I’ve made homemade pizza sauce before but I wanted one that was even thicker and richer because I had some big plans to dip things in it (and by “things” I mean pizzadillas). Dipping sauces have to be really thick or else they won’t hang on to whatever is being dunked in them. But I also love a good, thick pizza sauce on my pizzas. A thick pizza sauce gives all the flavor without making the dough soggy. No watery pizza sauce here, folks!
Ingredients for Pizza Sauce:
To make this super thick and rich pizza sauce, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Olive Oil & Garlic: Garlic sautéed in olive oil provides a deep base flavor for this pizza sauce.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Canned crushed tomatoes provide the bulk of the volume of the sauce. The crushed texture is smooth enough that you won’t have chunks in your sauce, but still has enough texture to prevent the sauce from being too thin.
- Tomato Paste: A little dollop of tomato paste helps thicken the sauce even further and provides a super concentrated tomato flavor to the sauce. No weak sauce here!
- Seasonings: We keep the seasoning pretty simple with just a little basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and a little sugar to help balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Oh! And a pinch of crushed red pepper too, for a little kick. ;)
How Much Sauce Does This Make?
This homemade pizza sauce recipe makes three cups, which is about 3 large pizzas or 12 dipping portions (or like, six pizza sandwiches). The sauce freezes great so go ahead and freeze some of it and then you won’t have to make a batch the next time you want a pizza!
How to Use Homemade Pizza Sauce
Pizza sauce is great for a lot more than just pizzas! This super thick and rich pizza sauce recipe is my new go-to red sauce. Use it for meatball subs, eggplant or chicken parmesan, or just for dipping breadsticks. It’s a quick, easy, all-purpose red sauce for smothering and dipping. Here are a few other great ways to use your Homemade Pizza Sauce:
How to Store Leftover Pizza Sauce
If this pizza sauce recipe is more sauce than you need for one meal, go ahead and freeze the remainder of the sauce. I suggest using a quart-sized freezer bag. To reheat, just tear away the freezer bag and empty the frozen pizza sauce into a small sauce pot. Reheat over low, stirring often, until it is heated through.
Homemade Pizza Sauce
Servings 3 cupsIngredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.26)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes ($1.47)
- 1 6oz. can tomato paste ($0.59)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar ($0.05)
- 3/4 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1 tsp dried basil ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper (optional) ($0.02)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and garlic to a sauce pot and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, basil, oregano, some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill), and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Cover the pot, allow the pot to come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for 15 minutes minimum, or up to 30 minutes (I often let it simmer as I prepare my pizza dough).
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Homemade Pizza Sauce – Step By Step Photos
Sauté one clove of minced garlic (or two if you like things garlicky!) in 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat for one to two minutes, or until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
Add one 28oz. can crushed tomatoes, one 6oz. can tomato paste, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, some freshly cracked pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce pot.
Stir the ingredients together, place a lid on top, then allow it to come up to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes minimum (I sometimes let it simmer longer while I’m preparing the pizza dough and the flavor just gets sweeter and deeper).
This came out ahh-mazing!! I made it with your pizza crust and we all loved it! Like others have said it’s better than anything we can buy! I froze the sauce in baggies although I wish I had glass jars like another reviewer! Then I’ll freeze the leftover pepperoni and make a few more batches of dough so I can have this anytime. I might try and even freeze the cheese??? Thank you so much! I’ve been coming here first for almost everything I’ve been making the past few weeks!
I freeze shredded cheese all the time and it works great!
The pizza sauce was great added a pinch of bay leave and abit more sugar.
I made this to go with calzones one night and my husband requested I make this recipe just to have with pasta…so this is now our new pasta sauce:) even my 3 yo devours it!
Thanks for sharing, it’s a really helpful recipe for me..
I love your food. This was exceptionally good to accommodate a Detroit pizza. Made a whole jar and a plastic tub. Been cooking with you since September. Keep up the great work!
LOVE this recipe. Found it a year ago and make it every few months and freeze so i always have pizza sauce. I freeze it in small jars ,
jar= 1 pizza. I add a bit more garlic and maybe a touch more basil for us. My pizza is now dare i say better then delivery?
Hi, I’m a huge fan of your marinara recipe, as is my whole family and my boyfriend. I make it all the time, whether for pasta or pizza. Obviously I can see the differences in this recipe vs that one, but do you think you could describe the differences in taste? Like for example is this one sweeter, more savory, etc?
This one is a bit thicker and tomato-y… and a little less sweet because you don’t have that balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. The regular white sugar in this one gives a slightly cleaner taste. It’s pretty difficult to describe in words, I guess! Ha! :)
This is my go-to website when I’m planning my week’s menu and shopping. Thank you thank you!
Amazing! Best pizza sauce EVER! I will never buy pizza sauce again. This also makes a great dippin’ sauce. Yum!
Amazing sauce, and so easy to make too
Heat the oil and add about 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Let it fry until it is a dark red and blends with the oil then add the rest of the paste and the sauce. It tastes as if you used sun dried tomatoes.
REALLY delicious!
Fantastic! I had no idea tomato sauce was so easy (and quick!) to make. I added about half a teaspoon of fennel seeds and it really added a special touch. Used half for spaghetti & meatballs on day one (with a little pasta water), and made pizza the next day. Worked great for both, I am never buying canned sauce again!
This is the best homemade pizza sauce ever! I never knew it could be so easy to make – Thanks Beth!
This sauce was so bomb. I used it for dipping the oven fried zuchini sticks recipe. I also made the Italian wonderpot with it. All three recipes are sooo good! <3