Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce
This homemade pizza sauce is made with simple pantry ingredients and doesn’t need any chopping or blending.
You’ve probably seen those popular video shorts where they blend pizza sauce right in the can and call it good. Easy, right?
Well, folks, that sauce is watery and undeveloped, and has a really good chance of making your crust soggy. No one wants a soggy crust. Lucky for us, the fix is super easy. Cook the darn sauce!
Also, lucky for us, pizza sauce freezes well. This isn’t developed for canning. But you can make a big batch; it doubles just fine if you use a big enough pot, and freeze it in pizza-sized portions.
Why it Works
- Quick and easy
- No chopping or blending
- Simple pantry ingredients
- A quick simmer thickens the sauce and helps develop the flavor.
Ingredients
Crushed tomatoes: Use good-quality tomatoes (not store brand) for this recipe to get the best flavor and consistency. I like DeLlano San Marzano Style or Cento.
Seasonings: A blend of garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and sugar to give pizza sauce its signature Italian flavor.
Tips
- Here are a couple of tips to fix cheap tomatoes in a pinch.
- If you use store-brand tomatoes, a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and an extra ½ teaspoon of sugar can help balance them and bring out their flavor.
- If your tomatoes are thin and watery, you can increase the cooking time to thicken the sauce.
- Or, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste before cooking for a thicker, more robust sauce.
How to Make it
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan or small pot and stir to combine.
Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. The quality of the tomatoes you used can impact the taste. See my notes in the recipe card about fixing poor-quality tomatoes.
Make Ahead or Feed a Crowd
You can prepare this pizza sauce ahead of time to make your pizza-making sesh easier! See the section below for tips for storing and freezing.
It’s also easy to make a large batch. It’s very easy to double or triple this recipe. I’ve included a 2x and 3x button in the recipe card to calculate the amounts for you.
There are a couple of differences to note when making a large batch:
- Use a bigger pot to fit the sauce.
- You may need to increase the heat to thoroughly warm it.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store
Cool the pizza sauce and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze
Cool the sauce completely and portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. Label, date, and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it in ½ cup portions. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using. Once it’s thawed, stir to recombine.
Reheat
If you’re using it as a pizza, you don’t need to reheat it before using. Simply stir to combine (the juices may separate as it sits), and add it to the pizza.
If you want to heat it for dipping, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until warm.
What to do with Homemade Pizza Sauce
- The obvious answer is homemade pizza! But we like to freeze this sauce and use it for all kinds of things.
- English muffin pizzas are one of my kids’ favorite lunches, and we keep them on regular rotation. It’s also the perfect dip for pizza sliders or a great substitute for marinara on meatball subs.
- Don’t forget about cheese sticks, breadsticks, or mozzarella sticks. Serve it with calzones or stromboli.
Recipes Using Pizza Sauce
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Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce
This pizza sauce is made with simple pantry ingredients.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: about 3.5 cups 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 28-ounce can of good-quality crushed tomatoes*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small pot or saucepan and stir with a wooden or metal spoon to combine. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Some brands of canned tomatoes aren’t as flavorful, and some are more watery than others. See the note below.
- Use immediately or cool and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
*Crushed Tomatoes: Use good-quality tomatoes (not store brand) for this recipe to get the best flavor and consistency. I like DeLlano San Marzano Style or Cento.
Here are a couple of tips to fix cheap tomatoes in a pinch: If you use store-brand tomatoes, a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and an extra ½ teaspoon of sugar can help balance them and bring out their flavor. If your tomatoes are thin and watery, you can increase the cooking time to thicken the sauce.
Thicker Sauce Variation: Make the sauce thicker and more robust by adding 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. We usually skip this to keep things simple, and we love this sauce as written.
How to Freeze it: You can portion it into ½ cup portions and freeze it for later. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it and stir to recombine. The juices will separate when it thaws. You don’t need to heat it before adding it to an uncooked pizza, but I recommend gently warming it if you’re using it for a dip.
How to Make a Big Batch: It’s very easy to double or triple this recipe. I’ve included a 2x and 3x button in the recipe card to calculate the amounts for you.
There are a couple of differences to note when making a large batch:
- Use a bigger pot to fit the sauce.
- You may need to increase the heat to thoroughly warm it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 20
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 271.8 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.7 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Frequently Asked Questions
I usually use about ½ cup of sauce for a 10-12 inch pizza. That’s a small or medium pizza at most places. Spread a thin layer. Too much sauce will make your pizza soggy.
You can store leftovers in the fridge for about a week or freeze them for up to 3 months. We like to use leftover pizza sauce for our English muffin pizzas, as a dip for pizza sliders, or enjoy it with breadsticks.
Yes, you can double or triple this recipe. I’ve included a 2x and 3x button in the recipe card to make it easy.
