This quick pizza sauce from scratch recipe is bursting with tomato flavors and perfectly seasoned. Get your favorite pizza toppings ready to make the best homemade pizza ever.
In the back of my second cookbook, Come Home To Supper, I have some “go-to” recipes that can be used as bases for all sorts of wonderful supper dishes or as homemade substitutes for store-bought items. Last week I shared how to make a simple homemade version of Cream of Chicken Soup, and I also added in the instructions for making Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Celery Soup.
Today I wanted to share my quick pizza sauce recipe. This takes just a couple of minutes to make and is a great alternative when you either don’t have a jar of ready-made pizza sauce or if you are trying to keep the sugar (and consequently the carbs) down. It’s made with simple ingredients like tomato sauce, tomato paste, and a few dried herbs and spices to make it so flavorful. It’s not only the easiest and best pizza sauce you’ll ever make from scratch. But this pizza sauce is also vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Of course, I use this to make the best homemade pizza (it tastes so good on top of ), but I also use it as one of the main ingredients in my Killer Baked Ziti and it adds a nice zip to a veggie or beef soup as well.
Recipe Ingredients
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato paste
- Basil
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Sugar
Don’t get all skittish because you see a whole bag of sugar up there. We are only using a teaspoon and even that is optional. Of course, if seeing sugar causes you to panic you surely haven’t watched the news lately. I suggest you just stay here and look at the bag of sugar instead. Trust me.
How to Make Quick Pizza Sauce From Scratch
Now, you can make your homemade quick pizza sauce two ways: either on the stovetop or in the microwave. The choice is all yours, but as you can see, the instructions are very similar and straightforward. Told ya this was an easy pizza sauce recipe!
Stovetop Directions
Place all of the pizza sauce ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Cook, while stirring, until mixture is smooth and heated through, about five minutes. Stir until smooth and well blended and then use.
Microwave Directions
Place ingredients in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Heat, stirring occasionally, for about a minute and a half or until ingredients are heated through. Stir until smooth and well blended and then use.
Here is your nice, thick, and flavorful pizza sauce ready to go!
Spread a generous layer of this quick pizza sauce on your favorite crust for pizza (here’s my recipe for homemade stuffed pizza crust) or head on over to my Killer Ziti recipe for another use!
Make sure you print off this and add it to your files, along with my cream soup recipe.
Have a B L E S S E D Day and enjoy supper with your family tonight if at all possible. Peace, joy, and compassion for one another are born at the supper table.
Storage
Store the homemade sauce leftovers in an airtight container (mason jars are great) in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight and bring it to room temperature before spreading a layer on your pizza bases.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe makes enough to cover two large pizzas. You can also easily double or triple the recipe and freeze leftovers, so you always have some homemade pizza sauce on hand.
- If you have fresh herbs on hand, feel free to use some and instead of their dried versions. You can also easily substitute the dried herbs for 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning instead.
- As I said, you can leave out the granulated sugar if you want a sugar-free homemade pizza sauce recipe. Otherwise, you can substitute it for coconut sugar. Personally, I love how the sugar enhances the tomato flavor.
- If you don’t have any tomato sauce, you can make your own by blending a can of diced tomatoes, , or some fresh tomatoes.
- Substitute the garlic powder for minced garlic or fresh garlic if you’re a garlic fan.
- Need a little heat? Add a pinch of .
- If you can’t resist adding some and , season to taste. I don’t think it needs any additional seasoning, but that’s just me!
Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce?
Pizza sauce is thicker and more flavorful than spaghetti sauce, as generally has higher water content. This is why you don’t want to use a jar of marinara sauce as pizza sauce if you’re in a pinch. Whip up this homemade pizza sauce recipe instead!
Check out these other pizza recipes and :
Taco Pizza – Fast, Fresh, Delicious!
Apple Pizza: A Doozie of a Dessert
Ingredients
- 1 can tomato sauce 15-ounce
- 1 can tomato paste 6-ounce
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Stovetop Directions
- Place all of the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and cook, while stirring, until mixture is smooth and heated through, about five minutes. Stir until smooth and well blended and then use.1 can tomato sauce, 1 can tomato paste, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Microwave Directions
- Place all of the ingredients in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl and heat, stirring occasionally, about a minute and a half or until ingredients are heated through. Stir until smooth and well blended and then use.1 can tomato sauce, 1 can tomato paste, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Nutrition
This recipe has been featured at Meal Plan Monday and the Weekend Potluck
I love this sauce. It is so handy. I really encourage your readers/followers to buy all three of your cookbooks. I also recommend printing off any and all recipes that are not in the books and saving them in the handy, free printable binder that is at the bottom of the post. Your recipes have changed the way I feel about cooking and the way I cook. Cooking has become easy thanks to you. I love you.
Thank you so much Barbara!! I love you too!
Pizza just for me includes everything but the kitchen sink!!
I like the way you think Barbara!!
Ive made this for years after the district manager for a major pizza company told me how make it.
I will say this, they use a lot more sugar than a tsp.
Without that sugar it taste well, ew.
You can also just buy a bottle of Italian seasoning use that instead. We add red pepper flakes to ours for an added kick
I wondered about substituting Italian seasoning. My favorite pizza is either a supreme pizza or just bacon and mushrooms. ALWAYS with extra sauce. I check the sauce before leaving with my pizza. If it doesn’t have enough sauce, I get some from them and dip my pizza in it.
Extra cheese, sausage, and a little bit of red bell pepper.
Red bell pepper, yum!!
We like bacon on pizza. My boys love black olives on theirs. I usually end up making three!
LOL, the life of a mom sometimes resembles that of a short order cook. 🙂
Perfect timing! I have homemade pizza dough in the fridge for tonight’s pizza night but hadn’t any sauce. Looking forward to trying it!
I have three favorite pizzas. White like they make in Little Italy in Cleveland, Ohio, margarita like they make it at any of the Neapolitan joints or pepperoni, mushroom and black olive from any of the chains. . Alas, like you, I often end up with cheese because that’s what the kids like. That’s why I like to make it at home! I can make my own to suit my fancy! Tonight will be buffalo chicken I think 🙂
I love Chicken Ranch Pizza. Ranch dressing (no red sauce), grilled chicken, and lots of cheese. Soo good!
Made this tonight with your homemade pizza crust ( a first for me). We have been on a vegan diet for 3 years now due to my husband’s heart condition, so I added vegan cheese, green and black olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and peperoncini peppers. This is the best homemade pizza I’ve made yet! Thank you, Sista!❤
My dream pizza would be a deep dish with lots of sauce, pepperoni, red and green bell peppers, bacon, ham, and extra cheese. I also love a good taco pizza!