Go Back
+ servings
pizza in cast iron.
4.80 from 5 votes

Cast Iron Pizza (Oven + Grill)

This crispy cast iron pizza can be made with homemade pizza dough or store-bought. We'll teach you how to make it in the oven and the grill!
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Total 1 hour 20 minutes
Fat 43
Carbs 53
Protein 38
Yield 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pizza dough store bought or homemade
  • ½ lb. ground Italian sausage uncooked
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
  • 1 cup pizza sauce
  • 1.5 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese depending on how cheesy you like your pizza
  • 4-5 fresh basil leaves roughly chopped

Instructions

Grill

  • Preheat the grill to 450ºF and place a deep 12-inch cast iron skillet on the grill over direct heat. Close the grill and allow the cast iron skillet to heat up for 10-15 minutes.
  • While the skillet is heating up, roll the pizza dough out on a clean, lightly floured surface to about 12-inches in diameter to fit inside the skillet. Set the pizza dough aside.
    rolled out pizza dough.
  • Uncover the grill and add the Italian sausage to the hot skillet. Break the Italian sausage up into small pieces and allow it to cook. When the Italian sausage is fully cooked, carefully remove it from the skillet and set aside.
    heating sausage.
  • Add the thinly sliced garlic to the skillet and toss the garlic with the Italian sausage drippings (you may need to add some olive oil depending on how much oil was let off by the pork). Let the garlic sauté in the skillet until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove the garlic from the skillet and set aside.
    A pan with garlic on it on a grill.
  • Next, drizzle the olive oil into the skillet and transfer the rolled out pizza dough into the cast iron skillet. Place the skillet over direct heat and let the pizza dough cook for 4-5 (uncovered) minutes or until the bottom of the pizza dough is golden brown. Make sure to monitor closely so you don’t burn the bottom of the crust.
    heating pizza dough.
  • Move the skillet to indirect heat and assemble the pizza. Pour the pizza sauce over the pizza dough and spread the sauce out evenly over the pizza dough, leaving about 1-inch on the edges for the crust.
  • Sprinkle the Italian sausage crumbles and garlic slices over the tomato sauce. Top the other ingredients with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Cover the grill and let the pizza cook over indirect heat for 20-30 minutes (checking after 10 minutes) or until the pizza dough is fully cooked and the cheese is melted and golden browned. If you have a smaller grill, turn the cast iron skillet so that the opposite side of the skillet is closer to the heat.
    cooking pizza on grill
  • Remove the pizza from the skillet and transfer it onto a cutting board. Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Top the pizza with fresh basil and enjoy.

Oven

  • First, preheat the oven to 450ºF.
  • Begin by rolling the pizza dough out on a clean, lightly floured surface to about 12-inches in diameter to fit inside the skillet. Set the pizza dough aside.
  • Heat your 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium/high heat. When hot, add the Italian sausage. Break the Italian sausage up into small pieces and allow it to cook. When the Italian sausage is fully cooked, carefully remove it from the skillet and set aside.
  • Add the thinly sliced garlic to the skillet and toss the garlic with the Italian sausage drippings (you may need to add some olive oil depending on how much oil was let off by the pork). Let the garlic sauté in the skillet until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove the garlic from the skillet and set aside.
  • Next, drizzle the olive oil into the skillet and transfer the rolled out pizza dough into the cast iron skillet. Place the skillet onto the stovetop and let cookover medium/high heat for around 3 minutes or until the bottom of the pizza dough is golden brown. Make sure to monitor closely so you don’t burn the bottom of the crust.
  • Pour the pizza sauce over the pizza dough and spread the sauce out evenly over the pizza dough, leaving about 1-inch on the edges for the crust.
  • Sprinkle the Italian sausage crumbles and garlic slices over the tomato sauce. Top the other ingredients with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake the pizza at 450ºF in the middle rack (with nothing above it) for around 10 minutes. After 10 minutes monitor the pizza in increments of 2-3 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and started to turn golden brown.
  • Remove the pizza from the skillet and transfer it onto a cutting board. Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Top the pizza with fresh basil and enjoy.

Tips & Notes

  • We used a large charcoal grill, but you can use a gas grill as well.
  • Every grill is different, so be cognizant of the heat your grill produces so that the pizza dough or other ingredients don’t burn.
  • We used homemade pizza dough, but store-bought will work just fine.
  • The toppings for this pizza are simple, feel free to use your favorite pizza toppings.

Watch it

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 750kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 43g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g