Pizza Sauce From Scratch
Pizza Sauce From Scratch comes together in just 15 minutes and instantly takes pizza night to the next level! Sautéed onions and garlic mingle with diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and perfectly balanced seasonings to create a sauce that’s destined to be the star of all your future pizza parties. Simply irresistible!
Homemade Pizza Sauce
Making pizza sauce from scratch is a breeze—and way tastier than store-bought! Just toss some tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs together, blend, and boom—you’ve got saucy magic.
It’s quick, fun, and totally customizable. Make a batch, stash it in the fridge, and you’re always ready for a pizza night that’s straight-up delicious!
Why this recipe works:
- Quick and easy: Minimal ingredients and steps make it simple to whip up.
- Fresh flavor: You control the ingredients, so it tastes brighter and fresher than jarred sauces.
- Customizable: Adjust herbs, garlic, spice, and sweetness exactly to your liking.
- Perfect texture: You can make it thick or slightly saucy depending on your pizza style.
What You’ll Need:
Most of these are simple, pantry staple ingredients. I keep these on hand at all times! Don’t hesitate to add more red pepper flakes for a super spicy sauce or leave it out together if that’s not your jam. 😀
- Olive Oil – Use 1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to sauté the veggies.
- Onion and Garlic – For additional flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes – I always use fire-roasted tomatoes (or even salsa-style if you can find it). The added heat adds a little bit of spice but not too much.
- Tomato Paste – For a more bolder tomato flavor.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (optional, for more heat), kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sugar – Just a pinch to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
How to make Pizza Sauce From Scratch:
Step 1
Sauté veggies. In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and diced onions. Sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for 30 seconds or so.
Step 2
Add remaining ingredients. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings, and simmer for about 10 minutes or so.
Step 3
Blend. You can choose to puree the sauce in a blender or leave it chunky style. That’s up to how you like your sauce!
Storing and Freezing Pizza Sauce
- Storing – Store this sauce in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Freezing – Freeze pizza sauce in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to two months. To use, set in refrigerator for a day to thaw or use your microwave on a defrost setting.
The key to tastier food is homemade sauces, dressings, and seasonings. I swear by the following recipes.
Recipe FAQs:
Canned tomatoes are perfect—they’re consistent and flavorful year-round. If you’re using fresh tomatoes, blanch and peel them first for a smoother sauce.
Yes, pizza sauce tastes even better after sitting for a few hours. You can store it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months.
About ½ cup for a 12-inch pizza is plenty. Too much sauce can make the crust soggy.
Yes, instead of diced tomatoes, you can use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
Delicious Homemade Pizza Recipes:
Try this delicious sauce on one of these pizza recipes. Pizza night at home just got tastier!
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Pizza Sauce From Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup onion – diced
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 30 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Sauté veggies. In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and diced onions. Sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for 30 seconds or so.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1/3 cup onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and seasonings, and simmer for about 10 minutes or so.30 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 1 ½ Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Blend. You can choose to puree the sauce with an immersion blender (or regular blender) or leave it chunky style. That’s up to how you like your sauce!
Notes
- Storing – Store this sauce in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Freezing – Freeze pizza sauce in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to two months. To use, set in refrigerator for a day to thaw or use your microwave on a defrost setting.
This is the first time I’ve ever made pizza sauce from scratch! It was soooo good! It was also very quick & easy! I used your pizza crust recipe and made a pizza with this tomato sauce and also one with your homemade pesto! Both pizzas were devoured! The kids raved! I had plenty of sauce left over, so I froze it in small bags for future pizza!
So glad to hear, Cathy!
Hi Sue! I woke up craving something tomato-y so today was the day to try your sauce. It did not disappoint! It was super easy, made my whole house smell like I was making something fancy, and I have plenty left over to make another pizza or two. Very delicious!
Hi Linda! We love the sauce, and I hope you enjoy pizza night! 🙂