In my opinion, nothing quite beats a hearty and thick homemade tomato pizza sauce. This slow-cooked tomato sauce for pizza is savory and filled with tasty tomato, garlic, and herbs; it’s a perfect accompaniment to almost any of your pizza topping choices.
This easy homemade pizza sauce comes together quickly, and it is delicious and makes a satisfying sauce for your pizza. This is also a large batch of sauce that freezes well; depending on the pizza size and amount you like to use, it is enough for 12-18 pizzas, so it will last a long time.
This is a slow-cooked tomato sauce, and while some say pizza sauce shouldn’t be cooked, I feel it incorporates and blends the ingredients better. The flavor also gets richer and deeper the longer you simmer it. That said, you could easily leave this sauce uncooked if you prefer. This sauce was used on our Hawaiian Pizza and Speck Pizza and made a great pairing!
What are the Best Tomatoes for Pizza Sauce
Traditionally, they are San Marzano tomatoes. We have taken pizza-making classes in Italy, and while we were there, they often poured San Marzano Passata right from the jar onto the dough. Passata is an uncooked tomato puree that has had the seeds strained out. It provides a very simple yet delicious tomato sauce.
While I agree you should use a high-quality canned or jarred tomato, sometimes I’m in the mood for a heartier sauce. Think of Chicago Pizzeria-style sauces. Any high-quality canned or jarred tomatoes you prefer can be used in that case. I really like Hunt’s. They steam-peel their tomatoes instead of using chemicals. I think their tomatoes have a consistent quality and all-around good flavor, too. You can read about how Hunt’s peels its tomatoes here.
Tips for Making Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce
Slow cooking – and this may come as a surprise – should be done slowly! Don’t crank up the heat; simmering on low will be your best friend in the end.
But too long on the burner will result in an overcooked sauce that is too thick. I like to simmer mine for about 60 minutes but check on it in 20 minutes intervals. If it gets a little too thick, you can always add a little water or leftover tomato juice (see below) to it and loosen it up. You can also turn down the heat or take it off the heat a little earlier.
Tasting is key! When you check on your slow-cooked tomato sauce, use a clean spoon to taste a little. Ensure you are happy with your recipe and level of herbs and spices.
I used tomato paste and tomato sauce in this recipe. Still, if you like chunks of tomato on your pizza, you can go for diced or even whole tomatoes that you prepare down to your liking. You can also buy whole tomatoes and blitz them in the blender or food processor.
Although it’s advertised as a pizza topping, I love to add Spice House Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Seasoning to my pizza sauce. It’s got parmesan cheese, paprika, spices, garlic, salt, and onion. If you do not have this seasoning, you can add more Italian Seasonings, garlic powder, and/or onion powder per your palate’s preference. Find out more about The Spice House’s Chicago Deep Dish Seasoning here.
Once you’ve made your slow-cooked tomato sauce, let it cool before using it on a pizza. You do not want to put hot sauce onto your pizza dough.
How to Prepare Tomatoes for Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce
There is not much preparation to do unless you plan to use whole tomatoes and you have to process them down. Because the tomatoes in the cans have more liquid, you must drain them off (although reserve the juice so you can add some back in if your sauce gets too thick). If you are using tomato paste and tomato sauce as I did, there is no need to drain any liquid off. Just open the cans and prepare your delicious and satisfying sauce!
Ingredients You Need
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
- One 12 oz can of tomato paste
- Two 30 oz cans of tomato sauce
- 2 Tb Italian Seasonings dried herbs
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 Tb Chicago Deep Dish Seasonings (optional)
How to Make the Best Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce for Pizza
Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot for 2 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes. You are not trying to brown the garlic, just warming it up and releasing some flavor into the oil.
Then, it couldn’t be much easier! You pour all the ingredients in and combine well. It may take a few minutes to get all the ingredients incorporated. Then, turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add your favorite hot sauce or red pepper flakes to your sauce if you like spicy things.
- If your sauce gets too thick, but you don’t want to use water to thin it, you can add the reserved tomato juice, wine, or vegetable stock. Just add about a tablespoon at a time so it doesn’t become too loose.
How to Store Extra Sauce
This sauce is a large batch! It is enough for 12-18 pizzas, depending on how big your pizza dough is and how much sauce you use per pizza.
After the sauce cools, you can store it in a container in the fridge for up to four days.
This sauce also freezes well. You can freeze it in a freezer-safe container, or a standard ice cube tray works well. Each cube mold holds about one ounce of sauce.
After putting the sauce in the cube molds, let it freeze; you can then cover the tray and leave them there, or pop them out and put them in a storage container or bag. You will need several ice cube trays to freeze the whole batch this way, so I usually only do this with one or two trays. The rest I store in a container or use immediately. Then, you have one-ounce portions ready to go! By the way, one ounce is the perfect amount to top chicken parmesan with!
Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce for Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Fresh Garlic Minced
- 12 oz Tomato Paste 1 can
- 60 oz Tomato Sauce 2 cans
- 2 Tb Italian Seasonings Dried Herbs
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 Tbsp Chicago Deep Dish Seasonings Optional
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot for 2 minutes.
- Add in the minced garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes. You are not trying to brown the garlic, just warming it up and releasing some flavor into the oil.
- Then pour all the ingredients in and combine well. It may take a few minutes to get all the ingredients incorporated. Then, turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Notes
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.