If you’re wondering how to make pizza sauce, we’re here to demystify the methods and equip you with all the tricks you need to prepare a delicious pie. We’ll walk you through the ins and outs of exactly what pizza sauce is, then deliver a quick and easy recipe you can whip up with ingredients that you probably have in your pantry already. Don’t have the right ingredients? We still have you covered with a rundown of creative alternatives to the traditional tomato sauce.
If all of that sounds like too much work, we also have you covered with the best pizza in Chicago hot and ready at Pequod’s Pizza. All you have to do is reserve your table.
What Is Pizza Sauce Made Of?
Person holding a wooden spoon with red powder by Jason Jarrach is licensed with Unsplash License
Pizza sauce is typically made from tomato paste thinned slightly with either water or tomato sauce. Recipes commonly add herbs and spices such as oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. For a more robust flavor profile, you can add minced garlic to the sauce. Though less common, you can add minced onions as well.
Some recipes call for a touch of sugar or brown sugar in the sauce to add a hint of sweetness. Sweet pizza sauce originated in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and is a local feature commonly found in pizzerias around central and northeastern Pennsylvania.
What’s the Difference Between Pizza Sauce and Marinara?
Marinara is a tomato sauce that’s commonly used on Italian sandwiches and as a dipping sauce for breadsticks or cheese sticks. You’ll find marinara slathered on many pasta dishes as well, particularly when a heavy sauce is desired, such as in a lasagna. In Italian, the word “marinara” means “seafaring.” The sauce likely originated around Naples or Sicily in the 16th century. Sailors consumed large amounts of this thick tomato sauce with pasta during their travels because the ingredients didn’t spoil as easily as meat and made for a simple, hearty meal.
Marinara is slightly thicker than modern pasta sauce, but it’s not quite as thick as what you’ll find on a good pizza. Garlic plays a big role in marinara sauce, which is usually made by roasting garlic cloves in tomato sauce over low heat. Crushed red pepper, basil, and oregano are often added as well.
Like pasta sauce, marinara is heated as it’s prepared. The sauce is often simmered for a long time to increase the thickness. The cooking process is also necessary for the roasted garlic. One of the primary differences between pizza sauce and marinara or pasta sauce is that pizza sauce is not cooked as it’s prepared. Instead, the sauce cooks while it’s on the pizza crust along with the rest of the ingredients.
What Can I Use if I Don’t Have Pizza Sauce?
If you don’t have a jar of pizza sauce on hand, you can turn to homemade pizza sauce as a handy alternative. We’ve included simple instructions for making a basic pizza sauce below. However, knowing how to make pizza sauce is only helpful if you have the right ingredients on hand. If you’re short on the basic elements of a traditional pizza sauce, you can try substituting it with a different type of sauce entirely. Here are some creative alternatives you can try:
- Alfredo sauce: Whip up a thick alfredo sauce, and top your pizza with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach.
- Barbecue sauce: Slather on your favorite barbecue sauce, and make a barbecue Hawaiian pizza with ham and pineapple, or top your barbecue pizza with cheddar cheese and shredded pork.
- Curry: A spicy curry sauce makes for an intriguing pizza with shredded chicken, onions, and bell peppers.
- Basil pesto: A rich and flavorful paste, basil pesto pairs perfectly with globs of fresh mozzarella and sliced tomatoes.
- Fig jam: Bake up a sweet and intriguing pizza with fig jam on the crust topped with arugula, prosciutto, goat cheese, and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette.
- Béchamel sauce: Made from butter, flour, and milk, béchamel sauce is perfect for a breakfast pizza topped with sausage, cheese, bacon, and eggs.
- Gravy: Get all the goodness of poutine on pizza with a gravy-topped crust that features crispy potato sticks and cheese curds on top.
Instructions for Making Pizza Sauce
Homemade pizza sauce is quick and easy to whip up as long as you have the right ingredients. Gather the following:
- One 8-ounce can of tomato paste.
- One 15-ounce can of tomato sauce.
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano.
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic salt.
- 1/2 tablespoon dried basil.
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary.
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Here’s how to make pizza sauce at home:
- Mix the tomato sauce and tomato paste together well.
- In a separate bowl, mix the spices together so they’re well blended.
- Stir the spices into the sauce.
- Allow the sauce to stand in the refrigerator for a few hours, if you have time, so the flavors can fully meld. There’s no need to cook your pizza sauce ahead of time since it will cook on the crust.
This recipe is ripe for customization. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add about a teaspoon of sugar or brown sugar to the sauce. For a richer garlic flavor, sauté two fresh minced garlic cloves in olive oil over medium heat, and use this in place of the garlic powder and garlic salt. Puree the sauce in a high-speed blender to get rid of any garlic chunks and get the smooth consistency that’s typical of pizza sauce.
Get the Perfect Pizza Effortlessly
Though it’s certainly satisfying to cook your own pie, you don’t have to worry about how to make pizza sauce when you let the pros do it for you. Reserve a table at Pequod’s Pizza in Morton Grove to enjoy our famous caramelized crust pizza in the place where it all started. Looking for lunch in the city? Get a table at our newer Chicago location in Lincoln Park instead.