• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • ABOUT

Swasthi's Recipes

Home >> Recipes >> vegetarian

Pizza sauce recipe

By swasthi , on January 21, 2021, 15 Comments, Jump to Recipe

This pizza sauce is incredibly easy to make, tastes delicious & is flavor-packed. Made with fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs, this has the rich & deep flavors of a classic pizza sauce & is naturally gluten-free and vegan. The road to fresh, delicious, homemade pizza starts with a really great sauce. With the right ingredients and techniques you can create a dish that is both delicious and satisfying. Moreover, you can feel really good about making it yourself.

pizza sauce

Homemade pizza is greater than the sum of its parts. It is so much more than just the crust, sauce, and toppings. Pizza lovers will agree that something quite amazing happens when these components come together in a perfectly baked pie, as the cheese mingles with the toppings and the sauce bakes into the crust.

Advertisement

When taking these things into consideration, pizza sauce is a key component that adds sweetness, acidity, moisture and flavor to your pizza and for that reason, it is important to use a pizza sauce that can deliver.

Why homemade is the best

Of course, there are so many options ranging from store-bought varieties to homemade versions. For those times when you are perhaps in a hurry and need convenience, a jar of store-bought pizza sauce may suit your needs.

The outcome will be dependent on the quality, thickness, and flavor of that sauce. Sometimes, those sauces may be good enough, but what they lack is freshness, taste & best flavors.

For that, a homemade sauce is the way to go. When time and ingredients allow, a homemade sauce can give you the best flavor, but beyond that, it is about designing a sauce that suits your taste.

How is it made

When making a fresh sauce, tomatoes can be prepared by removing the skins and seeds. This is a worthwhile step and is as simple as scoring the skins with a sharp knife and plunging them into a pot of boiling water for just a few seconds. A dip into an ice bath to cool them will help the skins slip off quite easily.

Next, cutting them in half will expose the seeds which are easily moved with a gentle squeeze to yield just the flesh which is what you are after. From there, you are all set to move forward with the process of preparing your sauce.

Alternately, a quicker fresh version is viable that involves pureeing fresh whole tomatoes. This method bypasses the peeling and seeding. By simply pureeing the tomatoes in a blender or food processor, you begin with a sauce that can be then cooked for a thicker consistency, depending on your desired outcome.

The benefit here is the fresh flavor of the tomatoes with greater ease and speed than the blanching method. This recipe uses this easier method.

How to make pizza sauce (stepwise photos)

1. Rinse and dice 500 grams tomatoes. Add them to a blender.

roma tomatoes for pizza sauce

2. Make a fine puree.

pureed tomatoes in a blender

3. Heat a heavy bottom pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil becomes hot, stir in ¾ tablespoon finely chopped garlic.

sautéing garlic in oil

4. Fry the garlic for a minute or two until it turns fragrant. Stir in ½ to 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (optional).

red chilli flakes in hot oil for pizza sauce

5. Lower the heat and let the chilli flakes fry in the oil for 30 seconds.

sautéing garlic chili in oil
Advertisement

6. Pour the tomato puree and stir.

pour tomato puree to pan

7. Quickly cover the pan as it begins to splash. Cook for about 15 minutes until the tomato puree turns slightly thick.

cooking tomatoes to make pizza sauce

8. Next add 1 teaspoon sugar & ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt. Sugar helps to balance the flavors.

sugar and salt being added to pizza sauce
Advertisement

9. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon oregano and ½ to ¾ teaspoon basil. You can add more herbs to your liking.

adding herbs to pizza sauce

10. Give a good mix and continue to simmer until pizza sauce cooks down to a thick yet spreading consistency. This takes another 5 minutes. Turn off the stove. Taste test and add more salt if required.

thickened tomato sauce in a pan

Cool it before spreading on your homemade pizza base.

pizza sauce recipe

Cool this completely and store in an air tight clean dry glass jar. It keeps good for 2 weeks in the refrigerator & for 3 months in the freezer.

how to make pizza sauce

Ingredients & substitutes

Tomatoes

Having great ingredients is key so starting a pizza sauce with fresh, ripe tomatoes will always be optimal. If possible, it is best to work with tomatoes at the height of their season when they taste the best. The best tomatoes for making a pizza sauce are plum or roma tomatoes which have less water and therefore, yield a thicker sauce.

This does not mean that other tomatoes won’t work, however. Other garden varieties like beefsteak tomatoes can bring a great deal of flavor to the table, though you should be prepared to cook this type of sauce down a bit to get a sauce that is thick enough to stand up to your pizza.

One rule of thumb when creating your pizza sauce is that you should always use the best ingredients available to you. With that in mind, there are times when fresh tomatoes are not at their peak.

At times like that it may be in your best interest to use canned, whole tomatoes in place of fresh. Because canned tomatoes are picked and processed when tomatoes are ripe, you can count on consistency and flavor.

Seasoning
Perhaps the best part of making pizza sauce is the flexibility it allows when it comes to flavor. For those cooks who prefer a simple sauce, you can certainly create something very straightforward with the seasonings of your choice.

Others who are looking for something with a little more depth of flavor can reach for fresh herbs, garlic cloves, red chilli flakes & black pepper for some heat.

Fresh herbs provide a robust flavor when you have them on hand, though dried herbs certainly have their place in this process.

For those cooks who love garlic, nothing beats the punch of flavor it brings to your cooking, so use freshly chopped garlic. But garlic powder can offer a subtle nuance if used sparingly.

Finally, crushed black pepper & red chilli flakes can provide a desired level of heat to the pizza sauce. Even cayenne pepper can be used if you love the deeper color and depth of flavors it provides.

The point here is that homemade pizza sauce is customizable to your liking.

There are many ways to give your sauce a character. A good, full-bodied olive oil is best for maximum flavor that can really shine in your pizza sauce. However you may use any other for convenience.

Adding sugar will steer your sauce into a sweeter direction, while an unsweetened sauce will allow the acidity of the tomatoes to come through. You have total control over the taste and that is something you cannot get from a jar.

Ideas to use pizza sauce

If it just so happens that you find yourself with extra pizza sauce on your hands, there are a number of ways for you to utilize it. Here are a few suggestions:
Use it to create a sauce for a baked pasta dish.
Spread it over your roti/ chapati to make roti pizza.
Use it for a dipping sauce for cheese sticks, bread sticks, or garlic bread.
Freeze it to have on hand for the next time you are making pizza.

Faqs

How long does pizza sauce last in the fridge?

Pizza sauce keeps good in the fridge for 2 weeks if stored well in a clean dry glass jar . For better shelf life use dry spoons. It can be frozen for longer storage.

Is pizza sauce the same as pasta sauce?

No both are different. The consistency of pizza sauce is thicker than that of pasta sauce. However you may toss your pasta in pizza sauce and add some pasta cooked stock to help coat your pasta well with the sauce.

Can you freeze pizza sauce?

Yes you can freeze pizza sauce for 3 months. To retain the maximum flavors and taste, cool it right away after cooking and store it in a freezer safe glass containers and freeze it.

How to thicken pizza sauce?

Add nothing but simmer longer to evaporate most of the liquid in the tomatoes. This also develops a deeper & richer flavor & thickens your pizza sauce.

How to make pizza sauce without tomato paste?

You don’t need tomato paste to make pizza sauce, though it gives a much deeper flavor. Just puree fresh pulpy tomatoes and cook them down until the sauce becomes thick.

How to make no cook pizza sauce?

For those looking for a homemade sauce that does not require cooking, you can reach for canned tomato paste. This option will yield a thicker sauce that can be adjusted with the addition of a little water. From there, you can easily proceed with garlic, herbs, and seasonings according to taste.

What you will end up with is a pizza sauce with a more cooked flavor and a concentrated tomato flavor.

Related Recipes

schezwan sauce

Schezwan sauc...

pizza recipe

Pizza recipe ...

bread pizza

Bread pizza |...

Tawa pizza without yeast | How to make pizza without oven

Tawa pizza wi...

Pizza paratha (roti pizza)

Pizza paratha...

bread recipes for snacks

Bread recipes...

Recipe card

Advertisement
pizza sauce

Pizza sauce recipe

Make the easiest pizza sauce at home with fresh tomatoes and herbs. Packed with flavors and comes together under 20 minutes.
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time13 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Servings1 cup
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

  • 500 grams tomatoes (ripe, 2 cups tomato puree)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
  • ¾ tablespoon garlic fine chopped or minced
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • ⅓ to ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance the flavors)
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon dried basil (or 2 tbsps fine chopped fresh basil)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
Advertisement

Instructions

  • Rinse tomatoes under running water and dice them. Puree them in a blender.
  • Heat oil in a pot and add finely chopped garlic. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until garlic becomes aromatic.
  • Then add red chilli flakes if using and give a quick mix.
  • Pour the tomato puree and stir. Cover immediately and cook on a medium to low heat until the sauce thickens slightly. This takes about 15 mins.
  • Stir in between to prevent the tomatoes from burning. Be careful as the sauce splashes. You may turn down the heat and stir.
  • Then add salt, sugar, oregano, black pepper and basil. Mix and continue to cook for another 5 mins, until the sauce becomes thick. When it is done you will see traces of oil on the sides and top.
  • Turn off and add more salt if needed. Cool this completely and store in an air tight glass jar.
  • Pizza sauce keeps good in the refrigerator for 2 weeks and for 3 months when frozen.
Advertisement

Notes

  • I prefer to add the herbs after the sauce is half cooked. If you prefer to add in earlier you may add them along with the red chilli flakes.
  • Nutritional values are for the entire yield (1 cup)

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Pizza sauce recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 367 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Sodium 819mg36%
Potassium 1185mg34%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 4462IU89%
Vitamin C 70mg85%
Calcium 72mg7%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

WhatsApp
Share
Pin
Reddit
Tweet
Email
FOR MORE RECIPES

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.


Pizza sauce recipe
Advertisement
WhatsApp
Share
Pin
Reddit
Tweet
Email

Related Posts

Advertisement

FEATURED RECIPES

Breakfast Recipes

Upma recipe (r…

upma recipe

Cake Recipes

Banana cake re…

banana cake recipe

Breakfast Recipes

Aloo paratha r…

aloo paratha

vegetarian

Paneer recipes…

paneer recipes

Dal Recipes

Dal makhani (S…

dal makhani recipe

Rice Recipes

Veg biryani re…

veg biryani

Advertisement

POPULAR RECIPES

Idli recipe (S…

soft idli

Samosa recipe …

samosa

Pav bhaji reci…

pav bhaji

Eggless chocol…

eggless chocolate cake

Palak paneer r…

palak paneer

Rajma recipe |…

rajma

Advertisement

Paneer butter …

paneer butter masala

Kadai paneer r…

kadai paneer

Paneer tikka r…

paneer tikka

Advertisement

About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
Read more..

Reader Interactions

Share Your Comments & Feedback: Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Advertisement
  2. Aarti Manoj Sawani says

    December 5, 2016

    5 stars
    hii

    can you show me hot n sour soup recipe>>??

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 27, 2016

      I will share it

      Reply
  3. Aarti Manoj Sawani says

    December 5, 2016

    5 stars
    happy to learn cooking, recipes with images it helps a lot.

    Thank you

    Reply
  4. Anu says

    November 6, 2016

    Hi swasthi
    Cud u please share garlic sauce too

    Reply
  5. sakshi Sharma says

    September 19, 2016

    Thanks

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      September 19, 2016

      welcome

      Reply
  6. Ruxana Gafoor says

    April 1, 2014

    nice sauce..thanks for sharing

    Reply
  7. Suja Manoj says

    March 20, 2014

    Home made is the best,thanks for sharing

    Reply
  8. Advertisement
  9. Priya Suresh says

    March 20, 2014

    Home made pizza sauce, my favourite..

    Reply
  10. Sony P says

    March 20, 2014

    Rich in color…… Looks yummy pizza sauce!!

    Reply
  11. Vikis says

    March 20, 2014

    Very nice pizza sauce dear. Love it.

    Reply
  12. Bhawna Bagri says

    March 20, 2014

    Nice post…

    Reply
  13. Nisa Homey says

    March 20, 2014

    I love these kind of easy homemade pizza sauce…pinned and shared!

    Reply
  14. Advertisement
  15. divya says

    March 20, 2014

    looks sooo tempting…

    Reply
  16. Sundari Nathan says

    March 20, 2014

    Love ur blog Swasthi !! First time here 🙂 Very tempting pizza sauce !!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Advertisement

DIWALI RECIPES

JALEBI RECIPE
RASGULLA RECIPE
RASMALAI RECIPE
GULAB JAMUN
BESAN LADOO
KAJU KATLI
RAVA LADDU
Advertisement

CATEGORIES

DINNER RECIPES
SANDWICH RECIPES
BREAKFAST RECIPES
RICE RECIPES
CHUTNEY RECIPES
SNACKS RECIPES
SWEETS RECIPES

Follow me on social media

Facebook

Like

Instagram

Follow

Pinterest

Follow

Twitter

Follow
Advertisement

HEALTH CORNER

RAGI RECIPES
OATS RECIPES
MILLET RECIPES

Advertisement
Advertisement

© 2012 - 2020 - Swasthi's Recipes. The content is copyrighted to SWASTHI'S and may not be reproduced in any form.