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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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THANK YOU for sharing such an easy BUT GOOD recipe!! 😀 This is recipe that can easily be modified to your tastes. My family found some of the seasonings to be a little overpowering (especially the Oregano & Italian Seasoning) — but I just had to adjust those a little the next time I made the pizza sauce. **Also, the TOMATO PASTE really does make a difference!**
💗 I love this simple recipe and am planning to make a big batch that I can divide into smaller portions to freeze for future use.
Thank you so much Julie!
What’s the process for canning this?
Hi Laura!
I am making your recipe as we speak and I’m sure I will love the taste, especially since I am also from Chicago !
I just made this recipe and it taste great! I was a bit worried about the cans of tomatoes I used as the recipe states “tomato sauce.” Well, here in South Africa we call “ketchup” tomato sauce so imagine my relief when I saw that ketchup is definitely not a substitute. (Language is a wonderful thing hey!)
Will be making pizza for the very first time today using this recipe and I am sure, at least as far as the sauce is going, it will be fantastic!
Thanks for sharing all the way from Chicago!
Oh I’m so glad you did not use ketchup! Yuck! 😉
Best pizza sauce EVER. I love a bold sauce and this is it. I’ll never buy pizza sauce in the jar again. Not only does this taste Waay better, it cheaper to make. I always have all of the ingredients in stock in my pantry anyway. Thank you!
Is this suitable for Vegans?
Yes, this pizza sauce is completely vegan as written.
Excellent, fabulous sauce!!! And made with pantry staples! Thank you so much for this recipe.
I’m so glad you love it, Sherry!
This tomato sauce is so good.
Thank you, Nikki!
I had to come on here and leave you a 5 star review!!! I have made your pizza crust recipe a lot but I never made this sauce. Today I wanted pizza but I didn’t have any pizza sauce so I decided to give yours a try. I am SOOOO happy I did! This is the best pizza sauce I have EVER had! I am a vegetarian so I made a pineapple pizza. I am going vegan soon thou and I am happy to say that your pizza sauce is so good I won’t even miss the cheese! The sauce is so flavorful and thick. I always have the ingredients for it also. I gave my husband a spoonful of the sauce and he was very impressed! I will never buy pizza sauce again! Thanks for such a delicious recipe!!
Thank you so much Shannon!
You’re welcome!! I am making your crust and sauce again now! This time pineapple without the cheese!
Pineapple pizza is my favorite (dipped in ranch dressing)! haha! call me crazy but it’s so good! I hope you enjoy it!
Best sauce ever!!! I reduced the garlic salt a little and used diced tomatoes ( which I puréed with the juice). Everything else was according to the recipe. So good. Made enough for 2 large pizzas. Since we were only having one, I froze half the sauce for next time.