Italian Pizza Sauce Recipe

🍅 AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PIZZA SAUCE

This sauce uses no cooking before baking. Real Italian pizza sauce is made fresh, then cooks on the pizza in the oven. It’s quick but incredibly flavorful.

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🧂 INGREDIENTS (Makes enough for 3–4 pizzas)

• 1 can (14–15 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes
  OR whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1–2 garlic cloves, very finely minced (or grated)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• ½ teaspoon sugar (optional, balances acidity)

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon dried basil (optional; some Italians skip this)

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• A few torn fresh basil leaves (optional but excellent)

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🍽️ INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start With Tomatoes

Pour the crushed tomatoes into a bowl.
If using whole tomatoes, crush them by hand or with a fork until smooth with small chunks.

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2. Add Seasonings

Stir in:

• Olive oil

• Garlic

• Salt

• Oregano

• Pepper

• Sugar (optional)

• Fresh basil (optional)

Mix gently to combine.

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3. Let It Rest

Let the sauce sit for 15–30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
No cooking needed — this is the traditional method.

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4. Use on Pizza

Spread 2–3 tablespoons onto each pizza.
Don’t use too much — Italian pizza uses a thin layer of sauce.

The sauce will cook perfectly in the oven as the pizza bakes.

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⭐ TIPS FOR AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FLAVOR

• Use San Marzano tomatoes for the best taste.

• Don’t overdo the garlic — Italian pizza sauce is simple and balanced.

• Do not cook the sauce beforehand unless you’re making a thick American-style pizza.

• Adjust salt after tasting the tomatoes; some brands are already salty.

• Letting the sauce rest improves flavor.

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🍕 VARIATIONS

Neapolitan Pizza Sauce

• Just tomatoes, salt, basil, and a little olive oil.
  (No garlic, no oregano.)

Thick American-Style Pizza Sauce

Simmer the sauce 20 minutes with:

• Extra garlic

• Onion powder

• Oregano

• Basil

Spicy Arrabbiata Pizza Sauce

Add red pepper flakes.

OTHER SOURCES

Ingredients:

• 1 can (500) gr. crushed tomato,
• 1 can (4 oz.) tomato paste,
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic,
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil,
• 2 teaspoons sugar,
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion,
• 1 tablespoon olive oil,
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano,
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder,
• salt and pepper to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes and add the other ingredients except the basil. Simmer the pizza sauce for about 15-20 minutes.

 Add the chopped basil 5 minutes before the sauce is ready. 

If during the simmering, the sauce becomes too thick, add some water. 

This pizza sauce recipe yields enough pizza sauce for about 4 medium pizzas. 

Cooking tip: With the same ingredients you can prepare a pizza sauce without cooking.

 Simply blend briskly all the ingredients with a stick blender and let the sauce sit for half hour before using, in order to blend flavors. 

For the uncooked pizza sauce you can substitute the chopped onion with onion powder. 

If you chose to make the cooked pizza sauce, let it cool down a little bit before using it, otherwise the top of the pizza will get cooked much faster than the bottom if the pizza sauce is applied when it is still hot....and the pizza sauce recipe is ready !
pizza-sauce-recipe.

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