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
Made the pizza sauce the other day and then used it last night. It was so simple that I was a little worried about it. It sat in the fridge overnight. When we tried it the next day it was delicious. If I wouldn’t have told them my family would have never known I changed things up. I had leftover even after making 3 large pizzas.
Hi Lindsay, that sounds great! I’m glad you loved this recipe, thank you so much for your detailed feedback.
So nice and easy!
The only pizza sauce we use now (even my sister likes it!). I will never buy store bought sauce again
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
love this recipe really easy to make and I’m only 9 years old
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
If you want to make this pizza sauce even faster and with no extra dishes/appliances to wash, just pop open a bottle of your favorite passata/crushed tomatoes and put all ingredients into the bottle and shake! You only need to wash your garlic press 🙂
Thanks for the tip, Laura! That’s a good and definitely a faster way.
Hi Natasha. I can’t find crushed tomatoes in my country. Can I use puree instead? Or spaghetti sauce?
Hi Chery, here is what one of our readers wrote how they made their sauce. “If no crushed tomato use whole but drain and add a can of puree ,no whole ,,use one can puree two cans sauce , dats how mom made it , also if we had fresh basil in da garden mom threw it in blender too also taste your sauce add more oregano you may like that remember you can’t take out once ya put it in ,so taste taste taste .sometimes those canned tomatoes are a little week in flavor no worries add a small can tomato paste to blender ,,,eh sometimes ya gotta think use what ya got , and as Jimmy would say “Good Eating” I hope that helps.
1/2 tablespoon salt seems like a lot. Is this what everyone used?
Hi Arlene, we found that was a perfect balance.
Hi Natasha, I made your marinara sauce yesterday and have some left. Can I make the pizza sauce out of it? Almost the same things are in it. I need it for this afternoon. TY
Hi Cheryl, yes that would work – slightly different flavor profile as it’s a cooked sauce but should still work.
I tried this but with real tomatoes. Huge mistake, it came out WHITE 😭😭
Hi Lea, I hope you try it again with the suggested ingredients.
Hi Natasha!,
Your pizza recipe has been a spark of joy throughout the pandemic. Pizza Friday’s have been a staple of ours and the whole family loves it! 🙂 Thank you so much!
Love it and I’m so glad to hear that, Athena. Thank you for sharing these comments with us!
Hi, Natasha, I love all your recipes! Could I make this using fresh tomatoes?
Hi Syeda, I haven’t tried this with fresh tomatoes I only used canned crushed to advise.
I tried it with fresh tomatoes, it came out orange, and not as thick as shown in Natasha’s picture above but still tasted great 🙂
Hi Camellia, I haven’t tried this with fresh tomatoes I only used canned crushed to advise. But thank you for letting us know.
Hey Natasha
I just want to say you are awesome I love your your pizza recipe but I am vegetarian if you can share some veg recipes please but I love your all Recipe love it love it thanks
I’m so happy you’re enjoying that Devika! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Hi, natasha! Thanks for this recipe. May I know if I can use dried basil instead of dried oregano? Will it make big difference in taste? I am just a newbie in cooking and I follow your recipes. thanks!
Hi CJ, I haven’t tested that exact substitution to advise. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that.
Any thoughts on doing a multiple of this and canning it using a water bath canner. Curious whether the heat of canning would alter the taste.
Thx
Bill
Hi Bill, to be honest, I haven’t tested that with canning sauce to advise on a method. If you happen to test that I would love to know how you like that.
I’m going to do it and I’ll let you know…:)
35 mins in a water bathe canner. Don’t forget 1/4 tsp citric acid to each jar before canning! Absolutely delicious using fresh tomatoes!! Add a bit of tomato paste just to thicken a bit before canning~ Love it!!
Hey Natasha,
I had to chuckle we had a “Natasha Recipe” weekend. We made your shrimp tacos, pizza, and pizza dough. Let me tell you that sauce for the pizza is to die for! OMG, I remember you saying to get San Marzano and people please get a good quality canned tomato sauce as suggested. Trust me! I knew it would be yummy because you get so excited when you say the “sauce is sooooo good”! Just like you did with the shrimp taco sauce and yup you are soooo right! Thank you again for the excitement and joy in cooking.
WOW!! That’s amazing! I’m smiling big reading this comment and I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes!
What brand of San Marzano tomatoes do you buy?
Hi Joylene, usually whatever is available in Idaho supermarkets. I have a photo of the product above.
Hi Natasha,
Are the crushed tomatoes San Marzano? Usually whenever I’ve looked for sauce recipes they tend to call for those tomatoes…or it won’t really make a difference here?
Also, you had mentioned in one of the previous comments that you use honey (vs. sugar) in the sauce, presumably to cut the acidity slightly. How much do you add, and when (i.e., when you pulse everything together, or on the stovetop when cooking/warming the sauce)?
Thank you again for amazing recipes
Hi Ana, I don’t add sugar to this recipe as I find it isn’t necessary. San Marzanao tomatoes are correct. I love their flavor.
pls how many medium-sized tomatoes will this recipe use, and why didn’t you add sugar;most recipes do? am 12 and i want to try it
I haven’t tried this with fresh tomatoes I only used canned crushed to advise.
also,, most recipes add sugar . what does this do? because you didn’t add it
Hi Annah, we used honey instead in this recipe.
i will use bacon oil instead since i am making a bacon pizza. pls how many medium sized tomatoes can you use for this recipe? am i2 and i want to try it
Hi Annah, I have not tested this with fresh tomatoes, only canned crushed so I cannot advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.