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BBQ Steak Pizza
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This BBQ steak pizza combines Santa Maria–style seasoned ribeye with fire-roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, jalapeños, and fresh cilantro for a bold, California-inspired pizza night. Inspired by travels through the Central Coast, this pizza delivers smoky, savory flavors on a crisp crust that works equally well in the oven or on the grill. I was inspired by the simplicity of the ingredients used in the Santa Maria-style BBQ. I topped this pizza with steak seasoned similarly to how they did it at The Hitching Post, minus the Red Oak wood it’s cooked over. If you love this style of pizza, try making my Nashville hot chicken pizza or elote pizza next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh and Flavorful – Simply seasoned steak, fire-roasted tomatoes, and fresh herbs create bold, balanced flavor.
- Crisp Crust – Par-baking the dough ensures a golden, sturdy crust that holds up to hearty toppings.
- Flexible Cooking – Can be made in the oven or on the grill for easy, year-round pizza nights.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Steak – This steak is seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder. It is then seared in a screaming hot cast iron pan to develop a flavorful and crisp crust on the outside, then sliced and arranged over pizza dough.
- Pizza Dough – Homemade pizza dough creates a sturdy yet tender base that crisps beautifully at high heat, holding up to hearty toppings like steak and cheese without becoming soggy.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
Par-baking the pizza dough before adding toppings is key to keeping the crust crisp, especially when using juicy toppings like steak and tomatoes.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Steak: Swap ribeye for sirloin or flank steak if needed.
- Cheese: Use fontina or provolone in place of mozzarella.
- Heat level: Omit jalapeños or substitute with roasted poblano for milder heat.
- Tomatoes: Crushed fire-roasted tomatoes can replace diced.
Special Equipment
These are far and away my pizza essentials! To make the best pizza in an oven I recommend using the following:
- Pizza stone – To cook pizza evenly in the oven heat the pizza stone with the oven.
- Pizza peel – This makes it easy to transfer the pizza to and from the oven
- Wire cooling rack – This keeps the underside of the pizza as crispy as possible.
- Metal tray – Cut and serve pizza on a metal tray.
Notes on Make in an Oven or Grill
While Pizzeria Bello Forno uses wood-fired ovens that I’m most certainly jealous of, this pizza can be made in either an oven or grill on the highest heat (500ºF) using my instructions below. I par-bake the dough to ensure a crisp crust then add the toppings and finish the cooking process.
How to Make Santa Maria BBQ Pizza (Step-by-Step)
Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Season the steak generously on both sides with salt, pepper and the garlic powder. When pan is smoking hot, add the steaks to the pan and let sizzle for about 1 minute. Flip the steaks and press down with tongs so that all parts of the steak touch the pan. Continue to cook the steaks over medium-high heat, flipping the steaks every 30 seconds to ensure a crisp golden-brown crust (without burning). For medium-rare steaks this should take about 8 minutes total (internal temperature should read 125ºF – 130ºF / 51ºC – 54ºC).
Remove to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain and set aside.
If you are making the pizza on the grill or in the oven you will get the best results using a pizza stone. Preheat the grill or oven to 500°F (260ºC) with the pizza stone in the oven or on the grill.
Divide the pizza dough into 2 equal pieces. Working one at a time turn a piece of the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a circular pizza crust shape. Dust cornmeal on a pizza peel then carefully move the pizza crust onto the peel.
Rub the crust with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and top with half of the garlic. Par-bake the crust for 4 minutes. This will help the crust to remain crispy throughout.
Spread about ½ cup of the fire roasted tomatoes over the dough, leaving about ½” all the way around for the crust. Top with green onions, 1 cup of the mozzarella, ¼ cup of the Pecorino cheese, slices of the steak, a handful of the red onion and 1 of the sliced jalapeños. Bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden brown, about an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining dough and ingredients then cut into equal pieces and serve immediately.
How to Serve BBQ Steak Pizza
- Serve immediately: Slice and enjoy while the cheese is hot and melty.
- Pair with sides: Serve alongside a simple green salad or grilled vegetables.
- Add a finishing touch: Garnish with fresh cilantro or a drizzle of olive oil.
- Make it a meal: Pair with a light-bodied red wine or a red ale.
How to Store BBQ Steak Pizza
- Refrigerate leftovers: Store cooled pizza slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat for best texture: Warm in a 375°F oven or skillet to keep the crust crisp.
- Avoid the microwave: Microwaving can soften the crust and affect texture.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The steak can be cooked and sliced up to one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the pizza.
Ribeye is ideal due to its marbling and flavor, but sirloin or flank steak also work well when thinly sliced.
Absolutely. Preheat the grill to high heat (about 500°F) and use a pizza stone for best results.
Yes! If you do not have a pizza stone and pizza peel the pizza can be made on a baking sheet.
Par-baking the crust and draining the fire-roasted tomatoes thoroughly helps prevent excess moisture.
It has a mild to moderate heat from the jalapeños, which can easily be adjusted or omitted to taste.
Other Recipes to Try
If you loved this BBQ steak pizza, give these recipes a try for your next family pizza night or girls night in:
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
BBQ Steak Pizza
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Ingredients:
For the steak:
- 1 pound boneless ribeye steak
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground pepper, as needed
For the pizza:
- 1 pound prepared pizza dough
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 medium jalapeños, thinly sliced
- Handful cilantro leaves, for garnish
Instructions:
For the steak:
- Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Season the steak generously on both sides with salt, pepper and the garlic powder. When pan is smoking hot, add the steaks to the pan and let sizzle for about 1 minute. Flip the steaks and press down with tongs so that all parts of the steak touch the pan.
- Continue to cook the steaks over medium-high heat, flipping the steaks every 30 seconds to ensure a crisp golden-brown crust (without burning). For medium-rare steaks this should take about 8 minutes total (internal temperature should read 125ºF – 130ºF / 51ºC – 54ºC).
- Remove to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain and set aside.
For the pizza:
- If you are making the pizza on the grill or in the oven you will get the best results using a pizza stone. Preheat the grill or oven to 500°F (260ºC) with the pizza stone in the oven or on the grill.
- Divide the pizza dough into 2 equal pieces. Working one at a time turn a piece of the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a circular pizza crust shape. Dust cornmeal on a pizza peel then carefully move the pizza crust onto the peel.
- Rub the crust with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and top with half of the garlic. Par-bake the crust for 4 minutes. This will help the crust to remain crispy throughout. Spread about ½ cup of the fire roasted tomatoes over the dough, leaving about ½” all the way around for the crust. Top with green onions, 1 cup of the mozzarella, ¼ cup of the Pecorino cheese, slices of the steak, a handful of the red onion and 1 of the sliced jalapeños.
- Bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden brown, about an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and ingredients then cut into equal pieces and serve immediately.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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OMGGGGG Kylie!!! This pizza looks sooo incredible!! xoxo
Thank you!!!! It was so fun to explore your neck of the woods! I already can’t wait to find an excuse to come visit you again for more wine + food!
So good! Made this for a fight night and it was a hit. Didn’t have a pizza stone so I used and regular pan and it tasted great. We added the steak while the pizza cooked 8 min.
So glad you enjoyed!!