Zack's Cheeseburger Pan Pizza
Crispy, cheesy, made together — the best kind of pizza.
Beyond the Ingredients
A Father's Memory
Pizza was easily one of Zack’s top five foods. Honestly, I’m not sure he ever met a pizza he didn’t like. Pepperoni, Hawaiian, Greek, veggie — it did not matter. If it was pizza, Zack was excited about it.So when I first started making pizza on the grill, he was immediately all in.
What we learned pretty quickly was that grilled pizza is not a slow process. Once the dough hits the grill, everything starts moving fast, and having two sets of hands makes all the difference. Zack was not always around to help, but when he was, those became some of my favorite moments.
Pizza has a way of teaching you something about yourself. Every pie is a series of choices — more sauce or less, extra cheese, different toppings, trying something new, sticking with a favorite. It is creative, personal, and a little messy in the best possible way.And when you make it with someone you love — flour on your hands, smoke rising from the grill, both of you rushing to get the toppings on before the crust burns — those moments stay with you.
Most of the time we used pre-made raw dough, though occasionally we would grab pre-cooked crusts. But both Zack and I agreed the raw dough was better. The grill gave it this charred, smoky crust that felt like real grilled pizza.Once the first side cooked — usually about three minutes — we would flip it quickly and start building as fast as possible: sauce, piles of cheese, toppings everywhere, then usually even more cheese before closing the grill lid and hoping we beat the heat.
Zack’s absolute favorite was cheeseburger pizza.
Instead of traditional pizza sauce, we used ketchup and mustard. Then came hamburger, onions, pickles, and an almost unreasonable amount of cheese.
Truthfully, it became one of my favorites too.
Whenever I make it now, I still picture Zack standing beside me at the grill, both of us rushing to throw toppings on before the crust got too dark, laughing while cheese and toppings fell everywhere. And Zack always made his the exact same way — loaded with cheese, hamburger, and pickles, every single time, without apology.
The Takeaway
To him, that was exactly right.
What You Need
Ingredients
Serves 2 personal pizzas or 1 large
How to Make It
Directions
- 1
Modified for pan pizza on the stove.
- 2
Let the pizza dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes — cold dough tears instead of stretching.
- 3
For pan pizza: Drizzle a cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan generously with olive oil. Press and stretch the dough into the pan, pushing it all the way to the edges. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- 4
Preheat your pan, preferably cast iron, over medium high heat.
- 5
Stretch the dough by hand into a rough oval about ¼ inch thick on a lightly oiled surface.
- 6
Mix the olive oil with garlic powder and brush it over the dough. Add ketchup/mustard, then cheese, then toppings.
- 7
Bake for 10 or so minutes until the crust is starting to become golden.
- 8
Cover the pan and bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is all melted.
- 9
Remove from heat, let rest for 2 minutes, then slice and serve.
From the Kitchen
Small Things That Matter
Room-temperature dough is everything — if it keeps snapping back, cover it and let it rest 10 more minutes
For pan pizza, be generous with the olive oil in the pan — it is what creates that incredible crispy, almost fried bottom crust
Keep a thin, even layer of toppings; too many toppings make the pizza soggy and prevent the crust from cooking through
Let the pizza rest 2 minutes before cutting — the cheese needs just a moment to set so it does not slide off on the first slice
Variations & Additions
Make It Yours
- Grill the onions with a tablespoon of beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
- Use a combination of cheeses instead of mozzarella, such as smoked Gouda and white cheddar.
- Add some Sriracha to the ketchup!
- Make it a loaded cheeseburger pizza by adding tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and bacon. Add the lettuce after the pizza is cooked.
Cook with Someone
Cook Together
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