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No pizza is complete without the perfect red sauce. Try making your own with this delicious and simple homemade pizza sauce recipe!

Homemade pizza can’t be beaten, and today we have the perfect pizza sauce recipe! If you’re having a pizza night you’ll also need Pizza Seasoning, Homemade Pizza Dough, and White Pizza Sauce!



Our Fav for Pizza Night!

Pizza just wouldn’t be pizza without the sauce! You don’t want too much or too little. But just the right amount of sauce on a pizza is what I love.

The cheese and toppings melt into the sauce and that first bite is pretty much heaven. There are a lot of different sauces you can put on pizzas, but the classic red sauce is a must!

This sauce recipe has the best combination of tomato sauce and herbs. It’s a little garlicky, a little sweet from the touch of sugar, and tangy from the basil and tomatoes. We also love that we have the ingredients on hand at all times.

You can also use this as a dipping sauce for Breadsticks, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, or Zucchini Fries YUM!! The possibilities are endless.

How to Make Pizza Sauce

Making this sauce is a cinch!

HEAT. Heat all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, but do not let boil.

ENJOY! Remove from heat and spread on top of Pizza Crust and enjoy with your favorite toppings.

This best pizza sauce makes about 2 cups which is perfect to top a couple of homemade pizzas. Double the recipe if you’re making more pizza or want to save some for later. IMO you can never have too much pizza sauce.

Storing Info

This easy homemade pizza sauce recipe does make a few cups, but if you double and find that you’ve made too much or want to make a bunch to have in advance, it’s easy to store.

STORE. Pour into a jar and cover and keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

FREEZE. Spoon into muffin tins and place in the freezer until solid. Take cubes out of the muffin tin and place them in a freezer container or freezer Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To use, thaw overnight and microwave in bursts or melt in a small pot until the sauce is smooth.

Homemade pizza sauce recipe spread over pizza crust close up image.

Recipe FAQ

Can I use fresh herbs to make pizza sauce?

Fresh herbs are less potent than dried herbs so you will want to replace the dried basil and dried oregano with 1 tablespoon of fresh cut herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.

How can I make pizza sauce using a can of san marzano tomatoes?

If you really want to bring the taste of Italy to your table use a 28-ounce can of san marzano peeled tomatoes. Drain about 3-4 ounces of liquid from the canned tomatoes, then add the remaining contents to a blender and blend until smooth. Use the tomato sauce in the pizza sauce recipe.

Why is my homemade pizza sauce acidic?

Tomatoes are naturally high in acidity. To help counteract it you can add white sugar, brown sugar, or even baking soda to the sauce. Start with a pinch or two then add more if needed.

For More Ways to Use This Sauce, Try:

4.95 from 19 votes

Pizza Sauce Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
No pizza is complete without the perfect red sauce. Try making your own with this delicious and simple homemade pizza sauce recipe!
Servings: 2 cups
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions 

  • Heat all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, but do not let boil.
  • Spread on top of dough and enjoy with your favorite toppings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 6508mg, Potassium: 3376mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 44g, Vitamin A: 4415IU, Vitamin C: 71.4mg, Calcium: 141mg, Iron: 10.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!


About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




33 Comments

  1. How much of each ingredient do I use? I think you were overly confident of how easy the steps were you forgot to include measurements.

    1. Hi Nick! If you scroll to the bottom of the post (or click the button on top that says “Jump to Recipe”) the measurements and specific instructions are all there. Here they are again for you too:
      3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
      1/4 tsp pepper
      1 tsp oregano
      1 tsp salt
      1/2 tsp sugar
      1/2 tsp garlic powder
      1/2 tsp onion powder

        1. I got a nuther one for U. I have “Fleishmann’s Active Dry Yeast” in packets containing 2 1/4 tsp in ea/. 2 1/4 x 4 = 9 tsps = 3 Tblspns. That seems like a lot. But You’ve made this several times & I trust you. But will my yeast work like your recomended “Rapid Rise Yeast”?? I better wait for your answer afore I go any further w/ this.

  2. How much of your homemade “Pizza Seasoning Recipe” would you put into “Pizza Sauce” recipe instead of the individual seasonings? I’m guessing 2t. Thanks

  3. Can’t wait to try this recipe! Is it necessary to simmer the sauce? What is the purpose? Just curious! Thanks!

    1. Yes, you absolutely can!! We like to spoon the sauce into muffin tins and place in freezer until solid. Take cubes out of muffin tin and place in a freezer container or freezer Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Then when ready to use, thaw overnight and microwave in bursts or melt in a small pot until sauce is smooth.

  4. 5 stars
    Thank you for this simple, yet DELICIOUS pizza sauce! I used this sauce to make my first homemade “Detroit Style” pizza. It turned out fantastic! I made my own pizza crust, used fresh mozzarella, fresh asiago, and fresh provolone cheeses and YOUR sauce – all together it was PERFECTION! Everyone needs to try this pizza sauce.

    1. Oh you are so welcome! This makes me so happy to hear you made your first pizza. It sounds amazing! Glad the pizza sauce could add to the pizza too. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!

  5. 5 stars
    Homemade sauce on homemade dough is a must! Most ingredients are already on hand! Love our new addition to pizza night!