Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5- Minutes)
Posted Sep 23, 2018, Updated Sep 30, 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, BBQ chicken pizza and french bread 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 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*
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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I love this sauce! I usually cook my sauce but this is so easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Carol!
Hello Laura! Your pizza sauce looks delicious. It looks identical to one I often purchase. Although I find most purchased sauces lack spices. I have been looking for a good pizza sauce recipe for ages.
Tomorrow night we are having pizza so I am making your sauce this afternoon. I’ll be back with a review in the next couple of days. If we love it I will make bottles of it and freeze it to have on hand. Oh my, it looks so full of flavour.
Hope your day is wonderful Laura, thank you.
Darlene
Nova Scotia
It’s Pizza night here in Nova Scotia (that happens a lot 🙂 here). The first time I made this sauce was February, 2023. It is now June and I am making Laura’s wonderful pizza sauce again, this time 3X the recipe. It’s absolutely deliciously yummy. Pizza being my favourite food, I have made many sauces over the years, all tasty but this one rates perfect for us. The perfect balance of tomato, spices and sweetness.
Laura, again thank you for sharing.
Have a great day.
Thank you so much Darlene!
I doubled the recipe. Used 28 oz can of san marzano whole peeled tomatoes and used my immersion blender. I loved the taste and consistency of the pizza sauce.
Thank you, Jenny!
Last night I made homemade pizza for my first time. I used this sauce recipe and made 4 pizzas. The sauce was perfect and everyone enjoyed the pizza. I printed copies of the recipe for my guests.
Thank you Mary!
Absolutely delicious! My entire house of 6 approved 😙🤌🏻 will never buy jarred sauce again!
My husband and I loved this sauce! This is by far the best recipe I’ve found for pizza sauce. And it’s so simple too. Thanks Laura!
Thank you, Payton!
I made bagel pizza with this sauce today and my friends loved it..I’m very picky with food but I’m sticking with this sauce. Thank you for this simple but yet delicious 😋 and flavourful recipe. Can’t stop eating 😫
Thank you so much!
Can this be made without added salt? I am cooking for someone on a low sodium diet for medical reasons.
Looking forward to making it tonight! Tomato sauce…is store bought strained tomato glass jar okay?
I’ve tried a few DIY pizza sauces and never quite found the combination that appeals to us. Tried this tonight and we loved it! A definite keeper. Thank you!
Thank you, Linda!
Lovely recipe but all these affiliate links make me never want to come to your site again. I hover over a recipe item and I’m immediately sent to amazon! Like I need help figuring out where to buy freshly ground pepper. Geez!!
I’m sorry you feel that way, Lisa. You will find this is standard practice for most recipe website owners. We provide recipes for free, so the affiliate links and website ads are how we make money. Believe it or not, running an online recipe website is a full time job. I employ many people who help with different areas of this site, and I’m grateful to be able to to so thanks to things like affiliate ads. You can always purchase cookbooks if you’d prefer.
Maybe don’t complain about something so small when you’re getting something free from the author. Yeesh.
Preach. 😉