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Do you like making homemade pizza? If so, you should try this simple Neopolitan-style pizza sauce. It’s a no-cook pizza sauce recipe that takes under 5 minutes to make. Plus, it’s actually a very authentic Italian-style sauce. Canned tomatoes, a splash of olive oil, and a bit of salt and oregano are all you need. I’ve provided a round-up of the best canned tomato options below to help you achieve the best flavor.
Looking for more pizza recipes? Try my Neopolitan-style pizza dough or my pizza amatriciana recipe!
Why you will love this Simple Neopolitan-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe
This homemade pizza sauce is incredibly quick and easy to make. Plus, it’s healthier and tastier than any store-bought pizza sauce or tomato sauce option. I don’t know about you but I personally can’t stand the extra sugar and seasonings that get added to most store-bought sauces. Here’s a bit more about why you should try this homemade pizza sauce recipe.
- It’s a no-cook pizza sauce recipe: With homemade pizza, you already have to prepare the dough and toppings. I usually don’t feel like adding to the work (and mess) by having to chop and sautee sauce ingredients.
- It’s made from canned tomatoes: No need to run to the farmers market. You probably already have all the ingredients you need for this canned tomato pizza sauce right in your pantry! That means you can make this pizza sauce year-round.
- One bowl and an immersion blender are all you need: I hand crush the tomatoes and add them to a bowl (typically my 4-cup pyrex) with the oil, garlic, and seasonings. Then I use my immersion blender to blend them to my desired consistency. I love the immersion blender because it is so much easier to get out and clean than a food processor or blender (but those work too).
- It’s a versatile homemade pizza sauce: While we typically use this for thin crust Neopolitan-style pizzas, it works fine with other styles as well. We use it for pan pizza, french bread pizza, and my thicker-crust Sicilian pizza. Because it’s so simple (just tomatoes, garlic, and a bit of salt and oregano), it will pair with any toppings meant for a tomato-based pizza. You can always add more herbs and spices if you prefer a more robust flavor. I typically add a few fresh basil leaves when I have them.
Simple Neopolitan-Style Pizza Sauce Ingredients
This is a very simple recipe so ingredient quality matters. The tomatoes are most important. Many folks will tell you a Neopolitan pizza sauce should be made with Italian San Marzano tomatoes. This is certainly a good option but I think there are other good options. San Marzanos can be pricey so it is worth experimenting to find your favorite. Also, if you are going to buy San Marzanos, be aware that there are many fakes on the market. See below for some recommendations on canned tomato brands and how to make sure your San Marzanos are actually San Marzanos.
Canned Tomato Selection for Neopolitan-Style Pizza Sauce
There are a lot of blind taste testing results for canned tomatoes out there. See for instance these articles from Saveur, New York Times, and Serious Eats. I’ve listed some of the brands that consistently rank highly and whether or not they are actually Italian San Marzonos:
- Cento San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
- Bianco DiNapoli
- San Marican (Simpsons Brand) San Marzano (not grown in Italy)
- Muir Glen Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes (not San Marzano)
- 365 Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes (not San Marzano)
- Redpack Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes (not San Marzano)
I pick up San Marzanos from time to time when they are on sale. However, I also like the much cheaper 365 brand, Tutturosso, and several of the Trader Joe’s options. Experiment and see what you like. No need to shell out $6 for a can of tomatoes if you like the $1.50 dollar variety just as much.
Finding Real San Marzanos
If you want real Italian-grown San Marzano tomatoes, look for the label DOP-certified. That is how you know for sure. Beware of cans labeled things like “Italian-syle” or “San Marzano style.” These may not be the real deal.
Other Ingredients for Neopolitan-Style Pizza Sauce
The other ingredients (salt, dried oregano, garlic, and olive oil) are super basic. You probably have them in your pantry. If it is summertime, you can add a few fresh basil leaves (about 4) or some fresh oregano and or thyme. You can also add some red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper to give it some heat.
Simple Neopolitan-Style Pizza Sauce FAQs
The pizza sauce should be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. If will keep for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze it. Put it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and squeeze out the air.
This recipe will yield about 1 ½ cups of sauce. If you are making pizzas that are roughly 12 inches, you should have enough for at least 3.
Too much sauce will make your pizza soggy. I make pizzas that are roughly 12 inches and use about ½ cup per pizza. See the image below for a visual of how thick the sauce should be.
This is a very simple sauce so tomato quality does matter. However, I don’t think it is essential to use San Marzanos. There are plenty of non-San Marzano whole tomatoes that are a bit cheaper and just as tasty (at least in my opinion). See the ingredient discussion for more information.
Not really. You need a way to blend the tomatoes. I recommend an immersion blender but a food processor or regular blender will also work.
Yes, that will work. Most chefs prefer to puree their own whole tomatoes because they are the least processed, pure tomato option. Plus this gives you total control over the final consistency. There is a lot of variation in the consistency of crushed tomatoes – some are still quite chunky while others are a pretty thin puree.
Favorite Neopolitan-Style Pizza Sauce Tools
I use an immersion blender whenever I need to puree whole tomatoes. It’s much less effort than getting out the food processor or regular blender – plus, it’s a breeze to clean. If you are making authentic Neopolitan pizzas, you will need a pizza stone. Here is my favorite option. Lastly, these nesting bowls are awesome for homemade pizza (and many other things too). I make the dough in the big one, sauce in one of the medium size ones, and use the smaller sizes for toppings.
Print
Simple Neopolitan-Style Pizza Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1.5 cups about 3 12 inch pizzas 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
A simple no-cook pizza sauce recipe for excellent homemade pizza.
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- fresh herbs (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Drain the tomatoes. Rip them apart by hand and place them in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients to your desired consistency. Alternatively, combined all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until desired consistency.
- Adjust seasoning if desired. Use sauce immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
I usually add 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves in summer when it is available.
Keywords: tomato, Italian, Pizza
