This no-cook, zesty pizza sauce is full of bold flavors and loaded with herbs and spices. And talk about simple: just add the ingredients, mix well, and you have an incredible pizza sauce in under 5 minutes.

Yes, this is a no-cook pizza sauce...And that's a good thing!
If you have any preconceived notions that a 'no-cook' pizza sauce is somehow inferior to a heated sauce...I'm happy to tell you that those notions are wrong!
I discuss later why a no-cook sauce is actually the CORRECT sauce to use for baking pizzas.
You'll love how the recipe uses simple everyday ingredients straight from your pantry: canned tomato sauce and paste, dry herbs and spices, and a little bit of olive oil.
But don't let these basic ingredients fool you. The flavor of this sauce is zesty and robust.
It's so good that it'll transform even a store bought crust into something to rave about.
But don't settle for store bought when you have homemade pan pizza and Neopolitan style pizza dough recipes at your fingertips!
Jump to:
Why a 'no-cook' pizza sauce is the best choice
A pizza sauce should only be cooked once, and this should happen when the pizza is baking in the oven.
When the pizza is in a hot oven, the tomato sauce cooks and further blooms the herbs and spices.
Once the pizza is done, the sauce has cooked to its peak flavor.
This can only happen if you use a no-cook pizza sauce.
I realize that there are pizza sauce recipes that have you simmer the sauce and spices first, but therein lies the problem...
...you end up cooking the sauce again when you bake the pizza!
You lose flavor when the sauce is cooked a second time.
This sauce has the right consistency
A pizza sauce needs to have the right thickness.
If it's too thin, you get a soggy crust.
If it's too thick, the texture is off.
This zesty pizza sauce has the perfect balance of texture, flavor and thickness.
Ingredients for zesty pizza sauce
We are talking basic pantry staples here. I use canned tomato products and some basic dry herbs.
Would it surprise you to know that canned tomato products are actually better for you than fresh tomatoes? If you want to know how, check out The benefits of canned tomato products.
I'd be willing to bet you have all of these items in your pantry right now.
- Tomato Sauce
- Tomato Paste
- Oregano
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic & Onion Powders (granulated)
- Salt & Pepper
- Sugar
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
How to make zesty pizza sauce
Combine the sauce and paste
In a medium bowl, add the tomato sauce and paste. Whisk together until smooth.
Add the herbs, spices and oil
Add in the remaining dry herbs, spices and oil. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Finally, add the pizza sauce to a sealable jar or bowl and refrigerate until needed.
For best results, wait a minimum of 3 hours for the spices to soften and bloom before using.
I often make this pizza sauce the night before to give the flavors time to develop.
How much sauce to put on your pizza
Much of this comes down to personal preference, with one exception:
If your pizza dough is thin, be cautious with how much sauce you put on. Even a sauce with proper consistency (like ours) can run the risk of producing a soggy crust if it's applied too heavily.
Thicker crusts can support more sauce, so feel free to lay it on thick, if that's your preference.
Can you freeze pizza sauce?
YES, it freezes wonderfully.
Just add the sauce to a freezer bag or tightly sealed container and place it into your freezer.
OR, spoon the sauce into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, wrap each cube with plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag.
This allows you to just pull out what you need. Cool, huh?
Frozen pizza sauce will be good for up to 3 months.
Other uses for zesty pizza sauce
I add this pizza sauce to my Pasta e Fagioli Soup and Italian Sausage-Pepper Ragu with Polenta. It adds great flavor. It's also perfect for topping grilled chicken breasts along with some mozzarella cheese!
It also make a great sauce for my Grilled Italian Sausage Sandwiches.
Or, do you need a quick marinara sauce? Just add a can of crushed tomatoes to it and simmer until your pasta is done. How easy was that?
We hope you love this simple pizza sauce!
Stay safe, friends. Stay well.
—Michelle
Zesty Pizza Sauce
This no-cook, homemade pizza sauce is full of flavor and zest. And talk about simple...just add the ingredients, mix well, and you have yourself an incredible pizza sauce in under 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz Can Tomato Sauce
- 1 6 oz Can tomato Paste
- ½ tablespoon Dried Oregano
- ½ tablespoon Dried Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Onion
- 1 teaspoon Sugar (white, granulated)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (table)
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (Optional)
Instructions
- Empty tomato sauce and paste into medium size bowl and mix throroughly.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Cover and place in refrigerator.
- Use within 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Although you can use the sauce right away, for best results, let the sauce to rest at least 3 hours before first use to allow herbs to bloom.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 39Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate: if you are tracking this information for medical purposes, please consult a trusted external source. Thanks!
judith judge says
im not a big fan of tomato suce woudl crushed tomatoes work
Phil F says
Yes!