Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce
Have you ever heard your friends rave about the homemade pizzas that they make? And you struggle to even know where to begin? Honestly, making your own pizza sauce is so easy to do! Well in this blog post, you will learn how to make your own pizza sauce and just how easy it can be! With this pizza sauce recipe, you will be having a delicious pizza tonight.
In this post, you will learn how to make an easy, homemade pizza sauce.
Why Make My Own Pizza Sauce?
While buying pizza sauce is incredibly convenient, sometimes that can be the one thing that you forget at the store! Who wants to drive back to town to get it? Or perhaps you do not want all the extra additives that pizza sauce can have in it. Whatever your reasons, this incredibly easy pizza sauce will be your go-to once you taste how good and easy it is.
Are Canned Tomatoes Just as Good for My Pizza Sauce?
Canned tomatoes are an incredibly convenient way to make pizza sauce. Because the tomatoes are picked and processed at their peak ripeness, it ensures that they have a good flavour and consistency.
Canned chopped tomatoes are preferred for this recipe, but you can also use whole peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or diced tomatoes. Finally, it really is what type of tomato you prefer to use.
Do I Have to Blend the Canned Tomatoes?
No, you do not. Your sauce is determined by your preferences. If you like pieces of chunky tomatoes on your pizza, then skip Step 1 and start the recipe directly at Step 2. Using the chunky tomatoes on your pizza is an easy way to change things up!
Can I Use Fresh Tomatoes Instead of Canned Tomatoes?
If you want to make your pizza sauce from fresh tomatoes, that is no issue. Make sure that the weight of the fresh tomatoes is roughly 400g to make it comparable to the amount needed for this pizza sauce recipe.
How to Make Your Pizza Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes
Below I will go through the steps on how to make your pizza sauce from fresh tomatoes.
Select and Prepare the Tomatoes: pick out your ripe tomatoes. Roma and plum tomatoes are often preferred for their meatiness and lower water content. You will want to blanch the tomatoes to remove the skins. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Score a small “X” onto all of your tomatoes. Place them into the boiling water for 30-60 seconds, until you notice the skins starting to peel back. Transfer the tomatoes to the ice water bath to cool, then begin to peel off the skins.
Remove Seeds (optional): Cut the tomatoes in half and use either a spoon or your fingers to scoop out the seeds. This step can be skipped if you do not mind the seeds in your sauce.
Cook the Tomatoes: roughly chop the tomatoes up. In a large pot add some olive oil and heat it up over medium heat. Add some chopped onion (1 small) and minced garlic (2-3 cloves), and sauté it. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and combine with the onions and garlic.
Simmer the Sauce: Allow the sauce to simmer on low heat for 30-45 minutes. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar. Stir occasionally until it begins to resemble a thick sauce. Make sure to break up the larger pieces of tomato.
Blend (optional): For a smooth sauce, use either a hand blender or a food processor to blend the sauce.
Final Adjustments: Now that the tomatoes are chopped and ready to use, continue with step 2 in the recipe below.
Can I Freeze Any Pizza Sauce Leftovers?
Yes, you can. Make sure that it is completely cool before storing. Put your leftover pizza sauce in a freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to six months. You can also store the leftover pizza sauce in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
Ingredients
Chopped Tomatoes: chopped tomatoes form the base of the sauce and are the main ingredient.
Tomato Puree: tomato puree is a thick liquid made from cooked and strained tomatoes. It helps to thicken your sauce and gives it a more concentrated flavour.
Oregano: oregano a classic herb in Italian cooking, adding a warm, slightly pungent taste that complements tomatoes well. Fresh or dried oregano can be used.
Paprika: paprika is a ground spice made from dried red peppers. This recipe uses sweet paprika, but smoky can be used interchangeably for this specific recipe.
Onion Powder: onion powder is a seasoning made from dried ground onions. It gives a nice onion taste without the need for chopped-up pieces of onion.
Garlic Powder: garlic powder is a seasoning made from dehydrated garlic cloves that have been ground into a fine powder. It is perfect for seasoning your sauces, soups, dressings, marinades, and dry rubs, without the texture of fresh garlic pieces.
BBQ Sauce (optional): BBQ sauce is a condiment with a base of tomatoes, vinegar, sweeteners, and various spices. I like my pizza to have a BBQ taste to it so I add this to the base of the pizza sauce.
Tips
- I prefer my pizza sauce to have a BBQ flavour to it. However, if you do not like your pizza to have a BBQ flavour, omit the BBQ sauce in this recipe.
- This recipe makes 2 cups of pizza sauce, and you need about ¼ c. for each base which equals about 8 pizzas. Consequently, if you are not making 8 pizzas, I would highly recommend freezing the sauce for future pizzas!
- If you like chunky tomatoes on your pizza, omit the blending the canned tomatoes step (Step 1) and continue with Step 2.
Best Pizza Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes blended (400g full weight)
- 1 can of tomato puree or tomato paste 140g
- 2 tbsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce Optional
Instructions
- Place your can of chopped tomatoes into a bowl and blend it with a hand blender.
- Mix in the tomato puree.
- Once fully blended, add oregano and mix.
- Add in onion powder, garlic powder, and BBQ sauce.
- Your pizza sauce is now ready to go onto your pizza!