Can I use ketchup as my pizza sauce?

Can ketchup be used in place of tomato sauce? Yeah, definitely . It's not a substitute, but it can add a pleasant tomato flavor.

What gives pizza sauce its distinctive flavor?

Traditional pizza sauce is made with a base of tomatoes and spices like garlic, onion, basil, and oregano . You might think that this makes a pizza simple or boring, but this isn't the case. There are so many varieties and recipes for it that you'll never get bored of this meal!

How does Gordon Ramsay make pizza sauce?

Gordon Ramsay's Pizza Sauce, serving six, is made with tomato paste and sauce, oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powders, garlic salt, black pepper, and sugar . Mixed in a bowl, it's easy to prepare and perfect for enhancing homemade pizzas.

What spice gives pizza its flavor?

Italian Seasoning Italian seasoning combines herbs like basil, thyme, chili flakes, garlic powder, rosemary, parsley and oregano. Some blends also incorporate dried sage or fennel seeds. Italian seasoning adds extra flavor to traditional-style pizza.

What makes homemade pizza taste better?

For a complex flavor and great texture, Mangieri recommends using a sourdough starter rather than commercial yeast for making pizza. " It gives the dough a more complex flavor, and it has more interesting coloration when it bakes ," he says.

What gives pizza the pizza flavor?

Cheese and tomatoes have some of the highest natural levels of glutamate . Glutamate: an amino acid (one of the building blocks of DNA) is found in every pizza ingredient and is a critical component in giving pizza its flavor.

Is it OK to use marinara as sauce as pizza sauce?

Now that we know the answer to the question “What is the difference between spaghetti sauce and marinara?” you may wonder, “What is the difference between pizza sauce and marinara?” Marinara sauce and pizza sauce share the same essential ingredients, meaning you can spread marinara over pizza dough to get that perfect ...

How to turn prego into pizza sauce?

Take your jarred pasta sauce and put it in the food processor. This will help the chunky tomatoes and other condiments to blend into a smooth paste. Turn on the heat and let the blended mixture simmer until you get a thick pizza sauce consistently.

What is the difference between tomato sauce and pizza sauce?

There's one primary difference between the two types of tomato-based sauces that's directly related to the disparate preparation methods: Pasta sauce from a jar is cooked (usually slow-roasted), and pizza sauce is uncooked, with ingredients combining over a period of hours.

Is pizza sauce necessary for pizza?

Yes, it's a highly underrated component of pizza but I feel like good pizza sauce can elevate your experience by so much whereas an average pizza sauce is well, an average pizza itself! For many years, pizza sauce to us meant ketchup and some hot sauce mixed together to make a very Indian-jugaad style pizza at home.

Can I eat pizza without sauce?

So the simple answer to the question, can you make pizza without tomato sauce is, yes. Absolutely you can .

Can I use ranch instead of pizza sauce?

If you've never had Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, it's a pizza version of the perfect combination of ranch dressing, chicken, and crumbled bacon. Most of the time this pizza uses ranch dressing as the pizza sauce, instead of a traditional tomato sauce.

Can I use salsa as a pizza base?

I use all sorts of sauces for my base layer . If your salsa is watery I would drain it through a sieve first, put down a layer of cheese first then top it with the salsa. It will prevent the crust from getting soggy. You might also want to try artichoke and spinach dip as a base with lots of parmigiano cheese on top!

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes) (2024)

By Laura

Posted Sep 23, 2018, Updated Jan 28, 2024

4.99 from 1334 votes

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This easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe is made in 5 minutes with 8 ingredients. This no-cook sauce is truly the best pizza sauce recipe ever – developed from my experience working in a Chicago pizzeria!

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We love makingpizza at home because it’s easy (my kids have been making it every week since they were 5), fun and less expensive than delivery.

This is our go-to easy homemade pizza sauce recipe. It takes five minutes to make and results in the best pizza you’ve ever had.

I’m from Chicago (born and raised), so we’ve enjoyed some of the best pizza in the world. I remember, one evening after dining at a famous pizza restaurant my husband was less than impressed.I thought he had gone crazy!

His problem was with the sauce. “There was only a thin layer and it tastedjust like tomatoes” was his personal opinion. He likes his pizza saucy, bold and flavorful andthat particular pie just didn’t cut it. Moral of the story: there’s no weak sauce allowed in our household. And thisEasy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe ensures that!

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Pizza Sauce Recipe: Substitutions

Here are a few possible substitutions that can be made in this recipe.

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Tomato Sauce.Sometimes I run out of cans of tomato sauce, and in a pinch I have used a can of diced tomatoes that I tossed in the blender. You can also use fresh blended tomatoes as well.
Tomato Paste. Please don’t leave out the tomato paste. It makes the pizza sauce thick which is key in making non-soggy pizza.
Oregano/Italian seasoning.I always make this with dried spices, but you can use fresh. Also, if you like a sauce with a less bold flavor, you might want to start will less and add more to your preferences.
Garlic salt.If you don’t keep garlic salt on hand, substitute an extra ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt.
Granulated sugar.This can be omitted, or you can substitute honey. However the sugar enhances the flavor of the tomatoes and cuts the “bite” of the sauce.

Note: this pizza sauce recipe is vegan as written, so you can even make some great dairy-free pizzas with this recipe.

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How to Make Pizza Sauce

This homemade pizza sauce recipe is easy to make in 5 minutes. You can also prepare itahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it to make pizza.

Begin by mixing the tomato paste and sauce together in a medium size bowl until well combined. Using a whisk is a great choice.

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Then, add the rest of the ingredients (oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper and sugar) and mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

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Then, use it in your favorite pizza recipes. The flavor and essence of a pizza lies in the pizza sauce. So be sure to spread a nice, thick even layer on top of your pizza dough.

Pizza Dough Recipes:

This Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe is our go-to. It requires no rising, and makes a delicious pizza in under 30 minutes! Or try this whole wheat pizza dough. And check out our extensive post on how to make pizza!

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How to Store Pizza Sauce

Store this pizza sauce in a glass jar with a lid for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

To use, let the sauce come to room temperature before spreading it on your pizza dough.

Pizza Sauce Recipe FAQs

How many pizzas can I make with this pizza sauce recipe?

This recipe makes enough sauce to make two large pizzas, or four medium-sized pizza.

Can I double this recipe?

This easy pizza sauce recipe iseasily doubled or tripled.

What is the difference between Pizza Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce?

This is a common question I get asked all the time! Here are some distinctions between the two:
Spaghetti sauce has a higher water content. This is why I don’t recommend using a jar of marinara when making homemade pizza, you could end up with a mushy watery mess!
Pizza sauce is thicker.this goes along with the point above, but pizza sauce contains tomato paste, which causes it to spread easier and more evenly!
Pizza sauce is more flavorful.This might be my own opinion, but we like a lot more spices in our pizza sauce than we do in our spaghetti sauce!

Should homemade pizza sauce be cooked?

This recipe is for a no-cook pizza sauce so it does not need to be cooked.

Can I use ketchup as pizza sauce?

I actually get this question a lot – please do not use ketchup as pizza sauce. Ketchup is not a substitute for any of the ingredients in this recipe.

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