If you’re looking for a simple, tasty Italian-style tomato sauce for your pizza, look no further than this recipe! It is the best no-cook authentic Neapolitan pizza sauce recipe!
I really like this sauce for its simplicity yet deliciousness. It reminds me of the sauce both home cooks and chefs put on pizza in Italy! It’s perfect with a Margarita pizza but works with all our favorite toppings.
As a preface, I am not Italian but have been to Italy. Usually, their pizza sauces are no-cook and heavy on the tomato flavor, typically San Marzano tomatoes (or pomodori di San Marzano). They’re light on garlic and herbs and sometimes don’t have any of those things at all. But that doesn’t mean they lack flavor or interest. They are the perfect accompaniment to any pizza, especially if you want an authentic sauce for something like our Neapolitan Margarita Pizza. Our authentic Neapolitan pizza sauce recipe satisfies everyone, and it will be a win-win every time.
A Word About Tomatoes for the Best Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe
The higher the quality, the better. Most grocery stores carry Italian San Marzano tomatoes, which I recommend for our no-cook authentic Neapolitan pizza sauce. It pays to get the best quality you can. You don’t have a lot of other ingredients to hide an inferior tomato product. If you start in the right place, this is an easy and quick San Marzano tomato sauce recipe – good in will equal good out.
San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomatoes originating from Campania in Italy. Naples is also in Campania, and Naples is generally known as the originating home of pizza. San Marzano tomatoes are rich-fleshed but are thin-skinned and sweet. To top off the king of tomatoes crown, they have few seeds and low acidity.
To grow a San Marzano, the seeds can be easily found, and the tomatoes can be grown in most warm climates. But an Italian will tell you there is a difference between the variety grown in San Marzano and those produced elsewhere. That is the rich volcanic soil in the Sarno River Valley near San Marzano, and it so happens, a little fella called Mt. Vesuvius. The tomatoes thrive in it, and the production is protected by the European Designation of Origination Certification – the DOC label you see on some products from Italy. It ensures strict geographical and production practices dictate what can and can’t be called a San Marzano tomato.
That said, if for some reason you can’t find Italian San Marzano tomatoes at your store, get the highest quality plum tomato you can find.
Ingredients for the Best Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe
- 1 large can (14.28 oz) of Italian Tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp of dried oregano
- 10 leaves of fresh Italian basil, chiffonade cut
- 1 tsp Fresh Garlic (Optional)
How to Make the Best Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe
Wash and dry your basil, then chiffonade cut it.
A chiffonade cut is very easy. Here are the steps:
- Using kitchen shears, trim the stems off.
- Stack the basil leaves from big to small, face-down. I don’t like to do more than 6 or 7 per stack.
- Roll the stack width or length-wise.
- Slice through the stack with a sharp knife or cut using your kitchen shears.
- Separate the ribbons!
Check out this video from Le Cordon Bleu if you would like to see an example of a chiffonade.
Pour the can of tomatoes into a bowl. If they are whole tomatoes, you can snip them in pieces with kitchen shears or crush them by hand. Be careful of splatter if you crush them by hand! They can have juice trapped inside, and it will spray on your counter and clothes if you’re not careful.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste for salt and add more if desired.
Substitutions and Variations for Our Best Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe
If you want a classic and authentic Neapolitan pizza sauce, there are only a few substitutions or variations. You can play with the amounts of salt, basil, and oregano and decide whether or not to add garlic.
To Garlic or Not to Garlic in Our Best Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe
Some families will swear by having some garlic in their authentic Italian-style sauce; others will say it does not belong. I believe you should do what tastes best to you and your palate. My family loves garlic, so we include it. That said, there is not a lot of garlic in this recipe. It calls for a little bit, just to have flavor undertones. You do not want a strong garlic flavor. If you want that, try our Garlic Pizza!
Additional Tips for Making Our Best Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe
It bears repeating: Use high-quality tomatoes from Italy if you can find them. This is the most crucial part of the recipe, so it pays to use the best in both flavor and texture. The first choice is San Marzano; the second is a high-quality Italian plum tomato.
Sometimes the whole tomatoes can have a bit of the stem left. I simply cut it out when I’m cutting up the whole tomatoes. I prefer cutting my tomatoes with shears instead of crushing them by hand. It’s a lot neater and cleaner. You can also pulse your tomatoes in a food processor or blender but be careful not to overwork the tomatoes. You want some chunks of tomato in the sauce.
Use high-quality dried oregano as well. I like to use this one from The Spice House. Even though it’s Greek Oregano, I like it. Greek oregano is stronger than Italian oregano.
I think this sauce is best made the day before. Letting it sit overnight gives the ingredients all a chance to meld together. However, you can use it immediately after making it if you prefer. If you use it the next day, stir the sauce well before using it. Some of the olive oil can separate out.
How to Store the Authentic Neapolitan Style Pizza Sauce
You can place it in a container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or until ready to use for your pizza. Alternatively, you can keep it in a freezer-safe container and take it out to defrost 24 hours before using it. A handy tip for sauce is that a standard-size ice cube tray holds one ounce of sauce. You can freeze the sauce in one-ounce portions; when frozen, just pop them out, and store them in a bag or container. Then you can defrost the amount you need and keep the rest frozen. You can store the sauce in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Best Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe (No-Cook)
Ingredients
- 14.28 oz Tomatoes 1 large can, preferably San Marzano
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Dried Oregano
- 10 leaves Italian Basil Fresh, chiffonade cut
- 1 tsp Fresh Garlic Optional
Instructions
- Wash and dry your basil. Remove the stems and chiffonade cut it.
- Pour the can of tomatoes into a bowl. If they are whole tomatoes, you can snip them in pieces with kitchen shears or crush them by hand. Be careful of splatter if you crush them by hand! They can have juice trapped inside, and it will spray on your counter and clothes if you’re not careful.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste for salt and add more if desired.
Nutrition
Heather is a passionate culinary enthusiast who has honed her baking and cooking skills since she was a young girl. Her culinary journey started in the kitchens of her mom, dad, aunt, and grandma. Even though Heather loves the comfort of a familiar recipe, she often embraces the role of an explorer in the kitchen and enjoys experimenting with new techniques and ingredients.