Homemade Pizza Sauce (5-Minute Recipe)

This homemade pizza sauce recipe is one of my favorite easy DIY recipes, and it’s sure to make homemade pizza night more fun. With simple ingredients and a burst of flavor, you’ll never go back to store-bought sauce. 

I spent a lot of last winter using canned goods that I bought at the store or that my friends gave to me.

It’s time to get in the “homemade” kick again and do everything from scratch. I pickled jalapeños, made onion relish, and homemade bacon jam.

When pizza night came around, this easy pizza sauce recipe perfectly matched the homemade pizza dough I was testing.

By using canned tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes, this no-cook pizza sauce can be made in just 5 minutes.

Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe

I came up with this easy homemade pizza sauce recipe last year and put it on the back burner after I tested it a few times.

This sauce whips up so quickly that you can prep it while pre-heating the oven. 

You can make homemade pizza sauce and assemble your pizza before the oven is even ready to cook it!

Simple ingredients are what you need to make this recipe – nothing fancy, and you don’t need to process fresh tomatoes.

I use canned tomato sauce and canned tomato paste as my base. 

I like to add a lot of garlic to my sauce, but feel free to decrease the amount if you are a vampire… or if you don’t like garlic.

The ingredients are pantry staples. Combine them in a small bowl and then whisk or stir everything together.

Best Pizza Sauce Recipe Ingredients

You only need a few basic ingredients to make the best homemade pizza sauce recipe.

Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce forms the base of your pizza sauce. It provides a smooth and consistent tomato flavor. You can use store-bought tomato sauce or make your own by cooking and pureeing fresh tomatoes with an immersion blender or food processor.

Tomato Paste: Tomato paste is a concentrated tomato product that adds thickness and an intense tomato flavor to the sauce. It’s responsible for giving the sauce a robust and rich consistency.

Minced Fresh Garlic: Fresh garlic clove adds a pungent and aromatic flavor to the sauce. Chopping it finely ensures that the garlic flavor is distributed evenly throughout the sauce.

Ground Dried Oregano: Dried oregano contributes a classic Italian herb flavor to your pizza sauce. It’s a vital seasoning component that gives the DIY sauce its distinct pizza taste.

Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning blends dried herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram.It enhances the overall Italian flavor profile of your sauce, providing depth, complexity, and the best flavor.

Ground Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika introduces a smoky, slightly spicy, sweet undertone to the sauce. It’s a unique twist that sets this homemade pizza sauce apart from the store-bought variety.

White Sugar: A touch of white sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and provides a subtle sweetness that blends with the other savory and aromatic elements in the sauce.

Salt and Black Pepper: Salt is a crucial ingredient to enhance the overall flavor, while black pepper adds a mild heat and complexity. The combination of salt and pepper allows you to fine-tune the seasoning to your taste, ensuring a well-balanced and seasoned pizza sauce.

Ingredient Substitutions or Additions to Make Your Own Sauce

These additions and substitutions can help you customize your homemade pizza sauce to your taste preferences and the type of pizza you’re making, whether it’s a classic Margherita, spicy pepperoni, or a creative veggie pizza pie.

Red Pepper Flakes: Red pepper flakes are an excellent addition if you like your pizza sauce to have a spicy kick. They add heat and a touch of complexity to the sauce. Adjust the quantity to suit your heat tolerance.

Honey: Honey can be used as a sugar replacement to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar. It adds a touch of sweetness without being overpowering, creating a well-rounded flavor profile.

Crushed Tomatoes: While this pizza sauce recipe uses tomato sauce and paste, crushed tomatoes offer a chunkier texture with small tomato pieces. Crushed tomatoes can provide a more rustic and heartier feel to your sauce.

Fresh Basil: Fresh basil is a classic pizza sauce ingredient. Chopped or torn basil leaves bring a bright, herbaceous aroma and a slightly sweet taste. 

Fresh Herbs: Besides fresh basil, consider using other fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, or marjoram. They offer a burst of vibrant, garden-fresh flavors you won’t find in dried herbs. Chop them finely and add them to the sauce for a fragrant and aromatic touch.

Garlic Powder: If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder as a convenient substitute. It provides a milder, evenly distributed garlic flavor throughout the sauce.

Onion Powder: If you love onions, add onion powder for a mild, consistent onion flavor in your sauce.

Fennel Seed: Fennel seeds, ground or whole, offer an anise-like flavor often associated with Italian sausage. A small amount can lend a sausage-like essence to your pizza sauce, especially if you’re making a sausage and pepperoni pizza.

Balsamic Vinegar: For a tangy and slightly sweet note, consider adding balsamic vinegar. It adds depth and complexity to the sauce, creating a delightful contrast to the tomato’s acidity.

How to Store Homemade Pizza Sauce

I store my leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store any unused sauce in an airtight container. 

I use Ball jars or Weck jars instead of plastic storage containers because the plastic usually becomes stained by the tomato.

Use This Sauce in These Recipes

I first came up with this sauce recipe for my Margherita pizza pitas.

You can also use this as a dipping sauce for my Chicago-style deep dish breadsticks or when making your favorite pizza recipes!

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