How to Make Pizza Sauce

5 from 15 votes

Learn how to make pizza sauce as a base for your homemade pizzas and enjoy the delicious taste of fresh, homemade sauce.

Course Sauces, Tutorial

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings cups

Calories 104kcal

Author Yumna Jawad

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 ½ teaspoons sugar or to taste

Instructions

Add oil to a large pan and heat over medium until shimmering. Add onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add the tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes until the color has deepened.
Add canned tomatoes, dried oregano and basil, salt, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Use a wooden spoon to break the tomatoes into small pieces. Bring sauce to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After cooking, use an immersion blender or carefully transfer the sauce to a food processor/blender. Blend until smooth and no chunks of tomatoes remain. Use sauce as desired.

Notes

Storage: Store pizza sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. There is no need to reheat the pizza sauce before using it - just slather it on the pizza dough straight from the fridge and continue with the toppings.

To freeze: Freeze pizza sauce in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and give it a good stir to incorporate any separated liquids.

Tips:

Simmer for depth of flavor. Let the sauce simmer on medium-low heat to allow flavors to meld. Don't rush this step, as it helps the sauce develop a richer, more complex flavor profile.

Thicken naturally. Gently simmering, the sauce thickens as any excess moisture evaporates. This also helps to keep the ingredients minimal and the sauce flavorful.

Make blending fuss-free. Use an immersion blender and blend the sauce directly in the pan. Or carefully transfer the sauce to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Let it cool before using. Allow the sauce to cool slightly before spreading it on the pizza dough to prevent the heat from prematurely cooking it.

Nutrition