Pizza Sauce
A thick, rich homemade pizza sauce made from crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic that simmers to a spoon-mounding consistency in just 25 minutes, keeping your crust crisp instead of soggy.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan - 2 to 3 quarts / 2 to 3 liters, heavy-bottomed preferred
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- Garlic press or sharp knife
- Immersion blender - (optional)
- Airtight glass jars
- Silicone ice cube trays - (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 can crushed tomatoes - 15 oz / 425 g; choose a brand with only tomatoes and a little salt or basil
- 1 can tomato paste - 6 oz / 170 g; squeeze-tube paste keeps in the fridge for weeks
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - 15 ml
- 2 cloves garlic - about 2 teaspoons / 10 g, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning - or 1 teaspoon dried oregano plus 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar - 8 g
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - about 5 g
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional; add with the garlic for gentle heat
Instructions
- Open the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and set them by the stove. Mince the garlic finely and measure the seasonings into a small bowl.
- Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic (and red pepper flakes, if using), and stir for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant and pale.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the tomato paste, scraping both cans clean. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the paste dissolves and no streaks remain.
- Add the Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and black pepper, then stir well so the herbs spread evenly and do not clump.
- Bring the sauce to the first slow bubbles over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom every 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and rest for 2 minutes, then taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or extra sugar. Blend smooth if desired and cool about 15 minutes before spreading on dough.
Notes
- Start with good canned tomatoes, since they make up most of the sauce and a sweeter, thicker brand matters more than any herb.
- Do not skip the tomato paste; crushed tomatoes alone need a much longer simmer to reach the same thickness.
- Keep the heat low and stir regularly, because a hard boil scorches the sugar and paste and leaves a bitter note.
- Taste after the simmer, not before, and adjust sugar only at the end since canned tomatoes vary in acidity.
- Use about 1/3 cup of sauce for a 12-inch pizza and leave a 1/2-inch border so the crust puffs up cleanly.
- Make it ahead if you can; the flavors improve after a few hours in the fridge and taste even better on day two.
- Cool the sauce completely before spreading on dough or storing, since hot sauce makes raw dough soft and difficult to handle.
- Store in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for up to 7 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
- Freeze leftovers in silicone ice cube trays (about 2 tablespoons per cube); two cubes make roughly 1/4 cup, enough for a small pizza.
- For variations, increase red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon for a spicy sauce, double the sugar for a sweeter one, or swap the dried herbs for 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil and oregano stirred in at the end.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSodium: 300mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g
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