The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce
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The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce
Say hello to the easiest, most delicious Homemade Pizza Sauce ever! It's quick, simple, and bursting with flavor—trust me, your pizza will thank you! Vegan, Gluten-free + Freezer-friendly.
Making pizza at home is always a good time—it’s super easy, and my kid loves getting involved! The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce is our go-to because it’s packed with rich, umami tomato flavor, garlicky goodness, and just the right amount of herbs. It really takes your pizza to the next level!
When it comes to toppings, my husband’s go-to is The Ultimate Veggie Pizza, my kid loves to keep it simple with Garlic Herb Cheese Pizza, but for me, it’s all about the Hot Honey Bacon Pizza—sweet, spicy, and totally addictive! For more ideas, check out my pizza category or take a look at my Best Pizza Toppings for Any Night post.
Jump to:
- Why You Will LOVE Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Ingredients For Homemade Pizza Sauce
- How To Make A Homemade All-Purpose Blend
- Canned Tomatoes vs Fresh Tomatoes
- How Much Pizza Sauce to Use?
- Ways to Use Homemade Pizza Aauce
- Homemade Pizza Sauce Q + A's
- Are You a Pizza Lover? You Need To Try These Next!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce
Why You Will LOVE Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Fresh, vibrant flavors that make any pizza pop
- Rich + jammy texture that’s oh-so-satisfying
- Easy to make in big batches for future meals
- Simply delicious and better than store-bought options
- No preservatives or artificial ingredients!!
Ingredients For Homemade Pizza Sauce
Here are the ingredients you'll need for Homemade Pizza Sauce—it's super easy and can be made any time of the year! Use fresh tomatoes when they're in season, or opt for canned tomatoes when they're not!
SAUCE:
- Extra virgin olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite high-quality EVOO. My fave tried-and-true brand is California Olive Ranch.
- Onion. Chopped (You can use white, yellow, or red)
- Garlic cloves. Minced
Tomato paste. Adds to the depth of tomato flavor + color. - Chopped tomatoes. You can sub with a 28oz. can of diced or crushed tomatoes or Homemade Tomato Sauce as well; For added flavor, you can also sub with my Herb Roasted Tomatoes.
- Everything blend. You can purchase my On Everything All-Purpose Blend for authentic flavor or make your own blend---- See below on how to make your own.
- Smoked paprika.
- Sea salt.
- Red pepper flakes.
- Pure maple syrup. You can sub with brown or cane sugar as well.
How To Make A Homemade All-Purpose Blend
Just toss all your ingredients into a bowl and give it a good mix until everything’s nicely combined. It’s that easy!
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR BAKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS SAUCE!
Here, I’ve curated a list of baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods, especially with The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce. Everything from my fave sheet pans, wooden spoons, parchment paper, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Canned Tomatoes vs Fresh Tomatoes
Both canned + fresh tomatoes have their perks when it comes to making sauce. Fresh tomatoes bring a bright, just-picked flavor, and they’re perfect when they’re in season. Canned tomatoes, on the other hand, are super convenient and often have a rich, deep flavor since they’re cooked down and preserved at their peak. Fresh is always the best if you can get it, but canned tomatoes are a great backup and still make a tasty pizza sauce!
How Much Pizza Sauce to Use?
Wondering how much sauce to use? Here’s what works for me:
For a 12-inch pizza, I usually go with about ⅓ to ½ cup of sauce. A 14-inch? Closer to ½ to ¾ cup. If you love it extra saucy, you can add a little more—just don’t go overboard or the crust can get soggy.
I like to spread it out with the back of a spoon, nice and even, and leave a little edge for the crust. Just enough to get that perfect bite of saucy, cheesy goodness!
Ways to Use Homemade Pizza Aauce
Obviously, it’s pizza sauce—so yes, it’s great on pizza—but that’s definitely not the only way to use it!
- Dipped with garlic knots, mozzarella sticks, or grilled cheese
- Brushed onto garlic bread for an extra punch of flavor
- Layered into lasagna for an extra flavorful twist
- Used as a quick pasta sauce when you’re short on time
- Spread on flatbreads or Pizza Bagel Bites for easy mini pizzas
- Used as a sandwich spread—try it on a meatball sub or panini
Homemade Pizza Sauce Q + A's
Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Yes! For longer storage---the sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months.When freezing, be sure to let the sauce cool completely before adding portions to freezer-safe bags, containers, or frozen in ice cube trays.
Totally. If you want it thicker, use less tomato puree or cook it down a bit. If you want it thinner, add a splash of water or olive oil until it’s just right.
Are You a Pizza Lover? You Need To Try These Next!
If you enjoyed making The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce, definitely throw these mouthwatering pizza recipes onto your "must-make next" list:
- Cajun Veggie Pumpkin Pizza
- The Ultimate Veggie Pizza
- All Green Veggie Pizza
- Pumpkin BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Loaded Thanksgiving Pizza
- Hawaiian Pizza with Prosciutto
- Best Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
SAUCE:
- 2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped (You can use white, yellow, or red)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 Tbsps organic tomato paste
- 3-4 cups chopped tomatoes (You can sub with a 28oz. can of diced or crushed tomatoes or Homemade Tomato Sauce as well; For added flavor, you can also sub with my Herb Roasted Tomatoes)
- 2 tsps On Everything All-Purpose Blend (You can purchase my On Everything All-Purpose Blend for authentic flavor or make your own blend----See Notes)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ tsps pure maple syrup (You can sub with brown or cane sugar as well)
Instructions
TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil until heated. Add in the chopped onions and minced garlic and sauté frequently about 1-2 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the tomatoes (or roasted tomatoes), tomato paste, salt, On Everything Blend, smoked paprika, maple syrup, and red pepper flakes stirring to combine. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low and allowing everything to simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Let everything simmer (uncovered) for about 25 minutes or so, mashing the larger pieces of tomatoes using a wooden spoon when stirring occasionally. NOTE: For a smoother traditional pizza sauce, use an immersion blender or carefully transfer the sauce to a high-powered blender, and blending until smooth.
- Enjoy the sauce on your favorite pizza or as your please.
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
- TO FREEZE: For longer storage---the sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months.When freezing, be sure to let the sauce cool completely before adding portions to freezer-safe bags, containers, or frozen in ice cube trays.
- HOMEMADE ALL-PURPOSE BLEND: 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, + 1 teaspoon dried parsley.
Nutrition
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