Meet your new favorite red Pizza Sauce! This is how the pros make red sauce for pizza using just 5 simple ingredients, and it’s ridiculously easy with no cooking required.
It has a beautiful tomato flavor similar to what you’d enjoy in a fancy Italian pizzeria! Make it now and store it so it’s ready when you want authentic homemade pizza.
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Helpful Reader Review
“10/10!!! Not sure how many times I have made this, I always try to keep some in the freezer. I am making another batch now. Truly outstanding recipe!“ – Angela ★★★★★
Best Pizza Sauce
My family loves to make pizza using my Overnight Pizza Dough recipe or my Quick and Easy Pizza Dough (for same-day pizza), and this homemade pizza sauce. We add our favorite toppings and serve with my Caesar Salad. Pizza night is always a fun way for me to get my kids and hubby into the kitchen together, and it results in a delicious meal–you can’t beat that!
Made-from-scratch pizza sauce is so much better than store-bought pizza sauces, and it is faster than checking out at the register. It’s ready in under 5 minutes! Pre-cooked and canned sauces tend to dry out on a pizza, and the true flavor of the tomatoes dulls, while this uncooked sauce keeps its vibrant tomato flavor and color.
Unlike marinara sauce, authentic pizza sauce is not cooked until it is on the pizza in the oven. I learned how to make the best red sauce from the pizza masters at BonAppetit and Baking Steel.
Ingredients for Homemade Pizza Sauce
These 5 ingredients have the perfect amount of tomato flavor to flavor the pizza without overwhelming the toppings and cheese. Pantry staples are all you need for a truly great red pizza sauce.
- Crushed Tomatoes – we love Italian San Marzano canned tomatoes. A 28-oz can makes 3 cups of sauce. You can also use fresh tomatoes (peel and crush in a food processor), pureed tomatoes for a smoother consistency, or diced tomatoes with a bit of tomato paste.
- Simple flavorings – garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fine sea salt, and dried oregano. You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
Natasha’s Pro Tip:
You might be tempted to add more than 1/2 tablespoon of salt, but after the flavors meld, the sauce will be perfect. Also, remember your toppings (like cheese) will also add saltiness to your pizza.
How to Make Pizza Sauce
To make this easy tomato sauce for pizza, all you need is a blender, food processor, or immersion blender, and there is no cooking required – seriously!
- Pulse together all of the ingredients until blended and well-combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 7 days before using. It’s best the next day.
How to Use Red Pizza Sauce
- On Pizza – After resting, the sauce is ready spread on pizza without cooking. Use about 1/4 cup over a large pizza dough. Don’t over-saturate the dough so that the crust fully cooks in the middle. Add pizza toppings, like mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and veggies, and bake!
- As a Dip for breadsticks made from my Sourdough Pizza Dough recipe, Stromboli, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Calzone, or Garlic Bread.
- As a Topping – try my Pizza Chicken – it’s delicious!
Make-Ahead and Storage
I love this red sauce because it is a make-ahead recipe and gets better with time as the flavors meld together. We love it best the next day, which is perfect with my overnight pizza dough.
- To Refrigerate: Pour sauce into a mason jar or airtight storage container, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: Portion into freezer-safe zip bags, remove any extra air, and seal. Lay flat in the freezer, and it will be quicker to thaw. You can also freeze pizza dough for an easy pizza night when the craving hits. Thaw pizza sauce in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of cold water.
Helpful Reader Review
“We have been searching for a great pizza sauce. I was skeptical because it wasn’t cooked. Made it and let it sit overnight. Simply amazing. Thank you for all your great, easy recipes. Your pizza crust was a hit as well!” – Jennifer ★★★★★
This easy pizza sauce recipe couldn’t be easier, but it always comes out perfectly! It has an authentic Italian flavor and is perfect for meal prep, since it freezes and refrigerates well. Here’s the start to truly amazing homemade pizza, so blend up a batch in just moments today!
P.S. If you prefer a white sauce for pizza, make sure to try my homemade garlic-parmesan White Pizza Sauce. It is my children’s favorite and the one they always request for homemade pizza.
Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or finely grated
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Pulse together – Combine all of your ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse together until well combined and blended.
- Cover and refrigerate – You can use the sauce to make pizza right away, but for best results, cover and refrigerate for the flavors to meld for at least 3 hours or store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Blend the ingredients and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer: Pack in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or by placing the container in a cold bowl of water.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
My Best Homemade Condiments
When it comes to sauces and condiments, homemade always wins. Here are our top sauces, dips, dressings, and condiments that you have to try!
- Tartar Sauce
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Marinara Sauce
- Horseradish Sauce
- Italian Dressing
- Ranch Dip
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Homemade Mayonnaise
One word….Yum! One of the best I’ve had.
This was amazing! I’ve been making your recipes for years and they’ve all been winners. My husband said this is his new favorite pizza sauce!
Very bland and tasted like straight tomatoes. Needed at least twice as much of the other ingredients, plus sugar and Italian seasoning.
Hi Sam, this is closer to a traditional Italian pizza sauce where the tomatoes really shine, but you can definitely adjust the seasonings to your preference. Also, it does make a difference with the brand of tomatoes used – a better quality, especially San Marzano, will yield tastier results.
How much minced garlic from a jar would be the equivalent to 2 garlic cloves?
Hi Cathy! A general conversion is 1/2 teaspoon = 1 garlic clove.
can fresh oregano be used and if so how much? double the dried?
Thanks so much!
Hi Wylie! Sure, that would work. A general rule of thumb is 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of fresh oregano for every 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
I think next time I will drain the tomatoes first it’s a little wet
This is absolutely delicious! It gets even better as it sits. No more store bought sauce for me!
Homemade truly is best!
10/10!!! Not sure how many times I have made this, I always try to keep some in the freezer. I am making another batch now. Truly outstanding recipe!
This is now my favorite sauce for pasta. I don’t put it in a blender but put all ingredients in a saucepan and heat through, adding ground beef or Italian sausage for a meat sauce. Quick, easy and delicious!
Calendar Date Wednesday, October 2nd, ( 2024 )
Dear Culinarian Natasha:
With both my Baking Steel as well as Pizza Dough Formula sourced from BaKing Steel,all with your complementary Tommy Pizza Sauce, we are in the running.
Thank you, Natasha, very very much.
Best, Your Avid Fan Club
I have been making pizza sauce like this for years, but drain the liquid thru a strainer , just let it drip, and then there’s less liquid on the crust and sweeter flavor.
Can you use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?
Hi Kelly. You can use fresh tomatoes, but you would have to make your own crushed tomatoes which you can then use in the sauce. You can look up the process online, it’s quite easy.
One of my readers also left this comment, “ I made this sauce today using fresh tomatoes. I also added a 2 tbsp of tomato paste to thicken it up and 1 tsp of sugar I like my sauce with sweetness flavor.”
I hope that helps.
Hi, I really wanted to make this sauce tonight but I only have Olive Oil…can you use regular Olive Oil and if so how much would I use?
Cannot wait to make the white sauce as well!!
Hi Kim! You can use it in the same amount. I hope you love this recipe and the white sauce too!
Super easy and surprisingly delicious! Thank you Natasha!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Carla!
It’s awesome! Thought I would have ro go to the store to bye pizza sauce, but then this recipe just popped up and saved the day! Its so delicious!