Since writing my first post on making NY style pizza, I’ve gotten a few requests for a good pizza sauce recipe. See, truth is, the pizza dough is only part of the makings of a good pizza – finding a good sauce recipe and a favorite cheese combination is definitely the other part of the battle for good pizza.
Without question, the quest for a good pizza sauce recipe largely depends on using high quality tomato sauce products, much like I said when I wrote the Panera-like creamy tomato soup recipe. Choosing a tomato brand will depend on your tastes and what products are available in your area. A few of my favorites brands include Red Pack (which seems hard to find), Cento, Muir Glen, and of course, San Marzano. I also like Tutto Rosso and Nina. For those of you who are new to making pizza sauce, do not use pre-made pasta sauce!
For the most part, I have always used tomato puree, but would like to also try crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce to make my sauce in the future. This is a matter of personal taste – again, you can use what you like. I have always liked tomato puree because it has been passed through a sieve to remove all the seeds, which impart a bitter undertone in my opinion.
Tomato puree is, however, too thick and so you must water it down a bit. If you use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, consider passing the sauce through a food mill to eliminate the seeds before you mix with the other ingredients – I think it makes a big difference! One of the older Italian women from my old neighborhood taught me that trick.
The other subject of controversy is to whether to cook pizza sauce before using it. I do not precook my sauce and from what I have read, most NY style pizza makers do not pre-cook their sauce. From what I understand, the tomato puree is already precooked, so that helps to impart the deeper flavor that you get when you cook tomato sauce – possibly another reason that I like to use tomato puree. However, I have also read that cooking sauces releases the aromatics, which never return again so I will be experimenting with crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce in the future.
After mixing the sauce ingredients, it does help to let the sauce sit for a while in the refrigerator to let the flavors marry. I have skipped this step in a pinch, but plan to do so if you can. The recipe is quite simple if you have all the ingredients – just mix, let sit, and use.
You can freeze leftovers, but the sauce becomes more watery after it is defrosted – I don’t mind this, but you should consider this beforehand. I usually use ½ cup of sauce for each 14 inch pizza that I make.
Do not use aluminum containers to store pizza sauce.
pizza sauce
Ingredients
- 28 oz can of tomato puree or tomato sauce (I now prefer sauce; you can also use diced tomato, whole tomatoes that you puree yourself, etc)
- ½ cup water (**only if using store bought puree**)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- handful of fresh basil if available (I only use this in summer when in season)
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar (optional - taste your tomatoes first as they all differ in sweetness and then, if needed, add a little at a time)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except water in a bowl and mix well
- If you used puree, slowly add water, using more or less if necessary until you reach desired consistency
- The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon but thin enough to spread easily on the pizza. Keep in mind that the sauce thickens a bit in the oven, so if it is too thick to begin with you will end up with paste.
Laura says
Instead of basil leaves I did crushed basil. About a teaspoon more of oregano. And a pinch more of sugar. No actual garlic or onions. I also simmered it while I added the ingredients. Was ready super fast. Is amazing!
Laura says
Best recipe I’ve found! I love it and my family lives it. Doesn’t taste cheap, very high quality.
Francis says
No actual garlic. No actual onion. No no no.
Jay says
I bet the pizzerias you love don’t use it either. This is pizza sauce, not spaghetti sauce. Try it before you judge it. Make it a couple days ahead so it comes together and use good quality sauce. Either cento or tuttorosso
Jay says
Not good. I made exactly how it was written and I won’t try it again. It reminded me of Totinos frozen pizza. Sorry but sauce has to be cooked for the flavor to work. After eating this sauce and hated it I tried to cook it but it didn’t help. Just using garlic powder and onion powder won’t make pizza sauce.
Marie says
Awe, sorry you didn’t like it Jay. I do like a cooked sauce too! But if you use a brand of tomatoes that you really love (hard to find!), you may want to give this another try. Another trick is to put some tomato paste in it to give it more of a cooked sauce flavor. I must say, my homemade pizza never tastes anything like frozen pizza, so we are definitely doing something different!
Jay says
Can you please delete my review above for me? I admitted to doing something wrong the first time I made this sauce recipe. I made it again and loved it. The second time I used tomato purée but the last few times I now use tomato sauce. I like the sauce consistency the most.
Five stars.
Marie says
Just seeing this Jay! Will do and I’m so glad it worked out for ya
Jay says
I would like to retract my original comment and give his sauce 5 stars after making it again. I must have done something wrong the first time. I don’t remember what kind of tomatoes I used but this time I used purée by Cento. I made the sauce on Thursday to use for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 4 pizzas in total. I really enjoyed it this time. I’m sure it was my choice of sauce this time that made the difference.
Jay says
This sauce, not his sauce.
Jay says
Question about the fresh basil. Do you remove it after it’s been in the sauce or leave it and then it ends up a topping on the pizza?
Todd says
How many basil leaves in a handful? And do cut the leaves or put them in whole ?
Marie says
There is no hard and fast rule here – it depends on the size of the leaves, etc. usually I put 5 or 6 leaves, no need to cut up. Add more if you find you love the flavor like I do
James says
I’ve been making my own pizza for eons but I must say that your dough recipe is to die for! I also followed the sauce recipe and it too was superlicious! My son-in-law wants me to open a pizza shop, but at 71, my working days are long over ! Thanks for the recipes…you’re my new BFF! ?
Brad says
Love this recipe as well as Ur pizza dough recipe. Im just wondering if you ever used fennel seed in Ur sauce and if u would recommend it?
Marie says
I never have although I think that would be especially good with a sausage topping! I would try it, but it’s not classic NY style and you can always change it next time
Mark says
I’ve made this with whole tomatoes and seems to be slightly watery when I purée in the blender. Anything I can do to thicken the sauce a bit? Simmer it for a little while?
Marie says
Hi Mark, I’d just pour it into a fine mesh strainer (with a bowl underneath) and allow for some of the water to drip out into the bowl (to your liking).
Mark says
Great minds think alike! I was thinking about doing that while I was lying in bed. I’ll let the ingredients marinate in the container than perform the extraction! Thanks! Love the dough!
Rose says
This sauce is amazing, and so easy. Tomato puree or sauce isn’t easy to find here but passata is everywhere, so I wasn’t sure if I should cook the passata some or not…laziness won out and I went with not. I left out the sugar and the water (thinking the passata was thin enough, being uncooked) and added 1/2 tsp of chili flakes and 30 grinds of fresh black pepper since we like it on the spicier side. It came out so delicious. Possibly a little too thick after baking, so I will try 1/4 cup of water next time and see what we like better. Thank you!
Katie says
I made this sauce to go with your NY style pizza dough and I was really pleased with it! I’ve never made pizza dough or sauce myself before so I was a little nervous about how the end product would work out (and I was finding my sauce to be a bit on the watery side since I used canned peeled tomatoes and not puree or sauce, though I needn’t have worried since it turned out great) but it was a really nice complement to the pizza! Nice and light and fresh, but still the right amount of savory from the spices, I can’t wait to make another one tomorrow!
Jason says
No I haven’t tried pomi yet, I heard it is good.
Jason says
I’ve been using jersey fresh crushed tomatoes with basil, oregano, garlic, onion powder, alittle sugar and parm cheese. Problem is, sometimes I get that canned tomato taste. Is it because of the brand I’m using or is there a way to get a different result. I’m not a big fan of San marzano tomatoes in a can, they tend to be bitter. I’ve been using caputo 00 flour and love it, but I’ve been trying different methods for sauce. Any suggestions?
Marie says
I have found that the metallic taste varies with brand. For the San Marzanos, make sure you buy the cans with the DOP certification, which means that they are from Italy not grown in US with Italian seeds! World of difference! Also, I’ve recently tried using the Pomi brand, which comes in a carton…have you seen it? No metallic taste. I don’t think they make a tomato paste though. I have seen tomato paste in a tube – maybe that would help?
Marylee says
Yes I would use a half of a can Of Tomato paste!!!
Marie says
I add tomato paste to my detroit style pizza sauce – if you like a sweeter sauce, tomato paste can be a great addition!
c. puller says
i only want to make 1/2 cup using tomato paste, how do I adjust this recipe accordingly?
Marie says
I’ve never used all tomato paste to make a sauce – sorry. I’ve used it here and there to thicken up a sauce but never as a main ingredient. The sauce would be too sweet.
Servio says
What cheese did you use?
Marie says
In the photo, it is whole milk mozzarella cheese, low-moisture. The effect you see if about getting just the right ratio of sauce to cheese. I do it by eye right now, but will try to get a measurement down soon…
Here’s more about best low-moisture cheese: http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2011/02/the-pizza-lab-the-best-low-moisture-mozzarella-for-pizzas.html
Servio says
So you used polly-o cheese as specified on the link you sent or do you have a preferred brand? Also, I seem to use too much cheese could give me a rough estimate how much to use 1/2 a cup maybe or less?
Many thanks,
Marie says
Hi Servio – I don’t measure the cheese, just do it by eye. I probably should start weighing it so my pizzas come out more consistent. I’ve just uploaded an image of the pizza before baking here. Hopefully that will give you an idea of how much cheese I use..
Servio says
Ok. And what brand of cheese do you use?
Marie says
currently, I’m using the Polly-O low moisture, whole milk. In the past, I’ve used Costco’s brand, Kirkland, which I also liked. I originally stated not to use pre-shredded but I have been known to break my own rules to order to save time..
Charles says
Whole milk cheese or fresh mozzarella is the only way to go u can mix a little low minister cheeses in it if u wish haven’t Tryed sauce yet. But I buy Caputo 00 flour for my pizza dough its the best
David M says
I made an attempt at using all fresh for the recipe. I will let you know how it turned out.
Fresh Dry
1/4 cup high quality olive oil = 1/4 cup high quality olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano = 1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 teaspoons sugar = 2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt = 2 teaspoons salt
3 cloves of fresh garlic = 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons fresh onion chopped = 1 teaspoon onion powder
9 leaves of fresh basil = 3 tablespoons dried basil
12 peeled plum tomatoes = 1 28oz can of San Marzano plum tomatoes
Optional Ingredients
1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes = 1 pinch
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper = 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper"
Marie says
Sounds good, David. I just used a can of all-in-1 from Cento….SO good! I believe it’s a mixture of crushed tomatoes in puree. Definitely my new “go-to” for now. Let us know how the fresh tomatoes worked out. I suspect it will be highly dependent on the quality of the tomatoes used.
Just a note on basil: http://foodpreservation.about.com/od/Freezing/a/The-Best-Ways-To-Preserve-Basil.htm
Dried basil tastes nothing like fresh basil. I read an article once explaining why but I can’t recall where I found the article. The link above seems to have some good information. You indicated you were using fresh everything so I’m assuming you didn’t use dried basil.
David M says
Thanks for the reply. Ran out of time. Will try when I return from my travels.
Jen says
My pizza crust and sauce turned out amazing, and i didn’t have to use the rolling pin, I did it by hand and the dough held up perfectly. Only mistake i made was taking for granted i had a little too much dough for the size pizza stone i had, so the sides of it were a little squished, but it didn’t affect the taste. This was the best pizza i ever had, especially here in Texas. No more take out for me, and i had all the ingredients in my kitchen, the only thing that cost me was the pepperoni…Big difference between $$2.00 and $30 for takeout plus the tip.Thanks again for such great recipes. I no longer fear making pizza.
Jen says
Best pizza sauce hands down. Simple yet full of flavor. I get tired of recipes with a ton of ingredients that really mask the true flavor of the sauce. I used to always cook my sauce but after trying this, NEVER again. Why cook your sauce twice when its going to go into the oven anyways, doesn’t make sense. We tend to make cooking way too complicated then it should be, lol…Thanks again for this recipe. I have your pizza dough in the fridge right now from last nite. This will be my 2nd attempt at homemade pizza. First time was actually Trader Joes pizza dough, but it still wasn’t right and i tore it trying to get it thin by hand.My dough in the fridge looks great right now, but to be honest i’m more nervous about getting it the thin consistency of an authentic NY style crust.I may have to break out the rolling pin this time.
Marie says
Hope you enjoyed it! Be careful with the rolling pin. I don’t recommend it because you will push all the air out of the dough and could end up with a very flat crust. If you already did this, try again using the technique shown in the video on the post.
Jane says
I agree…it is perfect! I stumbled across this today and tried it tonight and everyone in my family loved it. Definitely a keeper. Saying bye-bye to store bought pizza sauce! I loved how easy this was. I used an Italian type seasoning in mine. I put my tried and true favorite recipes in my recipe box and this will be added. Thanks!
Marie says
glad you liked it!
Katricia says
By far, this is the best pizza sauce I have ever made! It does not get more simple than this. Seriously. Tomato paste, water, oil, sugar, and spices? I don’t even have to cook it!?I’ve done everything from blanching, peeling, seeding, dicing, simmering, and blending my own tomatoes to the horrible mistake of just adding sugar to pasta sauce, as recommended by one blogger. Nothing was exactly what I wanted. This was PERFECT! I also really like your pizza dough recipe. I make it without the oil and sugar, but I think it’s great! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes! They’ve found a long-term home in my recipe box. 🙂
Marie says
I’m so glad that you like it! Thanks for the kind words…
Jay says
What do you mean tomato paste? This recipe doesnt use paste.