• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Email Series!

5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Free Email Series!

    5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

    Free email series of my best tips!

  • Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes

Rachel Cooks®

Food, Family, Fun

  • Recipe Index
  • Popular
    • Instant Pot Pinto Beans
    • Green Beans with Bacon
    • Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
    • Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
    • Beef Stew Seasoning
    • Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • Thousand Island Dressing
    • Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Copycat Panera Squash Soup
    • Chocolate Chip Blondies
    • Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
    • Frosé
    • Best Chocolate Cake
    • Dill Vegetable Dip
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Learn to Cook
    • Crostini
    • Delicata Squash
    • Butternut Squash
    • Kabocha Squash
    • Spaghetti Squash
    • Guacamole
    • Croutons
    • Snap Peas
    • Baked Potatoes
    • Baked Bacon
    • Balsamic Glaze
    • Whipped Cream
    • Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
    • Simple Syrup
    • Pickled Red Onions Recipe
    • Toasted Pine Nuts
    • Roasted bone-in Chicken Breasts
    • Poached Chicken
    • Roasted Whole Chicken
    • Easy Cheese Sauce

Dinner Made Easy:

Slow Cooker

5 Ingredients

Grilling

Make Ahead

Sheet Pan

Tacos

Pizza

Home Recipes by Type Sauces & Marinades
GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free FF Freezer Friendly VG Vegetarian

Homemade Pizza Sauce

5
/5
35 mins
34 Comments
Jump to Recipe
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 05/15/2013Updated: 06/15/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Homemade pizza sauce is so easy and tastes so much better than store bought. This recipe has a secret healthy ingredient that’s totally optional.

Homemade Pizza Sauce | RachelCooks.com

On Friday I asked E what she wanted for dinner. Why I’m asking a two-year-old what she wants for dinner is beyond me. Ben had a late night at work, so I guess I didn’t really care. Well, sweet little E said “pizza!”

Shocking request.

I opened the pantry only to discover that we had no pizza sauce. Well, helllllo–I can make my own, right? It’s really not difficult at all. 

This pizza sauce is easy and turns out perfect every time. I’ve tweaked and tasted it until it’s just right. I don’t know why I don’t always make my own pizza sauce. 

I add a completely weird secret ingredient. Chia seeds. Yes, you probably think I have fallen off of my rocker. No, you do not have to put them in if you don’t want to. They are not integral to the success of this recipe, but I like to throw in a little extra nutrition. Why not?

homemade-pizza-sauce-2-600

This sauce is beyond easy. I bet you have everything you need to make homemade pizza sauce in your pantry right now: onions, garlic, canned tomatoes, dried basil, olive oil, and seasonings. Throw all the ingredients in a blender, pour the sauce in a pan, and simmer for 30 minutes .

And don’t wear white while you’re stirring. And definitely don’t cook in your birthday suit.

Ouch. (Not that I would do that or anything.)

This recipe makes about enough sauce for two pizzas, depending on the size of the pizzas and how much sauce you like. You can easily freeze half of it for use at another time. Enjoy!

Have extra pizza sauce?

This homemade pizza sauce can be used in so many ways besides pizza. Here’s a few ideas for you:

 

  • Pizza sliders (baked in the oven)
  • Pizza pasta (one pan, 6 ingredients)
  • Pizza baked chicken
  • Pepperoni pizza quinoa stuffed peppers
  • Pizza stuffed spaghetti squash
  • Pizza turkey burgers
  • Pepperoni pizza tortilla pinwheels (use homemade pizza sauce to dip them in)

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Homemade pizza sauce in a glass jar.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Homemade Pizza Sauce

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
8 servings
Print Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
This pizza sauce recipe is easy to make and tastes fresher than store bought. Homemade pizza sauce is much lower in sodium than most store brands, too.

Ingredients

  • ½ medium yellow onion, cut into large chunks
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 can (28 ounce) no salt added tomatoes (diced or whole)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Instructions

  • Blend all ingredients in blender until combined and fairly smooth. Sauce should not be completely smooth but with no large chunks remaining.
  • Pour sauce into a large heavy saucepan or a deep skillet. Over medium low heat, simmer sauce, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until reduced and thickened.

Notes

  • Makes about 2 cups, plenty for two large pizzas.
  • The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • If you like, substitute fresh tomatoes. Choose a meatier tomato like Roma or plum. Peel the tomatoes by plunging them briefly in boiling water. The skins will crack and you'll be able to slip them right off. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
  • The seasonings in this recipe can be adjusted any way you like. If you like sweeter sauce, add more brown sugar; if you don't care for sweet sauce, omit the brown sugar. Use fresh herbs instead of dried (use three times as much fresh as dried). Add more salt or cracked black pepper. Add more or less red pepper flakes.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 52kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 184mg, Potassium: 161mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 149IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It
Verdict: Love this sauce!
Husband’s take: He dubbed this my best pizza ever. Not even kidding you! Cooking from scratch pays off. E devoured it too, but that is no surprise.
Changes I would make: None!
Difficulty: Easy!
Free email series

5 Time & Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

FREE BONUS!

You May Also Like...

  • Imagine irresistible pepperoni pizza in dip form. I can't think of many things better than that. This pepperoni pizza dip will be a hit at all your parties. Get the easy appetizer recipe on RachelCooks.com!
    Pepperoni Pizza Dip
  • Spinach pizza bite broken open to show filling, with small bowl of marinara sauce in background.
    Spinach Pizza Bites
  • Overhead view of plate containing chicken tenders, on a red checked napkin.
    Pizza Chicken Tenders
  • Pizza pasta being scooped from a pan with a wooden spoon.
    Pizza Pasta - 1 pan, 20 minutes
Quinoa salad on small square white plate garnished with half slice of orange.
Previous Post
Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Celery Recipe
Overhead view of plate containing chicken tenders, on a red checked napkin.
Next Post
Pizza Chicken Tenders

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Drop files here

  1. dixya| Food, Pleasure, and Health says

    May 17, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    pizza sauce with extra nutrition – yes please!

    Reply
  2. Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) says

    May 16, 2013 at 11:12 am

    I love making sauce from scratch. It’s just so much more satisfying that way.

    Reply
  3. Amanda says

    May 16, 2013 at 8:40 am

    Totally going to try this! Buying the good organic stuff isnt cheap… and this sounds so good! :)

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      May 16, 2013 at 8:49 am

      Thanks Amanda! Hope you like it!

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Rachel! Life can be complicated, cooking shouldn't be! I believe that you can put a delicious meal on the table without stressing. It's possible, and I'm here to help. Have a seat at my table...let's chat, eat, and have fun! Read more...

Air Fryer Instant Pot 30 Minutes One Pan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Slow Cooker Vegetarian 5 Ingredients

Trending

Cooked salmon fillet on a grey-toned plate with cooked asparagus spears. The salmon is being flaked with a fork.

Air Fryer Salmon – easy and delicious!

Pizza pasta being scooped from a pan with a wooden spoon.

Pizza Pasta – 1 pan, 20 minutes

Image of a giant bowl of spaghetti with turkey meatballs.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Asparagus Panzanella Salad

Seasonal

15 Healthy Sheet Pan Meals

Pile of crispy zucchini slices.

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

These easy vegetarian cauliflower tacos are full of flavor and protein! Even meat-lovers are going to flip over these fun tacos. Whether it's for Meatless Monday or a full-on vegetarian lifestyle, you're going to love these! They're also easy to make vegan. Make them tonight! 

Cauliflower Tacos with Chickpeas – Vegetarian

Overhead view of cauliflower steaks on a sheet pan with parmesan and chimichurri.

Cauliflower Steaks Recipe

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
Free Bonus!

5 Cooking Secrets to Save Time & Stress

Free email series of my best tips and recipes!

Featured On:

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2022 Rachel Cooks®
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled