This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Ditch the jarred sauce and simmer your way to a simple and delicious homemade pizza sauce!
Our Fav for Pizza Night!
We have pizza for dinner once a week and when we do homemade pizza we also do homemade pizza sauce because it cannot be beat.
You may be thinking, why do homemade when it’s so easy to buy? It’s because if you compare delivery to homemade pizza – there’s no comparison. Homemade pizza is the best, and when you have the sauce to go with it, it’s even better (we also love our white pizza sauce too!)
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.
Why we love it:
- Simple. We always have the ingredients on hand for the sauce because they’re pantry staples.
- Flavorful. You cannot beat the flavors and spices in this sauce recipe.
- Easy to store. We love to have the spices made up in advance so we can easily make this sauce when we want.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes
- 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
- red pepper flakes (optional) – for added flavor and heat
Using Fresh Herbs
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 to Make Pizza Sauce
- HEAT. Heat 3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon basil, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano,1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon each of sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder in a saucepan. 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.
Kristyn’s Pro Tip:
Make the seasonings in advance to use later. Combine:
- 4 teaspoons basil
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 teaspoons oregano
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
When ready to make the sauce, just use a heaping 1 1/2 tablespoons of the combined mixture for this recipe.
Complete the Meal
- Side dishes: Olive Garden Breadsticks, Buffalo Wings, Fried Zucchini
- Desserts: Jello Cheesecake, Pizookie, Homemade Brownies
- Homemade pizza recipes: Pepperoni Pizza, Caprese Pizza, Heart Shaped Pizza, Mini Deep Dish Pizzas, Tomato Pizza
More collections: Pantry Staple Recipes, Easy Dinner Ideas, Family Dinner Ideas
Homemade Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Other than pizza how else can I use pizza sauce?
- Use this as a dipping sauce for Breadsticks, Mozzarella Sticks, or Baked Zucchini Fries YUM!! The possibilities are endless.
- You can also use it to make Pizza Casserole, Pizza Dip,
Can I use San Marzano tomatoes to make pizza sauce?
- 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 freshly blended tomato sauce in the pizza sauce recipe.
Why is my pizza sauce acidic?
- Tomatoes are naturally high in acidity. To help counteract the acidity of the tomatoes add white sugar, brown sugar, or even baking soda to the sauce. Start with a pinch or two then add more if needed.
How to store homemade pizza sauce?
- This easy homemade pizza sauce recipe makes about 2 cups. If you double it, then you can store extra to use later.
- Pour into a jar and cover and keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
How to 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.
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.
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
This sauce recipe sez it makes 2 cups. Is that for all 4 12″ pizzas?
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.
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
Yeah, I’d say 1-2 Tbsp. Maybe start with less and then try it and keep adding until your preferred taste!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Is it necessary to simmer the sauce? What is the purpose? Just curious! Thanks!
Simmering helps the sauce to develop more flavor. So I’d definitely recommend simmering. 🙂
Very interested in your pizza sauce recipe. Just wondering if you could freeze this in smaller portions?
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.
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.
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!
Love this sauce and it is so easy and delish!
I am so glad you do! Thank you for letting me know!
Homemade sauce on homemade dough is a must! Most ingredients are already on hand! Love our new addition to pizza night!