The BEST Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe

Name: The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ¼ cup grated onions (or finely minced); ½ - ¾ teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried basil; ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on heat preference); 3 cloves garlic (pressed); 2 teaspoons sugar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt

The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce

Posted by Marzia

4.93 from 500 votes

Updated Jan 15, 2026

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How to make a homemade pizza sauce recipe that’s sure to make pizzas taste so much better! This sauce is quick and easy to make, freezes well, and has zero mystery ingredients!

Say hello to a nice and thick homemade pizza sauce.

It’s warm, hearty, and is the perfect sauce to use on homemade pizzas.

Making homemade pizza sauce isn’t difficult and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming either.

My recipe makes a large batch that you could use on 3-4 pizza crusts depending on your sauce preference. Keep in mind though that it all depends on how long you simmer the sauce. The longer you simmer the tomato sauce, the more concentrated it’ll be.

It also uses mostly pantry staples so you can make it in no time!

Mike Said:

Marzia, as a chef for 15 years, I have to tell you, this is the sauce I’m gonna use moving forward. Nicely done dear!

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This Homemade pizza sauce recipe is…
What you need to make this easy pizza sauce recipe:
How to make pizza sauce from scratch:
The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe

This Homemade pizza sauce recipe is…

Vegan-friendly
Gluten-free
the best pizza sauce
Ready in around 30 minutes

What you need to make this easy pizza sauce recipe:

Canned whole tomatoes: I’ve made this recipe enough times now to have tested it with whole tomatoes, diced canned tomatoes, and pureed tomatoes. Though all three work, I still find the whole tomatoes to be the best choice for making pizza sauce at home. Start by crushing San Marzano tomatoes and making my own ‘crushed tomatoes.’
Olive oil: a generous splash not only helps flavor the sauce but also helps cook and bloom all of our aromatics and spices.
Grated onions: You can grate the onions on a grater box, roughly chop and throw it into a food processor, or you can finely mince the onions for a heartier sauce. I use the food processor for minimum tears!
Pressed garlic: I use a garlic press to help with this step. It takes seconds and the garlic really works into the sauce that way.
Dried seasonings: My seasonings of choice are dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes. Sometimes I’ll cut back on the dried oregano a bit, especially if I’m topping the pizza with tons of toppings. However, this is your call. You can also add a tiny pinch of dried marjoram if you’d like!
Sugar and salt: The salt and sugar help flavor the sauce. I find canned tomatoes to be on the acidic side, so the sugar helps tame it a bit. You could omit the sugar completely if this isn’t something that bothers you.

How to make pizza sauce from scratch:

Break down the tomatoes: Using your hands squish the tomatoes in a bowl, or use kitchen shears to break down the tomatoes into smaller pieces. You could also just use an immersion blender and just pulse it so the tomatoes are smaller.
Cook the aromatics: In a saucepan over medium heat, add the grated onions, and the dried seasonings. Allow the oil to cook the onions for around 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently so nothing sticks or burns. Then, add the garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.
Simmer the sauce: Add the tomatoes along with the sugar and salt and allow the sauce to come to a simmer, then lower the heat and allow for it to cook for 30 minutes. You can taste the sauce and adjust with additional seasoning or salt as desired. You could also simmer the sauce for longer should you find it needs to be a little more concentrated for your taste.

FAQs about this recipe

Can you freeze pizza sauce?

Yes. You can keep the sauce in the refrigerator for about a week, and it lasts for 3 months in the freezer.

Can you swap canned tomatoes for fresh ones?

Yes. I like to use fresh Roma tomatoes for this recipe. You’ll need about 1½ – 1¾ pounds of tomatoes. To prep, the tomatoes, score an “x” on the bottom of each tomato using a sharp paring knife. Add the tomato to a pot of boiling water and allow them to boil for 1-2 minutes. Then peel the skin and crush.

Ways to use homemade pizza sauce:

On freshly made lazy no knead pizza dough
On my traditional homemade pizza dough
As a sauce for my cheesy garlic pull-apart bread
On my Detroit-style pizza (a family fave!)
As a sauce for my pull-apart garlic roll wreath

Other homemade sauces to make and try:

close up of pizza sauce in a jar with a spoon

The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce

4.93 from 500 votes

How to make a homemade pizza sauce recipe that’s sure to make pizzas taste so much better! This sauce is quick and easy to make, freezes well, and has zero mystery ingredients.

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Author: Marzia

Equipment

3 Qt. Sauce Pot

Ingredients

▢ 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ ¼ cup grated onions or finely minced
▢ ½ – ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
▢ ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes depending on heat preference
▢ 3 cloves garlic pressed
▢ 2 teaspoons sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

TOMATOES: Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and using your hands, kitchen shears, or an immersion blender, break the tomatoes down so that they’re chunky but not completely liquid.
AROMATICS: In a medium saucepan placed over medium heat, heat the olive oil, grated onions, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently so nothing sticks or burns. Add garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.
SIMMER: Add the prepared tomatoes along with the sugar and salt. Let the sauce reach a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust with additional seasonings as desired. If you like a more concentrated tomato flavor you can continue to simmer the sauce for up to 15 more minutes. Ue the sauce for pizzas immediately or allow to come to room temperature before storing in containers.