Pizza Sauce

Pizza night will forever be one of my favorite weeknight and special occasion dinners. It gets everybody in the kitchen, each pie is infinitely customizable, and I always feel a special sense of accomplishment after tasting a slice made from scratch. Though there are plenty of ways to build and top a pizza, odds are you’ll be starting with pizza dough (ours is the best!) and a layer of tomato sauce. You could go store-bought, but pre-packaged tomato sauce is often full of sugar and preservatives, is typically sold in measly 14-ounce containers, and often costs more per ounce than your standard jarred pasta sauce. This recipe starts with a can of tomatoes and uses a few pantry staples to transform it into the ideal base for a homemade pie.

What People Are Saying
“tangy and delicious!!! deff a perfect recipe for a pizza sauce at home. #YUM” -joc2992

How To Make Pizza Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• Whole Peeled Tomatoes: I recommend using whole peeled tomatoes here—the consistency of crushed tomatoes varies wildly by brand, and other shapes like diced or chopped include unnecessary additives. Whole peeled tomatoes allow you to control the texture of your finished sauce.
• Garlic: Nearly every savory dish needs a little bit of garlic. This sauce is no exception. The garlic adds a slightly sweet, aromatic bite and smell that makes you want to keep coming back for more.
• Olive Oil: Use your favorite olive oil, or consult our list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands.
• Dried Oregano: Oregano is a classic Italian seasoning and not one to be skipped. Here, the almost citrusy, minty, pepper-like flavor of the oregano will help to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes.
• Black Pepper: Black pepper will help to add a little bit of a bite to this sauce. It isn’t going to be overwhelming, but you would definitely miss it were it not included.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First we need to blend together the two main ingredients to the sauce. Pop the tomatoes and garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse about 10 to 15 times, until still slightly chunky, or longer if you desire a smoother sauce.

Then, add olive oil to a large saucepan and allow the pan to heat up, before adding in the oregano and black pepper. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute, or until the oregano begins to sizzle.

Pour the tomato mixture into the saucepan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 2 cups. Taste and add salt if necessary.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How much salt should go in pizza sauce? You may notice that salt is an optional ingredient in this recipe. Here’s why: Every can of tomatoes has a different salt content, and it’s also important to consider how you’re planning to use this sauce. If you’re making a pizza with salty toppings like pepperoni, anchovies, or olives, you won’t need to heavily season your sauce. When in doubt, under-salting is better than seasoning too aggressively (you can always rectify the lack of salt by sprinkling more Parmesan on top).
• Should you cook your tomatoes beforehand? Some die-hard pizza purists may not see the need to cook the tomatoes before topping your pie—but I think it’s a necessary step. Evaporating some of the liquid comes with many perks: It minimizes the metallic taste of the can, it concentrates the savory tomato flavor, and it prevents your pizza crust from getting soggy. Trust me, it’s worth the extra 10 minutes.

Storage

The best part of this recipe is that you can make this sauce ahead of time. Simply store it in an airtight container (make sure it’s fully cooled first) and keep it in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.