Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5- Minutes)

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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.

a glass jar of pizza sauce

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 Dough 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!

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 in a glass jar labeled

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

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Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe

Laura
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!
4.99 from 1353 votes
Course condiment, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 24 Servings
Calories 23.3
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes

Ingredients 
 

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

*sugar can be omitted and it will still taste great. Or use honey.
Ingredient Substitutions
  • 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.
Tip: use a red spatula
If you’d like to prevent turning your white or light colored spatulas orange, I suggest using a red spatula or a stainless steel spoon to make this recipe.
This red spatula is my favorite! I use it for everything, especially making red-colored foods like this homemade pizza sauce.
How to Store Pizza 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! 
Spread this sauce onto the best pizza dough recipe! 

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 23.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 479.1mg | Potassium: 237.8mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 7.1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe Rating




791 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I just made this for the first time, and I can’t believe what a difference it made! I made
    it exactly as the recipe was written, and it was delicious! I will never make another pizza without this sauce.

  2. 5 stars
    The sauce is easy and oh so delicious! Perfect for us because we prefer a crispy crust . So glad I found this!!!

  3. Just made this sauce—with a slight modification— to go along with our homemade beer crust pizza and it was outstanding. We didn’t add the sugar and used about 1/2 as much of a sun-dried tomato paste as it has a much more pronounced taste but the consistency and taste were awesome. This is now our new sauce.

  4. 5 stars
    I came across this recipe on Pinterest today. I picked up the 2 cans of tomato sauce/paste, and had all of the seasonings on hand. I must admit that I was skeptical of this recipe, as it looked too simple, but boy am I happy to say that this very simple, easy recipe is SO GOOD. I will never buy store bought jar sauce again! I made a chicken flat bread pizza, and this sauce was absolutely perfect for it. **The total cost for me to make 24 ounces of this sauce was approximately $1.50…What a bargain!

  5. How long will this sauce last if you don’t use it all. And if I was to make spaghetti sauce could I use this recipe.

    1. I have used it after storing it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week! It does thicken as it cools, but smooths out when warmed up! I add leftover sauce to pasta dishes ALL the time!

      1. hi laura, both you and the instructions say “it does thicken as it cools” but there are no instructions to heat it up or cook. so how does it “cool”?

      2. This is a no-cook pizza sauce! I mean if you refrigerate the sauce it will thicken as it goes below room temperature!

  6. 5 stars
    That’s a good recipe. But as for Chicago having the best pizza, you need to try Frank Pepe’s in New Haven. It was voted best pizza in the world and in the country multiple times.

    1. I’d happily accept the challenge in trying the best Pizza places in the world! 🙂 But this Chicago girl has a heart for deep dish!