This is my favorite quick and easy homemade pizza sauce recipe. It takes less than five minutes to make with no cooking or chopping necessary! Recipe includes a how-to video!
5-Minute Pizza Sauce
The perfect pairing for my homemade pizza dough (possibly my most loved recipe on the whole website), today’s 100% homemade pizza sauce recipe is a weekly staple in my kitchen. I developed this recipe years ago after many reader requests, and since I’ve been sharing so many new pizza recipes lately (like this buffalo chicken pizza and BBQ pizza version), it just made sense to share it again.
My recipe is incredibly easy and fast–it’s almost as simple as opening a jar of store-bought sauce. Flavor-wise, it knocks the store-bought stuff out of the park, and it pairs so well with any pizza (including my sourdough pizza crust!). I can’t wait to hear what you think about it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Takes literally 5 minutes to make! When I said this recipe was fast, I meant it!
- Robustly flavored thanks to plenty of Italian spices, tomato paste, and a pinch of sugar.
- Bare minimum prep-work: no chopping or cooking required. Literally all you need to do is toss some ingredients together and hit a button!
- Uses simple ingredients, most of which are pantry staples.
And don’t forget, this sauce isn’t just for pizza! It tastes great with calzones, breadsticks, stromboli, pizza bagels, arancini, and even mozzarella sticks!
Ingredients
I wanted to share a recipe that was as simple as possible (while still being robustly flavorful) so we’ll use just 10 ingredients. Most of them are spices/seasonings!
- Canned diced tomatoes. Yes, canned! And yes, I’m a bit defensive about this. I talk more on this below. You can substitute whole canned tomatoes for diced, or you can switch things up and use fire roasted tomatoes for even more flavor (like I do in my award-winning chili recipe!).
- Olive oil. This gives the sauce the proper mellow mouthfeel and adds flavor. Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Spices. I use dried basil, oregano, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. While fresh herbs could be use instead (and would need to be substituted properly), remember, this is meant to be a quick and easy pizza sauce!
- Garlic. We’ll use fresh garlic here since it’s easy to just toss a whole clove into the food processor. If you’re using pre-minced garlic, I recommend a heaping teaspoon.
- Sugar. A pinch deepens the flavor of the sauce and cuts the acidity from the tomatoes without making the sauce sweet. I use sugar in many of my tomato recipes for this reason, like my cherry tomato sauce.
You’ll also need a food processor or a blender to combine everything. I’ve linked to the one that I own and love in the recipe below. I got it as a wedding gift and use it for everything from pie crust to scones!
SAM’S TIP: Pizza sauce is meant to be a bit thick (more-so than marinara), but if the sauce is too thick for your liking, just add a drizzle more olive oil.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
A Note on Using Canned Tomatoes
Now, about those tomatoes…If I seem a little salty or defensive about the fact that I’m using canned tomatoes in the video below, I am 😂
I use canned tomatoes here for the same reasons that I use them in my marinara sauce (and prefer to use them in my homemade salsa and tomato soup). Not only is it easier, but the taste of canned tomatoes is actually typically better, more consistent, and less watery than fresh tomatoes.
Look, if there’s anyone who’s going to tell you to go the extra mile or put in the extra effort when making something at home, it’s going to be me. You’re going to have to just trust me when I say that canned tomatoes are best here. And let me remind you, this is specifically meant to be a fast, easy, no-cook pizza sauce recipe! Canned tomatoes provide the most consistent flavor and texture, and they save time.
How to Make Pizza Sauce
- Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. There is no need to chop any ingredients before adding them, just toss them in!
- Pulse until smooth. Or if you like your sauce to have some texture, stop pulsing whenever you like.
- Use as desired. It’s that easy! If you don’t plan to use your sauce right away, store it in your fridge until ready to use.
SAM’S TIP: Always do a quick taste test before using your sauce. Different brands of tomatoes may contain different ingredients, you may find you need to add a pinch more salt, or a bit more sugar if the acidic taste is particularly strong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do not try substituting the canned tomatoes for fresh. You’ll lose a lot of flavor, and the sauce will be quite watery. I talk about this in detail above.
Personally, I like to use mine for dipping my garlic knots or over my popular pizza dough. To use this sauce for pizza, simply spread it evenly over the rolled dough, cover with cheese (and whatever other toppings you like) and then bake until the cheese is melty.
I find that I typically use about ½ cup of sauce for a 10-12″ pizza. This recipe makes about two cups, and you can save any extra in the fridge or freezer.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Homemade pizza sauce may also be frozen (in an airtight container, of course), for up to three months. To thaw, I recommend just moving the container to the refrigerator the day before you intend to use it and allowing it to thaw overnight. Stir before using.
I imagine it could also be canned, but I don’t have experience with canning to advise on how to do so.
If you are interested in a “white” version of this recipe, my Alfredo sauce recipe is perfect for that!
Enjoy!
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Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (Easy, No-Cook!)
Ingredients
- 14.5 oz (411 g) canned diced tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes undrained
- 6 oz (170 g) canned tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper freshly ground
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender.14.5 oz (411 g) canned diced tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes, 6 oz (170 g) canned tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Pulse 15 times or until mixture is smooth.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container to use later.
Notes
Storing
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for up to 3 months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Jeremy
Outstanding Sauce easy recipe
I split the dough in 3 pieces and made personal pizzas for my granddaughter my wife and me.
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much, Jeremy! I am so glad that everyone enjoyed it. 🙂
Carmen
To be fair, I’m here to comment less on this recipe and more to say that the best “recipe” I found for pizza sauce, courtesy of Italian immigrants, is a can of whole San Marzano tomatoes, a dash of dried oregano and basil each, using an immersion blender (or even a fork) to crush up the tomatoes, then spread evenly. The San Marzano tomatoes are the most flavorful tomatoes, lending an authentic Italian pizza flavor to the final pie. It’s the closest thing to Italian pizza I’ve come across since coming to the States. I gave it 5 starts out of principle, because I hate it when people don’t follow a recipe and then knock it. I’m sure this is a good pizza sauce recipe, but really, the San Marzano “trick” is so ridiculously easy and tasty, I just wanted to share. Because good recipes are meant to be shared, not kept a secret 😉
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Carmen.
Irene DeVerna
Love this recipe! It’s so easy to make & very tasty. Instead of using the dried herbs indicated, I substitute a blend from Stonehouse California Olive Oil called Aglio Olio which combines many already so it makes it super easy for me. I was wondering if anyone has tried canning the sauce? Would like to try making some for either gifts or quick access in the winter! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Irene! I have not personally tried canning it, but I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. 🙂
Nicholas Nii
Oh my Gosh! I just made your pizza sauce for lunch. My parents loved it! My Dad asked me if I could make pizza every day because of your sauce. Your sauce made my pizza the best pizza I ever ate! Of course I used your Pizza Dough recipe for my pizza. Even my grandma loved it! I’m definitely trying your other recipes sometime. You just made the best pizza crust recipe and the best blue ribbon earning pizza sauce!
Sam
Thank you so much, Nicholas! I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Misty
The reviews on this sauce recipe are amazing & I would love to try it but the carbs are so high (I’m doing Keto). Other than replacing the sugar, any suggestions to bring the carb count down?
Sam
Hi Misty! Unfortunately the majority of those carbs come out of the tomato paste so I’m not sure how you would eliminate that. 🙁
Darcy russak
Oh my gosh!! Another homer in recipe! I’ll never buy pizza sauce again!!
Can I send you one of my windchimes as a thank you!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Darcy! There is no need to send me anything I really appreciate the support and your excitement. 🙂
Richard
I tried this yesterday. Delicious! I did try the fresh tomatoes by boiling them to remove the skin. I did notice the watery of fresh tomatoes compared to the canned tomatoes. I just simmered longer to evaporate the water to make a bit thicker. I didn’t use sugar and tried to keep it more authentic Italian style. Used fresh everything else including squeezing my own olive oil (wink) I paired it with your dough recipe and it all came together nicely. Thanks for sharing. I’ll be making this more often now.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Richard! 🙂
Rebekah
I know you stress using canned tomatoes, but I live in the mountains of mexico and canned tomatoes are not available. I would love to make pizza, but need a good recipe using fresh tomatoes as that’s all I have here. Do you have another recipe with fresh or a way to tweak this recipe (I know it wont be the same but I’m desperate haha!!)
Sam
Hi Rebekah! The canned tomatoes really help with the flavor here. I’m not sure what alterations you would need to use fresh tomatoes but it would be worth a shot if that’s all you have. Let me know how it goes if you try it. 🙂
Mike
Hello Rebekah. You can definitely use fresh tomatoes! Just mill or blend them just the same with the same ingredients. The can will likely have more salt in them, so you may have to use a little more salt, but just to taste. Honestly, you can do it with just good fresh tomatoes, touch of salt and sugar and you’ll have a great sauce. Sometimes less is more when it comes to pizza sauce.
Mindy
Seriously the best pizza sauce ever. I made a few modifications of my own like removing the sugar and the sauce came out so delicious. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Mindy! 🙂
Terry
I made this yesterday! Oh my gosh, delicious! My only change was no salt tomatoes, and my stomach, unfortunately can’t handle heat, so I omitted the red pepper flakes. Not really that big of a change. I did heat it up because I wanted to taste it, and raw tomatoes and me don’t mix…lol I was absolutely astounded I didn’t need to tweek a thing! You’re brilliant, absolutely brilliant! I make my own spaghetti sauce and I’d never be able to tell anyone measurements. It’s all by look. Anyway, I need not look any further, this will be go to to pizza sauce recipe! I made a sourdough pizza dough, divided it, made a pizza and your garlic knots. Yum….Next time your dough! Thank you for such wonderful recipes!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Terry! I am so glad you enjoyed it so much. 🙂
Jeanne
I have been trying to make pizza at home. All recipes I tried for dough just seemed too bland. I was about to give up until I found yours. It really is the best. Thanks for sharing. So many recipes use the same basic ingredients but you have the proportions perfect. Good job! This recipe is a keeper. I am looking forward to looking through all the other recipes you have posted.
Sam
Thank you so much, Jeanne! I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Pam
This is perfect! So easy!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Pam! 🙂
Annabel
Do you think this will be good with your egg noodles? Or are the noodles more for soup? Can’t wait to try this!
Sam
Hi Annabel! You can really use the egg noodles for just about any pasta dish, they are different from traditional pasta though so the taste and texture is a bit different, keep that in mind. I think if you’re looking for a sauce that’s like pasta sauce I would recommend my marinara recipe over this pizza sauce, though 🙂
Estelle Scott
In the introduction you mention olive oil and oregano. In the actual recipe with amounts neither the olive oil or the oregano show up. I am a bit confused. How much oregano and How much and where do I add the olive oil?
Thank you,
Sam
That’s so strange, I’m not sure why it published that way but I have fixed it, Estelle! Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention!
Nicole Dunkle
No angry comment from me! You rock and all your recipes are the bomb!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Nicole! 🙂