Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5- Minutes)

Name: Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 6 ounces tomato paste; 15 ounces tomato sauce; 1-2 Tablespoons dried oregano (to taste); 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ Tablespoon garlic salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon sugar*

By Laura

Posted Sep 23, 2018, Updated Sep 30, 2024

4.99 from 1525 votes

1,106 Comments

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This easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe is made in 5 minutes with 8 ingredients. This no-cook sauce is truly the best pizza sauce recipe ever – developed from my experience working in a Chicago pizzeria!

homemade pizza sauce in a bowl with a spoon

We love making pizza at home because it’s easy (my kids have been making it every week since they were 5), fun and less expensive than delivery.

This is our go-to easy homemade pizza sauce recipe. It takes five minutes to make and results in the best pizza you’ve ever had.

I’m from Chicago (born and raised), so we’ve enjoyed some of the best pizza in the world. I remember, one evening after dining at a famous pizza restaurant my husband was less than impressed. I thought he had gone crazy!

His problem was with the sauce. “There was only a thin layer and it tasted just like tomatoes” was his personal opinion. He likes his pizza saucy, bold and flavorful and that particular pie just didn’t cut it. Moral of the story: there’s no weak sauce allowed in our household. And this Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe ensures that!

pizza sauce being spread onto pizza dough with a spoon

Pizza Sauce Recipe: Substitutions

Here are a few possible substitutions that can be made in this recipe.

overhead photo of the ingredients in this pizza sauce recipe

Tomato Sauce. Sometimes I run out of cans of tomato sauce, and in a pinch I have used a can of diced tomatoes that I tossed in the blender. You can also use fresh blended tomatoes as well.
Tomato Paste. Please don’t leave out the tomato paste. It makes the pizza sauce thick which is key in making non-soggy pizza.
Oregano/Italian seasoning. I always make this with dried spices, but you can use fresh. Also, if you like a sauce with a less bold flavor, you might want to start will less and add more to your preferences.
Garlic salt. If you don’t keep garlic salt on hand, substitute an extra ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt.
Granulated sugar. This can be omitted, or you can substitute honey. However the sugar enhances the flavor of the tomatoes and cuts the “bite” of the sauce.

Note: this pizza sauce recipe is vegan as written, so you can even make some great dairy-free pizzas with this recipe.

How to Make Pizza Sauce

This homemade pizza sauce recipe is easy to make in 5 minutes. You can also prepare it ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it to make pizza.

Begin by mixing the tomato paste and sauce together in a medium size bowl until well combined. Using a whisk is a great choice.

two photos showing how to make pizza sauce - mixing tomato sauce and paste

Then, add the rest of the ingredients (oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper and sugar) and mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

two photos showing how to make pizza sauce - stirring in spices

Then, use it in your favorite pizza recipes. The flavor and essence of a pizza lies in the pizza sauce. So be sure to spread a nice, thick even layer on top of your pizza dough.

Pizza Recipes:

This Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe is our go-to. It requires no rising, and makes a delicious pizza in under 30 minutes! Or try this whole wheat pizza dough. And check out our extensive post on how to make pizza!

Also, try our favorite pizza recipes like cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, BBQ chicken pizza and french bread pizza – all of which use this sauce recipe!

up close photo of pizza sauce being spread onto pizza dough with a spoon

How to Store Pizza Sauce

Store this pizza sauce in a glass jar with a lid for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

To use, let the sauce come to room temperature before spreading it on your pizza dough.

Pizza Sauce Recipe FAQs

How many pizzas can I make with this pizza sauce recipe?

This recipe makes enough sauce to make two large pizzas, or four medium-sized pizza.

Can I double this recipe?

This easy pizza sauce recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

What is the difference between Pizza Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce?

This is a common question I get asked all the time! Here are some distinctions between the two:
Spaghetti sauce has a higher water content. This is why I don’t recommend using a jar of marinara when making homemade pizza, you could end up with a mushy watery mess!
Pizza sauce is thicker. this goes along with the point above, but pizza sauce contains tomato paste, which causes it to spread easier and more evenly!
Pizza sauce is more flavorful. This might be my own opinion, but we like a lot more spices in our pizza sauce than we do in our spaghetti sauce!

Should homemade pizza sauce be cooked?

This recipe is for a no-cook pizza sauce so it does not need to be cooked.

Can I use ketchup as pizza sauce?

I actually get this question a lot – please do not use ketchup as pizza sauce. Ketchup is not a substitute for any of the ingredients in this recipe.

a spoon holding a scoop of pizza sauce over a bowl of pizza sauce

If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!