Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe! 5 minutes and 9 ingredients results in the best pizza sauce you will ever have! Gluten-free, paleo-friendly, dairy-free, & vegan!
The morning before we go grocery shopping…while I sip my coffee and my kids finish their breakfast…I like to ask them what they want for dinner the next week. Without fail their first answer is always, “pizza!”
We love making pizza at home because it’s crazy easy, super fun, way healthier than delivery and easy on the wallet. Today I am sharing our go-to Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe. It literally takes five minutes to whip up and will make the best pizza you’ve ever had. ever.
We’re from Chicago (born and raised)…so we’ve experienced some of the best pizza in the world. I remember, one evening after dining at a famous pizza restaurant, we got in the car and I asked my husband how he liked it. (Yes, I’m that wife who analyzes the entire meal the second we get into the car after dining out). It turned out he was less than impressed. WHAT?! Seriously I thought my pizza-loving-husband 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 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!
How do you make Pizza Sauce from Scratch?
To make this homemade pizza sauce from scratch you literally crack open two cans, add some seasonings, stir and you’re set to go. You can easily make it ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make your pizza!
Tomato paste is a must.
Please don’t leave out the tomato paste! It makes the pizza sauce thicker (see the importance of that below) which is key in making non-soggy pizza!
Use a RED spatula for mixing!
Seriously, keep your white spatulas far, FAR from this pizza sauce recipe…unless you want to turn them into orange spatulas! 😉 This red spatula (pictured below and used in the video) is my absolute favorite EVER! I use it for everything, especially making red-colored foods like this homemade pizza sauce!
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!
Homemade Pizza Sauce Serving size
This Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe makes enough sauce to very generously cover one large pizza. If you are a normal human and enjoy a normal amount of sauce…I suggest saving a little to dip your extra crust in!
A few tips on making the best homemade pizza:
- Use great dough. If your dough is just bleh, you pizza will be too. This Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe is our go-to! It requires no rising, and makes a delicious pizza in under 30 minutes!
- Spread the sauce generously and evenly. The flavor and essence of a pizza lies in the pizza sauce recipe you use! Be sure to put a nice thick layer on and spread it evenly!
- Add a little cheese before the toppings. This was a trick I learned working at the pizza place. Starting with a very thin layer of cheese helps the toppings stick. It also creates like a cheese-topping sandwich on top of your pizza, which is just amazing .
- Watch the pizza carefully. The pizza goes from almost done to too brown fairly quickly. So be careful!
8. Let it cool & Serve
To avoid burning your mouth on lava hot sauce, let the finished pizza cool for at least 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving!
Easily Doubled (or tripled)
This easy pizza sauce recipe is easily doubled or tripled. I love serving it with a huge salad when we have guests. You can also make the crust into small personal pizzas and let the kids put their own toppings on it, which is super fun!
Vegan Pizza Sauce!
The sauce itself is vegan…so you can make some pretty amazing vegan pizzas out of this delicious recipe! However, as I’ve mentioned before…I’m a veggie-lover trapped in a family of carnivores! So I usually make a little pizza for myself with lots of veggies!
Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe: Substitutions
Here are a few possible substitutions that can be made in this recipe.
- Tomato Sauce. Sometimes I run out of cans of tomato sauce (GASP) and in a pinch I have used a can of diced tomatoes that I tossed in my Vitamix to turn into sauce! You can also use fresh blended tomatoes as well!
- Oregano/Italian seasoning. I always make this with dried spices, but feel free to use fresh! Also, if you like a tamer sauce you might want to start will less and add more to your liking!
- Garlic salt. If you don’t keep garlic salt on hand, feel free to use a little more garlic powder and regular sea salt!
- Granulated sugar. This can be left out to make a paleo version. Or you can substitute coconut sugar! I think the little bit of sugar enhances the flavor of the tomatoes!
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Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1-2 TBS oregano to taste
- 2 TBS Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ TBS garlic salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar coconut sugar for paleo or omit
Instructions
- Mix tomato paste and sauce together in a medium size bowl until well combined (all the lumps of paste are incorporated into the sauce).
- Add the rest of the ingredients (oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper and sugar) and mix well!
- Use in your favorite pizza recipe!
Video
Nutrition
This post was originally published on April 25, 2016. The post has been updated with new photos, step-by-step instructions and a video, but the recipe remains unchanged!
What are you favorite pizza toppings!?
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Arianna
May 26, 2019 at 10:46 pmI’m just a 16 year-old but I love finding simple recipes that I could take to college and this is one of them. Very easy to follow but also quite flavorful! I just made a pizza with the sauce and I didn’t have much hope until I took a bite and my mouth instantly watered. You can just smell the herbs once you take the pizza out of the oven but the taste is on a whole other plane. I will certainly make more pizza for my family! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Sandra
May 26, 2019 at 1:27 pmThis was absolutely simple and delicious!! This one will be going into the recipe book so I never lose it. Not sure how I came across you and your blog, but so glad I did. You have a precious family, a sweet spirit of the Lord Jesus, and great recipes. Blessings to you.
Julie McGill
May 16, 2019 at 3:56 pmSo easy and fresh! My students made it for their “clamping” trip!
Carolyne
May 10, 2019 at 12:52 pmI am wondering if I could can this. When I go through the work to make something, I like to make enough to put aside for future use.
ESK
June 2, 2019 at 3:40 pmI don’t know if I would can this without adding extra acid, but I bet it would freeze like a dream!
Laura
June 2, 2019 at 8:04 pmI’ve frozen this sauce many times! I have never tried canning it!
Mike
May 10, 2019 at 12:14 pmUsed this Recipe and made a triple size load. Its fabulous! We had five kids stay the night last weekend and they all made their own mini pizzas for dinner! Lots of fun! I’ve made homemade pizza sauce before, and the recipe called for Olive Oil! Yours doesn’t. Didnt even notice it was missing to tell you the truth.
Stephanie
May 5, 2019 at 8:06 pmThis recipe is so amazing! As a mom I love how simple this recipe is. It is also sooo delicious. My son loved it! I’ve been wanting to make a home made pizza sauce for awhile now. When I looked up a recipe this was the first I saw, with amazing reviews. I love this recipe! I will be making this sauce again. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
GM
May 7, 2019 at 10:11 amHi Alison,
I agree with Stephanie. Loved this. Simple to make and sooooo flavorful. Of course I added a tablespoon of red pepper flakes, because we like everything with a little kick to it, but ‘awesome sauce’. Literally and figuratively. From the breadbasket of CA, a huge thank you.
Mallory Deckard
April 30, 2019 at 3:12 pmSo I’m A mother of three and eight year cancer survivor I also don’t always have the time in the kitchen but what I do know is this recipe answered every question I had from the substitutes to everything I really really really appreciated this recipe I will be making it tonight and I am excited to look at more from laura
Alison
April 21, 2019 at 11:46 amAm I the only one who thought this tasted like Lunchables “pizza sauce?” Not my favorite, personally, but others might like it, I suppose.
Laura
April 22, 2019 at 3:05 pmLOL Alison I’ve never heard that critique before! We make this every week and love it, but it is heavy on the spices and might not be for everyone (obviously)! My husband does love lunchables (taste palette of an 8-year-old boy haha)! I can’t say I’ve ever had a pizza lunchable though!
Ken Hansen
April 7, 2019 at 10:49 amLaura, you are spot on with this recipe! Born & raised in Waukegan and lived in Roger’s Park for years, I know what good Chicago pizza sauce tastes like. Not to be confused with deep dish whole tomato sauce that many folks believe that is the only pizza us folks from “The Windy” eat, I love thin crust and this is perfect! I was going to ask you how long it would last in the fridge but I found out the answer. Not very long! It seemed that over just a few days it seemed to have disappeared!
Tom Thornbury
March 26, 2019 at 1:47 amIs a can of tomato sauce the same as a can of chopped tomatoes?
Laura
March 26, 2019 at 4:17 pmNo those are two different ingredients!
Raquel
March 16, 2019 at 8:09 pmMade this last week and it was so good! It had so much more flavour than the store bought version we usually use. I made way more than I needed though, do you know how long it lasts in the fridge?
Laura
March 17, 2019 at 7:29 amI have used it a week after making it! 😉 You can also freeze it!
June Robbs
March 16, 2019 at 12:33 pmThought I had pizza sauce in my pantry but none….so forced to make this quick and easy sauce as my pizza was ready to go. Well what a pleasant surprise. Not only easy and fast but tasted great. I only used 1/2 cup for a 10 ” square iron skillet pizza which was plenty…froze the rest. Definitely a keeper.
Laura
March 17, 2019 at 7:30 amI’m so glad you enjoyed it June!!
Dawn
February 28, 2019 at 8:42 pmMade this sauce for the first time tonight. It was delicious on our pizza! Had half leftover so froze for future use. Will be making this sauce again & again. Thank you for a quick & simple recipe.
mohit verma
February 23, 2019 at 2:24 amIt’s great sauce recipe, thank you for sharing this recipe, great combination with pizza
Julina
February 14, 2019 at 7:10 pmPerfect!! Thanks for the great recipe! No sugar needed for me. I’ve had this 3 times now and it will continue to be my go to pizza sauce.
Kerry
February 6, 2019 at 3:51 amHow long can this stay in fridge after its mixed up?
Kristin
January 31, 2019 at 9:48 amPerfection! This was so simple, yet delicious. We are new to making pizza at home and have found our sauce. This is a keeper!
Erik
January 12, 2019 at 7:29 pmI didnt have tomato paste, but it was time to teach my 10yo about reductions anyways…reduced down a can of tomato sauce and had JUST enough for our antelope and pepperoni pizza.
Turned out real good! I think we may try mixing in a shredded can of green chilis next time for some power but this sauce was right tasty!
Thanks!
Mel
December 7, 2018 at 1:31 pmThis was much better than store bought.
Laura
December 7, 2018 at 3:17 pmI’m so glad you think so Mel!
Becky Blad
December 3, 2018 at 2:18 pmThis pizza sauce was so easy to make and flavorful! I will be making it again.
Laura
December 3, 2018 at 3:01 pmI’m so glad you enjoyed it Becky! 🙂
Hope
November 30, 2018 at 11:10 amLove this easy recipe for pizza!
Mrs.oki1
November 18, 2018 at 2:42 pmSo good! Is it bad that I’ve eaten about 3 spoonfuls before putting it on the pizza? I’m excited! I’m never buying sauce again!
Kristen
November 10, 2018 at 11:40 amMy husband loves this sauce! I don’t really do tomatoes so we always make individual pizzas and end up with quite a bit of sauce left over. Has anyone tried freezing it? It seems like a waste to have to through half of it out because of can sizes. We tried just making pizza twice in one week, but it gets really thick and not as pleasant as it hangs out in the refrigerator…
Laura
November 10, 2018 at 12:34 pmHey!! I have frozen it with great results! I also totally know about the solidifying in the fridge! I have found that letting it warm to room temperature and stirring returns it to its original texture! I usually use leftovers to make French bread pizza or pasta!
Ramona
October 29, 2018 at 8:55 pmI found this recipe today,made some and made pizza for dinner. My husband raved,said it was the best pizza sauce he’s ever had,and he loves pizza! The recipe is printed and in my recipe binder. Thanks so much!