Our Traeger Pizza Recipe features a made-from-scratch crust, a rich homemade tomato sauce, and a generous pile of meaty toppings and melty cheese. This meat-lover’s pizza combines seasoned ground beef, diced ham, and pepperoni, cooked on a pellet grill to give you that wood-fired flavor and a perfectly crisp crust.
Traeger Meat Lover’s Pizza
If you love homemade pizza, this three-meat pie is a treat. While takeout is convenient, making pizza at home lets you control the crust, sauce, and toppings—and gives you a flavor that’s hard to beat. This version is hearty, protein-packed, and perfect for family dinners or weekend grilling.
Top this pizza with whatever meats you like. The photos show seasoned ground beef, diced ham, and pepperoni; feel free to add bacon, sausage, smoked brisket, or leftover steak if you have it on hand. Make it your own.
Everything here is from scratch for the best flavor, but if you need a shortcut, store-bought dough or jarred pizza sauce works fine. If you have the time, though, the homemade dough and sauce are worth the extra effort.
Tips for Traeger Pizza Success
A pellet grill can produce fantastic pizza, but it requires a few techniques to get even results—crispy bottom crust and melted, bubbly cheese on top. These tips will help you avoid burned bottoms or undercooked toppings.
1. Par-Bake the Crust
Par-baking means partially baking the crust before adding toppings. High-end pizza ovens reach very high temperatures, so par-baking isn’t necessary there, but in a home oven or pellet grill set to 400–500°F, par-baking helps the dough set and prevents a soggy center. Press the dough into a well-oiled pan, dock it with a fork, and bake 5–6 minutes until it has risen slightly but not browned.
2. Don’t Cook Directly on the Grates
Cooking directly on grill grates increases the risk of burning the bottom. Use an inverted cake pan, a high-sided baking pan, or a pizza pan to create distance between the heat source and the crust. This encourages even cooking without scorching.
3. Rotate the Pizza
Rotate the pizza halfway through the bake to ensure even color and doneness around the whole pie.
Shopping List
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Traeger pizza. For exact quantities and the printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
- Active dry yeast
- Kosher or sea salt
- Honey
- 00 pizza flour (or all-purpose as a substitute)
- Olive oil
- Garlic, minced
- Crushed tomatoes
- Red pepper flakes
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Dried parsley
- Sugar
- Diced ham
- Sliced pepperoni
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Ground beef
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Italian seasoning
How to Make Pizza on the Traeger
Below is a concise overview of the process. Follow the recipe card for precise measurements and timing.
- Make the dough: Combine warm water, salt, yeast, and honey, then mix in flour until a soft dough forms. Knead briefly and add olive oil, then let the dough rise until doubled.
- Preheat and par-bake: Preheat the grill or oven to 450–500°F. Shape the dough in an oiled pan, dock with a fork, and par-bake 5 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce: Blend crushed tomatoes with garlic, oil, herbs, spices, and a touch of sugar. If you won’t bake the sauce on the pizza (for dipping), simmer it for 5–10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Cook the beef: Brown ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Drain excess fat.
- Assemble: Spread sauce over the par-baked crust, add a generous layer of mozzarella, then distribute the seasoned beef, ham, and pepperoni on top of the cheese.
- Bake: Return the pizza to the grill or oven for 10–15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted. A pellet grill adds a pleasant smoky note; the oven is a reliable alternative in bad weather.
Traeger Pizza FAQ
What’s the best way to reheat leftovers?
Reheating in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat helps restore a crisp crust while warming the toppings. Reheating in the oven works well too—avoid the microwave, which can make the crust soggy. An air fryer also reheats slices quickly and keeps edges crisp.
How can you tell when it’s done?
Check the bottom of the crust for a well-browned color, look for golden edges, and make sure the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Par-baking helps ensure both crust and toppings finish cooking at the same time.
What order should you put your toppings on?
Start with the par-baked crust, spread an even layer of sauce, then add cheese, and finally the toppings. Toppings placed on top of the cheese receive more direct heat and brown better—this is my preferred order for texture and flavor.
How do you get curled pepperoni?
True curled pepperoni typically comes from slicing a pepperoni stick to about 1/8–1/4 inch thick, then baking in a very hot oven so the edges crisp and curl. Pre-sliced sandwich-style pepperoni usually won’t curl the same way. Some stores sell pepperoni designed to curl; look for that if you want the classic cupped slices.
Can you freeze leftover pizza?
Yes. Wrap slices well in foil and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven for best texture.
More Great Pizza Recipes
- Pepperoni Pizza Rollups
- Biscuit Pizza Poppers
- Cast-Iron Deep Dish Pizza
Traeger Pizza
Make a delicious, wood-fired–style pizza right on your Traeger—completely from scratch.
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups warm water
- 4 teaspoons yeast
- 4 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- ⅛ cup honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 pounds 00 pizza flour (or all-purpose)
Pizza Sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
Toppings
- 3 cups diced ham
- 8 ounces sliced pepperoni
- 8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Seasoned Ground Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
Dough
- Place water, salt, yeast, and honey in a mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix for about 30 seconds.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add flour until a soft dough forms and the sides are clean. Continue mixing for 4 minutes.
- Reduce speed to low and drizzle in the olive oil, mixing until incorporated.
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Press a large handful of dough into a greased pizza pan. Par-bake at 450°F for 5 minutes. Remove and add sauce and toppings.
- Bake an additional 10–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
Sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until combined.
- Spread sauce on the pizza crust and proceed with assembly.
- If using the sauce for dipping rather than baking on the pizza, simmer it in a saucepan for 5–10 minutes to develop flavor.
Toppings
- Brown the ground beef with the seasonings over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Drain excess fat and set aside.
Pizza
- Preheat the oven or pellet grill to 450–500°F. If your equipment won’t reach those temperatures, anything above 400°F will work.
- Top the par-baked crust with sauce, then cheese, then your toppings.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 12
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 986
Total Fat: 45g
Saturated Fat: 18g
Cholesterol: 120mg
Sodium: 1849mg
Carbohydrates: 96g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 9g
Protein: 48g