Have I mentioned that I’m just learning the ropes of grilling? Confession time: my dad, the grill master, helped me grill the Southwest chicken for this butternut squash noodle bowl and the veggies for this Caribbean-inspired veggie rice bowl. But grilling pizza? After this weekend, I’m an expert! Let’s back up a bit.
Last week, I was in the midst of planning my son’s pizza-themed birthday party, and I was all worried about how the actual cooking (or grilling) of the pizza would go down. See, I’ve got some gene in me that prevents me from hosting a normal, minimally stressful birthday party. I couldn’t just go to Papa Murphy’s and grab a bunch of take and bakes. No, I had to dream up all these crazy toppings and flavors for five different pizzas that I would, not bake, but grill. And having never grilled a pizza, much less used a grill in my life, this was going to be quite an interesting feat.
BUT, then I remembered this Grilled Cheesesteak Pizza recipe from Red Gold, which was included in a wonderful pack of goodies they sent me for their Summer Grillin’ Party promotion with Laura’s Lean Beef. And boom, problem solved. This would be my practice for the big show!
In retrospect, I don’t think it was the grilling part that I was worried about. It was the pizza dough that had me in a tizzy. How does one find the best dough for grilled pizza? Apparently, the answer to that is “search your own darn blog.” I decided to gamble and try the flatbread that I used in these Asparagus, Mushroom, and Swiss Flatbread Melts and these Zucchini Spaghetti Pie Paninos. If it works in a grill pan on the stove, it has to work on an outdoor grill, right? Right! The results were PHENOMENAL! The crust was crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside! Doesn’t get much better than that! And did I mention there’s no yeast or rising involved? The dough takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.
But really, the best part of this recipe is the cheesesteak part! I mean, a Philly cheesesteak made into a grilled pizza? What a genius move! The classic ingredients of peppers, onions, and steak are combined with canned tomatoes and tomato paste, creating a zesty topping base for the pizza. To finish it off, I topped the pizza with mounds of shredded sharp cheddar (Oh how I love it) and Swiss cheeses that, when grilled, melt into a blanket of gooey perfection.
Now, I don’t automatically think of canned tomatoes when I’m planning to grill. But, after trying this recipe, I’m hooked! My pantry is always stocked with canned tomatoes, so this really opens up the door to more summer grilling ideas! Check out the Red Gold Tomatoes website for plenty of recipes to spice up your summer grilling get-togethers. And, don’t forget to visit the Red Gold Tomatoes Facebook page to enter the Summer Grilling Giveaway to win a Big Green Egg® from Red Gold and Laura’s Lean Beef.
Bonus: If you love grilled pizza, you must stay tuned for a recap of my son’s pizza-themed birthday party. I promise to share all the food and fun in the next post!
Disclosure: Red Gold sent me a summer grilling gift pack in honor of their Summer Grillin’ Party. The pack included the Red Gold products used in this recipe and a coupon for Laura’s Lean Beef, which I used to purchase the steak for this recipe. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.
- 10 ounces Laura's Lean Beef Bonless Strip Steak (sirloin works too)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon steak seasoning (I used Montreal steak seasoning)
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- Dash of salt
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, sliced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can Red Gold® Diced Tomatoes, drained and 2 tablespoons reserved
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Flatbread from this recipe (prepped, but not cooked), divided, or 10 ounces of your favorite pizza dough, divided
- 2 tablespoons Red Gold® Tomato Paste, divided
- ⅔ cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided
- ⅔ cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, divided
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat (about 375 degrees).
- Rub all sides of the steak with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the steak seasoning.
- Place the steak on the grill, and cook until charred with grill marks, about 5-7 minutes per side for medium. Adjust cooking times according to your desired level of doneness.
- Set the steak aside to rest for at least 5 minutes. Then, slice into thin strips.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the green pepper and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, sliced steak, and oregano. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the flavors are incorporated. Take the pan off the heat.
- On a floured surface, roll out half of the flatbread dough. I rolled my dough thin to create a crust measuring about 6 x 10 inches.
- Transfer the dough to the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes until grill marks appear.
- Flip the dough and top the crust with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Spread evenly over the crust.
- Top with half of the veggie and steak mixture and ⅓ cup each of the Swiss and white cheddar cheese.
- Close the grill and cook the pizza for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle the pizza with chopped chives.
- Repeat steps 10-15 for the second pizza.
Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com
Calories: 528 Fat: 21.9g Carb: 49g Fiber: 3.5g Protein: 17.9g Sugar 10.8g Sodium: 993mg
Weight Watchers Points (calculated on member website)
WW: 12 Points Plus
Brad says
Krista,
I usually look at recipes for inspiration and modify them into my own. This pizza recipe was the exception. It was amazing! We are from the north east and love our New York pies so for a pizza to rank as high as that is awesome. The only thing I did different was that I lightly brushed each side of the flat bread with olive oil. Thank you for sharing this.
Krista says
Brad – That’s awesome! Coming from someone who knows and loves New York pizza, this is absolutely flattering! I’m so happy you loved it!