’s been a while!
Mmm, mmm! Grilled pizza sounds so good! I wonder if it would work well on a grill pan [we can't have a grill on our porch]? Did you have to spray your grill with nonstick spray before laying down the dough?
I haven’t tried grilled pizza, but it looks outstanding!! I love the colors…so fresh!!
[...] Pesto and goat cheese on pizza? Yes please! Via Iowa Girl [...]
[...] try this pizza soon because I got some rave reviews from the roomie and Val after this one! (I made it in the oven [...]
Pizza on the grill is really good. But, pizza baked in a wood fired oven is simply amazing.