Easy Grilled Pesto Pizza with Fresh California Avocado: The Ultimate Summer Recipe
(Thanks to California Avocado Commission for sponsoring this post!)
Get ready to elevate your summer cooking with this incredibly delicious **Grilled Pesto Pizza with Avocado**! Forget your average pizza night – this recipe is a true summer sensation, packed with vibrant flavors and a smoky essence that only grilling can provide. Featuring a rich, savory homemade pesto sauce, a delightful blend of two cheeses, and the creamy goodness of fresh California Avocados, this isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience. Prepare to impress your family and friends with a **grilled pizza recipe** that will have everyone asking for seconds and coming back to again and again.
Why Grilled Pesto Pizza is Your New Favorite
There’s something truly magical about homemade pizza, especially when it’s cooked on the grill. The high heat of the grill creates an irresistibly crispy crust with a slight char, while imparting a subtle smoky flavor that traditional oven-baked pizzas simply can’t match. This **vegetarian pizza** is not only incredibly flavorful but also surprisingly easy to make, challenging the notion that gourmet pizza is complicated. Beyond the superior taste, making your own **grilled pizza** gives you complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to opt for fresh, wholesome components and add a healthy twist.
Transform your ordinary meal into a memorable occasion! This **pesto pizza recipe** is perfect for gathering the family, encouraging everyone to pitch in and create lasting memories together. Imagine those warm, lazy summer evenings, unwinding with a slice of this fantastic pizza, made with love and enjoyed under the open sky. It’s the perfect way to turn any night into a celebratory pizza party, far superior to any store-bought frozen alternative.
Crafting Your Own Grilled Pesto Avocado Pizza: A Stonefire Grill Inspired Delight
The inspiration for this sensational pizza comes from a local favorite, Stonefire Grill, where their “Stonefire’s Favorite Pizza” featuring pesto is an absolute standout. My oldest son, who works there, ensures we visit often, and their pesto pizza always leaves a lasting impression. I knew I had to create my own version, capturing that irresistible flavor profile with a unique twist. Coincidentally, June marks **National Avocado Month**, making it the perfect time to celebrate the peak season for fresh, creamy California Avocados. The combination of savory pesto and rich avocado was destined to be a culinary hit!
Now, you don’t need to live near a Stonefire Grill to experience this incredible flavor. With this recipe, you can easily recreate your very own tasty **grilled pesto pizza** at home, savoring every bite of this homemade masterpiece. The freshness of California Avocados perfectly complements the bright, herbaceous notes of the pesto, creating a balanced and deeply satisfying dish that is simply unparalleled.
What Delicious Toppings Go on Pesto Pizza?
The beauty of this **grilled pizza recipe** lies in its carefully selected, high-quality ingredients that harmonize to create an explosion of flavor. For this delectable pizza, I combine the richness of fresh California Avocados, my signature Best Homemade Pesto, thinly sliced sweet red onion, a generous sprinkle of tangy feta cheese, creamy mozzarella, and a final flourish of fresh basil, all atop my Easy Whole Wheat Pizza Crust. This combination creates a delightful **Stonefire pizza copycat recipe** that’s both familiar and uniquely fresh.
The **homemade pesto** acts as a vibrant, fragrant base, instantly distinguishing this pizza from others. Its fresh, herbaceous, and slightly nutty flavor is infinitely superior to store-bought jarred versions and pairs perfectly with the other toppings. The dual cheese combination of mozzarella and feta offers both classic melty goodness and a delightful salty tang. Sweet red onion adds a subtle crunch and a touch of sweetness, while the creamy California Avocado slices provide a luxurious texture and a healthy dose of good fats. Finally, a sprinkle of fresh basil after grilling brightens all the flavors. If you’re short on time but still crave that pesto magic, my Pesto Pita Bread Pizza is another fantastic quick option!
The Art of Making Pesto Pizza on the Grill
Making a show-stopping pesto pizza on the grill is simpler than you might think, and I’m here to guide you through every step to achieve pizza perfection. The foundation of any truly great pizza is its crust. It’s not just a carrier for toppings; it’s the backbone, contributing significantly to the texture and overall flavor. A perfectly cooked crust boasts a crispy exterior and a tender, chewy interior, which the grill excels at creating.
Even if you’ve never made bread before, my easy, no-rise pizza crust recipe is foolproof. It requires less than 10 minutes to prepare and only a few minutes to cook on the grill, making homemade pizza an accessible weeknight meal. For added convenience, consider whipping up a double batch of dough. The extra dough can be rolled into a ball, placed in a freezer bag, and frozen for future use. Thaw it completely in the fridge, and you’ll have instant crust ready for your next pizza craving, saving you precious time!
Grilling Your Pizza Crust to Perfection
Once your pizza dough is mixed and kneaded, it’s time to fire up that grill! Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. If you happen to own a pizza stone, this is its moment to shine, helping you achieve an even crispier crust. However, don’t fret if you don’t have one; you can still make an absolutely delicious grilled pizza. A simple yet effective alternative is to use two long pieces of tin foil, overlapped to create a large square, then generously sprayed with cooking spray. This method not only works wonderfully but also makes cleanup incredibly easy!
Here’s how to expertly grill your pizza crust:
- Lay two long pieces of tin foil, overlapping them to form a large square.
- Spray the tin foil generously with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Roll your pizza dough into a large circle, aiming for about a ½ inch thickness, and carefully place it on the prepared tin foil.
- Lightly spray the top of the dough with cooking spray.
- Holding each end of the foil, carefully transfer the dough (with the foil on the bottom) onto the hot grill grates. Close the grill lid.
- Cook for just a couple of minutes, checking periodically until the bottom of the crust reaches your desired level of crispness. I often rotate my pizza during this stage to ensure even cooking, as some areas of my grill tend to be hotter than others.
Assembling and Finishing Your Grilled Masterpiece
Once your crust has achieved that perfect golden, crispy texture, it’s time to transform it into a magnificent pesto pizza! The key is to work quickly and efficiently to lock in all those fantastic flavors. Follow these simple steps for a truly exceptional grilled pizza:
- Carefully remove the foil and partially cooked crust from the grill and place it onto a heat-resistant surface. Gently flip the dough over so the golden-brown side is facing up.
- Liberally spread your homemade pesto sauce across the golden-brown crust, ensuring an even layer right to the edges.
- Sprinkle a generous layer of tangy feta cheese over the pesto, followed by a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Distribute the thinly sliced red onion evenly over the cheese.
- Carefully slide the pizza back onto the grill. Close the lid and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until the cheeses are beautifully melted and bubbly.
- While the pizza is cooking, prepare your California Avocados by halving them, removing the pit, and slicing them. For an extra touch, you can lightly grill the avocado halves face down for a minute or two before slicing to enhance their flavor.
- Once the cheese is melted, open the grill lid, artfully arrange the sliced California Avocados onto the pizza, and close the lid for another 1-2 minutes. This brief final cook time allows the avocados to warm through without becoming overly soft or losing their vibrant color.
- Remove the finished pesto pizza from the grill. Top generously with freshly diced basil leaves – this step adds an incredible burst of fresh aroma and flavor. Slice, serve immediately, and enjoy every incredible bite!
For another fantastic grilled pizza adventure, be sure to check out my BBQ Chicken Pizza! And for even more inspiring pizza ideas, click here.
The Versatility of Basil Pesto: More Than Just Pizza Sauce
Once you make a batch of homemade basil pesto, you’ll find yourself wanting to put it on everything! I always make extra whenever a recipe calls for it, ensuring I have plenty left over to experiment with. Originating from Liguria, Italy, traditional pesto is a vibrant sauce made from fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil – a harmonious blend of flavors that adds a gourmet touch to countless dishes.
What goes well with pesto? So much! While it’s famously served with pasta (like this incredible Creamy Chicken and Pesto Pasta), its uses extend far beyond. Pesto makes an exquisite spread for sandwiches, transforming a simple lunch into a culinary delight, and it’s absolutely perfect for paninis, where its flavors intensify with the warmth. It pairs exceptionally well with fresh tomatoes, spinach, and chicken, making it a versatile ingredient for salads, wraps, and even scrambled eggs. Essentially, anything fresh and Italian-inspired is a fantastic match!
Here are just a few of my favorite creative ways to utilize that homemade pesto:
- Pesto Grilled Cheese Panini
- Chicken Pesto Panini
- Turkey Pesto Burger
- Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Pesto Pasta Salad
- Easy Tortellini Pesto Salad
- Pesto Chicken Salad
Discover More Delicious California Avocado Recipes!
Air Fryer Southwestern Egg Rolls
Grilled Cobb Salad with Avocado Dressing
Spinach Salad with Avocado, Berries & Honey Vinaigrette
Grilled Pesto Pizza with Avocado | Stonefire Grill Copycat
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Ingredients
CRUST RECIPE:
- 1/4- oz package dry active yeast
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup warm water 110 degrees
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
TOPPINGS:
- Pesto sauce
- Feta cheese
- Mozzarella cheese shredded
- Red onion thinly sliced
- California Avocado sliced
- Basil diced small
Instructions
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Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water in a measuring cup, let rest for 8 minutes.
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In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture. Add the olive oil, mix well.
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Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. You do NOT need to let this dough rise!! (Note: if you want to make extra dough to freeze and use later, roll the extra dough into a ball and place in a freezer bag and freeze. Thaw in the fridge completely and then begin with step four.)
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Take two long pieces of tin foil and lay overlapping each other to make a large square. Spray with cooking spray. Roll dough in a large circle, about ½ inch thick and place on top of sprayed tin foil. Spray top of pizza dough with cooking spray. Holding each end of the foil, carefully place on the grill (with the foil on the bottom). Close grill lid. Cook for a couple minutes, until the bottom of the crust is how you like it. I like to rotate mine if I can because some spots in my grill get hotter than others.
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Carefully take foil off the grill onto a heat resistant surface and flip dough over. Spread pesto on golden brown side of crust. Sprinkle feta cheese all over the pizza and then mozzarella. Top with sliced red onion and place back onto the grill. Half avocado and take out the pit. Place flat side down on the grill. After about 3-5 minutes, when the cheese is melted, open grill lid and take off avocado halves, slice and place onto pizza and close lid for about 1-2 minutes until heated through.
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Take pizza off the grill and top with lots of diced basil leaves. Slice up and serve. Enjoy!!
Don’t forget to pin this amazing Stonefire Pizza Copycat for later inspiration!
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(Thanks again to California Avocado Commission for sponsoring this post!)