There's just no comparison between store brought pizza sauce in a jar and this freshly made, homemade sauce. Learn how to make pizza sauce from scratch with just a few pantry staples and you'll never have to worry about store bought again!
I had already bought one too many jars of prepared sauce over the years when I realized it would probably be just as easy (and a lot tastier) to just make my own.
This pizza sauce recipe works with any kind of crust or pizza dough recipe and it's a little on the thicker side so that it doesn't run all over the place and off the pizza crust. Also, it has just a touch of sweetness alongside the Italian herbs so it's a top seller for the whole family, especially when used on these fun mini pizzas or calzones. 🙂
🌿 Ingredients
All of the required ingredients for this sauce are easily found pantry staples, and you can substitute garlic powder if you don't have any fresh garlic on hand.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
To start, warm a little olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and mince some garlic.
Next, add the minced garlic to the saucepan and sauté for a minute or two until slightly browned.
Finally, add the rest of the ingredients and continue to cook for about 10 minutes. Give is a little stir here and there to make sure nothing browns on the bottom.
You can use your pizza sauce immediately, or make it ahead for future use. This recipe makes enough sauce for about four 12-inch pizzas.
📋 Substitutions
This recipe is naturally vegan, gluten free and dairy free. You can use the following substitutions with very little change to the taste.
- Olive oil - use another mild vegetable oil such as canola oil
- Tomato paste - this recipe uses tomato paste to achieve it's thickness, but don't worry if you have any on hand; you can just leave it out and it'll still be fine
- Garlic - use a little garlic powder if you don't have any fresh garlic on hand
- Sugar - use brown sugar or coconut sugar instead, or just leave out
📖 Variations
Here are some variations you could try for your pizza sauce:
- Tomato basil - use several leaves of chopped fresh basil instead of dried to achieve an even bolder basil flavor
- Spicy - add some crushed red pepper flakes
- Thick - use twice the amount of tomato paste for extra thick sauce
🔪 Equipment
Here is the equipment you'll need to make homemade pizza sauce:
- small saucepan
- cutting board
- chef's knife
🍱 Storage
Pizza sauce will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container, or up to 2 months in the freezer.
🎉 Top tip
If you're making homemade pizza crust too, this sauce recipe makes it super easy to multitask! You can start by making your pizza dough, and while it rises, go ahead and make your sauce. That way, it'll be ready to go by the time your dough is ready. 🙂
Enjoy!
🍳 Recipe
Homemade Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon white sugar or brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and mince the garlic.
- Sauté: Add the minced garlic to the saucepan and sauté for a minute or two until slightly browned, then add the rest of the ingredients and continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Enjoy: Use immediately for homemade pizza or make ahead for future use. Pizza sauce will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer.
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