Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5- Minutes)
Posted Sep 23, 2018, Updated Apr 14, 2024
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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!
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 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, 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.
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.
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 and BBQ chicken pizza – all of which use this sauce recipe!
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
This recipe makes enough sauce to make two large pizzas, or four medium-sized pizza.
This easy pizza sauce recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
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!
This recipe is for a no-cook pizza sauce so it does not need to be cooked.
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.
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 15 oz 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*
Instructions
- Mix tomato paste and sauce together in a medium size bowl until smooth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients – oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper and sugar – and stir until evenly distributed throughout the sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Spread onto your favorite pizza dough recipe.
Video
Notes
- 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.
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The sauce will thicken in the refrigerator, so be sure to let it come to room temperature or gently warm it in the microwave before using!
- Freeze. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months!Â
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this sauce for a family pizza night (I’m a Celiac so we do individual pizzas which are separately baked- mine is on GF crust and baked in my toaster oven while everyone else uses regular crust/oven). This sauce was a hit. =) I’m sure we’ll be making another batch soon. Thank you for the recipe!
Your recipe calls for an 8 oz can of tomato paste. I have only seen it in 6 or 12 oz size. Your link takes me to cans of 6 oz. Do you use 6 or 8 oz of paste? Just need clarification on the amount. Thank you.
Hey Carole! It’s 6 oz! I will update that!!! Thank you for calling this to my attention!
I can see the chopped garlic in the jar of sauce but you didn’t mention it in the recipe. You can never have enough fresh garlic in the sauce if you ask me.
Hey Bob! I actually only use garlic powder not fresh garlic…but fresh garlic can absolutely be subbed in for the powdered if you prefer it!
Is 2 TBS of oregano correct? It was way too strong for me!
The 2 Tbsp of oregano was likely a measurement for fresh oregano. To substitute dried oregano, use only 1/3 of the original amount.
Hey Diva! I always use 2 TBS dried oregano when I make this recipe! However it is always OK to adjust it to your liking of course!
This was better than store-bought sauce!!! Pizza is a favorite in my household, especially homemade pizza. I’ll be going to this recipe often!
Delicious, I’ll try it tonight!!!!!!
Woo hoo! Hope you love it! I make this on a weekly basis! 😉
I just made this tonight using fresh herbs from my garden. Needless to say, it was delicious!
Donna I am SO glad you liked it! I can’t wait for my garden to kick it into high gear so I can use fresh herbs…that sounds absolutely delicious! 🙂
This looks delicious! Next time I make my GF Pizza, I am going to make this to go on it! Thanks for sharing at the Sunday Fitness & Food Link-Up!!
OooOOoo GF pizza sounds delish! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
We love homemade pizza too but we actually like our sauce with just tomatoes and fresh garlic, maybe a bit of seasoning. I have 3 boys and I love raising boys. My youngest is 6 and he is so sweet.
Angela I am definitely with you! I like my sauce to taste fresh and tomato-y! 🙂 But my love for my husband trumps my sauce preferences in this case! LOL! 😉 Awww! I’m going to miss having babies so much! But every age is such a blessing! My oldest is 5! 😉 I’ll bet you guys can go on amazingly fun adventures without having to worry about potty-related incidents…THAT will be dreamy!
Looks tasty! And I do love the ease of this sauce! Thanks for sharing on Fiesta Friday 🙂
Thank you Linda! Easy is key!! )