Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce Recipe- Quick and Easy! (2024)

If you are looking for an easy and quick, no-cook pizza sauce, then you will be impressed with this authentic Italian pizza sauce recipe.

The internet is saturated with way too many pizza sauce recipes, and the list of ingredients for all those recipes is just way too long.

You can try them out, but I think they are overcomplicating everything.

Pizza sauce is the heart of a pizza, and all you need to make the right pizza sauce is fresh ingredients.

Since this recipe is as close as one can get to an authentic Italian pizza sauce, I have tried to use all fresh ingredients to get the best flavors.

The ingredients truly enhance this recipe, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that tantalize your palate.

What makes The Best Pizza Sauce?

The best pizza sauce is the one that uses-

1. Fresh San Marzano tomatoes or good quality canned tomatoes

2. Fresh basil leaves

3. High quality olive oil

4. Dried oregano herb

5. Garlic(Optional, but I have included it in my recipe)

6. Salt

The availability of these ingredients is the key to making this pizza sauce the best, as their easy accessibility simplifies the sauce-making process.

What Not To Use In this authentic Italian Pizza Sauce recipe….

1. Italian seasoning- This is the most ridiculous ingredient ever, and you do not need to put this in your pizza sauce. Of course, you can use it elsewhere in another recipe but not in an authentic Italian pizza sauce recipe.

2. Tomato Paste- This is an ingredient in many NY-style pizza sauce recipes or Sicilian-style pizza sauce recipes but not in authentic Neapolitan or Italian pizza sauce.

3. Sugar- Again, sugar is more of an American pizza sauce ingredient because sometimes the tomatoes used are not sweet enough. Sugar is used to balance the tangy flavor.

If you are using San Marzano tomatoes or sweet plum tomatoes, you should not feel the need of sugar since these fresh tomatoes are sweet.

4. Garlic powder- Just NO. In general, why anyone would use garlic powder rather than fresh garlic is beyond me. Use a clove of garlic.

5. Onion Powder- No. This is again found in a few American pizza sauces but is never an ingredient in authentic Italian pizza sauce.

Difference between this recipe and Neapolitan pizza sauce recipe…

Neapolitan pizza sauce is simple, easy, and uses only a few fresh ingredients. In this recipe, I have experimented with additional ingredients like oregano and garlic to enhance its flavor.

According to VERA Pizza Neapoletana, garlic, and oregano are essential in pizza marinara. Hence, this recipe aligns with their guidelines, with the addition of fresh basil to the sauce.

Best canned tomatoes for pizza sauce

This recipe calls for the best fresh tomatoes, especially San Marzano tomatoes. It is difficult to procure fresh San Marzano tomatoes, so using canned San Marzano tomatoes will suffice.

Ensure that the can has a D.O.P tag, indicating that the tomatoes are authentic and grown in Italy. You can use other San Marzano canned tomatoes even without the D.O.P tag.

However, if you want the authentic taste and flavor, then DOP San Marzano is preferred.

Sometimes I have made this recipe with Pomardini canned tomatoes (as I didn’t have San Marzano tomatoes), and the sauce tasted good.

So do not give up on this recipe if you cannot find canned San Marzano tomatoes.

Although there would be no authenticity in the recipe, it would still taste good on a pizza.

Do you cook pizza sauce?

The main difference between pizza sauce and pasta sauce is that you never cook pizza sauce. Authentic Italian pizza sauces are never cooked.

Pasta sauce is cooked, and you add the pasta to it to infuse all the flavors of the sauce inside the pasta.

Now, the only pizza I can think of with cooked pizza sauce is Sicilian-style pizza (the ones found in the U.S.), but that is more of an American-Italian version of pizza sauce.

Real, authentic Italian pizza sauce is never cooked. Period.

Variations of Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce

There are a few variations of the Italian pizza sauce recipe, and on this blog, you will find two, one is a recipe for Neapolitan pizza sauce, and another is this authentic Italian pizza sauce recipe.

So, what is the difference?

Well, there are some slight variations in these pizza sauces, as different families in Italy may prepare pizza sauce differently.

However, one thing you can be sure of is that authentic Italian pizza sauce typically contains no more than 5-6 ingredients.

These ingredients include fresh tomatoes, olive oil, salt, basil, oregano, and optionally, garlic. The focus is primarily on these ingredients, and nothing more is necessary.

It is a simple, easy-to-make sauce, and it is NEVER cooked.

Can I Freeze The Pizza Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze this pizza sauce to extend its shelf life. Canning the pizza sauce can also preserve it for an additional 2-3 months.

Some individuals claim that canned or frozen pizza sauce can last for up to six months. However, the actual duration depends on how effectively you freeze the pizza sauce and the freezing temperature.

Generally, it’s advisable to use the sauce within 2-3 months. Ensure that you store it in an airtight container and take precautions to prevent freezer burn, which can affect the sauce’s quality.

You can also safely keep this sauce in your refrigerator for up to a week without any issues.