Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (2024)

By Laura

Posted Sep 23, 2018, Updated Jan 28, 2024

4.99 from 1351 votes

790 Comments

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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!

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (2)

We love makingpizza 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 tastedjust like tomatoes” was his personal opinion. He likes his pizza saucy, bold and flavorful andthat particular pie just didn’t cut it. Moral of the story: there’s no weak sauce allowed in our household. And thisEasy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe ensures that!

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (3)

Pizza Sauce Recipe: Substitutions

Here are a few possible substitutions that can be made in this recipe.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (4)
  • 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.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (5)

How to Make Pizza Sauce

This homemade pizza sauce recipe is easy to make in 5 minutes. You can also prepare itahead 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.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (6)

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.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (7)

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!

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (8)

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.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (9)

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 iseasily 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.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (10)

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 (5 Minutes) (11)

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (12)

SavePinPrint

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 1351 votes

Course condiment, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 24 Servings

Calories 23.3

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Total Time5 minutes 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 foreverything,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.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

Try these recipes

Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

How to Make Pizza (Pizza Recipe)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Pepperoni Pizza Recipe

Burrata Salad

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (19)
Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (2024)

FAQs

What can I use if I don't have pizza sauce? ›

5 Pizza Sauce Alternatives
  • Other tomato-based sauces. Traditional pizza sauce is made using canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, onion, and herbs like basil and oregano but there are so many other tomato sauce options that offer different flavour profiles. ...
  • Pesto. ...
  • Alfredo. ...
  • Tapenade. ...
  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

Can you turn ketchup into pizza sauce? ›

Ketchup by itself is too sweet, so a mix of ketchup, hotsauce (or Maggie hot n sweet sauce in india), few tsp oil, few tsp water, minced garlic, mince green chilly (optional), mixed dry herbs, oregano, mix well. That's my version of a pizza sauce with ready ingredients. Never fails.

What are 5 sauce options for pizza? ›

A Quick Guide to Different Types of Pizza Sauces
  • Marinara Sauce. Marinara is one of the more versatile pizza sauces that you have to choose from. ...
  • Spicy Red Sauce. ...
  • BBQ Sauce. ...
  • Buffalo Sauce. ...
  • Alfredo Sauce. ...
  • Pesto Sauce. ...
  • Chocolate Sauce. ...
  • Become a Wood-fired Pizza Expert Overnight.

What can I use if I don t have tomato sauce? ›

Tomato Paste

This umami-rich paste can transform into a makeshift tomato sauce when mixed with water. Here's how: Sauté tomato paste in olive oil with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Add water, roughly following a ratio of 1:1, tomato paste to water, and mix well.

Can you use regular tomato sauce as pizza sauce? ›

Pizza sauce is VERY forgiving - you can use just about any tomatoes you like! If you're using canned tomatoes, we like using a smooth variety like tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. You can use canned whole or diced tomatoes if you don't mind a more textured sauce. You can also use fresh tomatoes here!

How to make pizza sauce from jarred spaghetti sauce? ›

How to Make Pizza Sauce with Pasta Sauce
  1. Strain the pasta sauce to remove excess liquid.
  2. Add the pasta sauce to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
  3. Add your desired seasoning and salt to taste.
  4. Pulse a few more times until thoroughly combined.
  5. Strain out any additional liquid.

Does spaghetti sauce make good pizza sauce? ›

You can substitute pizza sauce with pasta sauce, pesto, white garlic sauce, Buffalo sauce, Hummus, and more. The right recipe can make any sauce usable as a pizza base. However, make sure you're well aware of the flavor profiles of your toppings with your base sauce.

Can I use ragu as pizza sauce? ›

Ragu Homemade Style Pizza Sauce is excellent! It's got the natural flavorings I like without the chunks and without added sugar. It's the best tasting pizza sauce I have ever had.

What makes pizza sauce different from tomato sauce? ›

A pizza sauce has a greater thickness to it thanks to the use of undiluted tomato paste. Pizza sauce tends to be somewhat simpler in terms of ingredients. While both feature tomatoes in one form or another, a pizza sauce's add-ins are often limited to things like garlic, oregano, basil, and olive oil.

What can I use instead of tomato paste on pizza? ›

You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

Is pizza sauce made of tomato paste? ›

Fresh and Bright Pizza Sauce:

1 tbsp tomato paste. 1/2 tsp salt. 1 tsp sugar. 1 tbsp olive oil.

What to use if you don't have pizza sauce? ›

Some popular options include garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and fennel. Pepper adds some kick to the mildness of a white sauce and if you're fond of heat, red pepper flakes are a good option as well. BBQ sauce – Barbeque lovers are likely to enjoy a pizza sauce alternative with a smokier flavor.

What gives pizza sauce its distinctive flavor? ›

Traditional pizza sauce is made with a base of tomatoes and spices like garlic, onion, basil, and oregano. You might think that this makes a pizza simple or boring, but this isn't the case. There are so many varieties and recipes for it that you'll never get bored of this meal!

What is the best cheese to use for homemade pizza? ›

Best cheese for pizza
  • Mozzarella. Perhaps the most well-known and popular pizza topping of all-time, Mozzarella is cherished for its near perfect consistency and straightforward flavour. ...
  • Cheddar/Matured Cheddar. ...
  • Aged Havarti. ...
  • Gorgonzola. ...
  • Provolone. ...
  • Goat cheese. ...
  • Pecorino-Romano. ...
  • The ultimate cheese pizza.

What other sauces are good with pizza? ›

Below are some of the best options you should try.
  • Mayonnaise. This is one of the most loved pizza dips that are sure to pamper each and every taste buds of the person tasting it. ...
  • Tomato Ketchup. Tomato ketchup is one of the most common sauces that are used to boost up the taste of a pie. ...
  • Barbecue Sauce. ...
  • Honey. ...
  • Garlic Paste.

Is pizza sauce necessary? ›

If you aren't a fan of tomatoes and do not like the taste, you need not use them at all. With multiple options like bechamel, hummus, soy sauce, and plain old cheese you can very much bake pizza without tomato sauce.

Can pizza be without sauce? ›

It's hard to imagine a more balanced blend of salty, creamy and sweet flavor than you'll find on this sauce-less pizza. The recipe calls for a thin layer of tomato paste, which eliminates the risk of sauce-saturated crust; it also helps the prosciutto and fig adhere for an even bake and mess-free bites.

Can you use marinara instead of pizza sauce? ›

Now that we know the answer to the question “What is the difference between spaghetti sauce and marinara?” you may wonder, “What is the difference between pizza sauce and marinara?” Marinara sauce and pizza sauce share the same essential ingredients, meaning you can spread marinara over pizza dough to get that perfect ...

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Mr. See Jast

Last Updated:

Views: 6075

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Mr. See Jast

Birthday: 1999-07-30

Address: 8409 Megan Mountain, New Mathew, MT 44997-8193

Phone: +5023589614038

Job: Chief Executive

Hobby: Leather crafting, Flag Football, Candle making, Flying, Poi, Gunsmithing, Swimming

Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.