The best homemade pizza sauce—quick, thick, and full of tomato flavor. Ready in minutes, this sauce can be blended raw for a fast no-cook version or simmered briefly for deeper flavor. Perfect on pizza or as a versatile tomato sauce.
Table of Contents
- This is the best pizza sauce you’ll ever have
- Homemade pizza sauce ingredients
- How to make pizza sauce
- Best pizza sauce recipe FAQs
- Homemade pizza sauce recipe tips
- How to store leftover pizza sauce
- More pizza recipes to love
- Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
When I made pizza the other night my kid declared she loved the saucy crust so much she ate her pizza without cheese. That’s how irresistible this sauce is: rich, balanced, and tomato-forward. Whether you top your pie with lots of cheese or keep it saucy and simple, this sauce stands on its own.
Good pizza sauce should be thick, flavorful, and free from bitter or overly sweet notes. The star ingredient is tomatoes, so choose high-quality canned tomatoes for the best results. Whole tomatoes typically retain the most flavor, but crushed tomatoes also work. Tomato purée or sauce can be used in a pinch or for a no-cook approach; tomato paste is best as a concentrated flavor booster, not the base on its own.
This is the best pizza sauce you’ll ever have
I’m opinionated about pizza sauce: it should be tomato-forward, balanced, and not watery or cloyingly sweet. Using good canned tomatoes makes the biggest difference. San Marzano tomatoes have fans for a reason—they’re often sweeter and smooth—but many affordable American brands deliver bold tomato flavor and excellent value. Try both if you like, but remember that once cooked into sauce both types can be delicious.
When choosing canned tomatoes, prioritize whole tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. Avoid diced tomatoes (they often contain additives), and use tomato paste sparingly as an enhancer. The flavor difference between brands can be noticeable raw, but after cooking both can yield a tasty sauce. If a tomato brand tastes too acidic to you, a small amount of sugar will balance it.
Featured Comment
“Excuse me, but wowwwwwwwwwww! Best tomato sauce. Life changing.”
– Mariya
Homemade pizza sauce ingredients
Here are the components that make this sauce flavorful and well-balanced. Quantities and steps appear in the recipe card below.
- olive oil
- onion (optional)
- garlic
- spices (oregano, basil, garlic powder, crushed red pepper)
- tomato paste
- canned whole or crushed tomatoes
- optional sugar to taste
How to make pizza sauce
This sauce is quick: you can make a no-cook version in about five minutes in a blender, or take 5–30 minutes on the stovetop for a deeper, simmered flavor. Simmering mellows acidity and brings spices together.
Start by sautéing finely chopped onion in olive oil until soft and slightly browned, then add smashed minced garlic and cook briefly—don’t let it brown. Stir in your dried spices, then add tomato paste and heat it to concentrate its flavor. Add the canned tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Simmer gently for 5–30 minutes depending on how much time you have. Taste and add a small amount of sugar (1/2–1 teaspoon) only if the sauce tastes too acidic. For a smooth sauce, blend with an immersion blender or transfer carefully to a countertop blender in batches.
Best pizza sauce recipe FAQs
Tomato paste is concentrated and best used as an ingredient to deepen flavor and thicken sauce, not as a standalone topping. Use it with canned tomatoes for balance.
Yes. A no-cook sauce made from tomato sauce or purée is convenient and tasty in a pinch, but whole or crushed canned tomatoes usually give the brightest tomato flavor when cooked or blended.
Both approaches are valid. Traditional Italian pizza often uses uncooked crushed tomatoes; American-style sauces are commonly simmered. Choose based on preference and time—both can be delicious.
Spaghetti or marinara often has a longer cook time and more complex seasoning. Pizza sauce can be raw or briefly cooked and is usually thicker and more concentrated. You can use this sauce for pasta if you like its flavor.
Yes, a jarred marinara will work, but a dedicated pizza sauce (homemade or adapted from canned tomatoes and paste) typically yields a better texture and flavor for pizza.
Homemade pizza sauce recipe tips
Some practical tips for great homemade pizza:
- Use homemade dough when possible and allow it plenty of rise time.
- Bake pizza at the highest safe temperature your oven allows for a crisp crust.
- A pizza stone helps create a better crust, but a baking sheet works fine too.
How to store leftover pizza sauce
Can you freeze pizza sauce?
Yes. Let the sauce cool, transfer to a zip-top bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator or gently reheat from frozen in a pot over low heat. The sauce is forgiving—it reheats and freezes well.
This post complements easy recipes for dough and assembling pizza, so if you want a complete pizza workflow, prepare sauce, stretch your dough, and bake at a hot temperature for best results.
More pizza recipes to love
- Easy Pizza Dough Recipe — for a great crust
- Homemade Pizza Recipe — how to assemble and bake
- Easy No-Cook Pizza Sauce — a quick blender version
- Cast Iron Pan Pizza — a Pan Pizza copycat
- Blackberry Ricotta Pizza with Basil — a summery twist
- Easy Pizza Casserole — pizza flavors in a pan
- Hot Dog Pizza with Caramelized Onions — a fun, nostalgic option
- Thai Pizza with Zucchini and Pickled Onions — bold and different
- French Bread Pizza — a simple last-minute meal
- Zucchini Pizza Bites — a low-carb appetizer or meal
- Cherry Tomato and Goat Cheese Pizza — an early favorite
- Classic Stromboli — pizza rolled and baked
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Homemade Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup onion, chopped (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 & 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes (or crushed)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar, or up to 1 teaspoon (optional)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: chop onion, smash and mince garlic, open cans.
- Combine dried spices in a small bowl: oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, and optional crushed red pepper.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat.
- Add chopped onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened and lightly browned. If omitting onion, heat garlic in oil for 1 minute (do not brown).
- Add garlic and the spice mixture; sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and heat briefly to deepen its flavor.
- Add the canned tomatoes, break them up with a wooden spoon, and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer 5–30 minutes depending on time and desired depth of flavor.
- Taste and add sugar (start with 1/2 teaspoon) only if the sauce is overly acidic. Adjust to balance.
- For a smooth sauce, turn off heat and blend with an immersion blender, or cool slightly and puree in batches in a countertop blender (cover to let steam escape).
- Use on pizza. This recipe yields about 4 cups of sauce, enough for roughly four medium pizzas.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3–5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
5 Minute No-Cook Pizza Sauce: Omit fresh onions. Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon dried minced onion if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 121 kcal | Carbohydrates: 14 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 7 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 7 g