The Best Pizza Sauce

We love to grow tomatoes. There is just nothing quite like a fresh, sun-ripened tomato right off the vine. One way we hold on to those summer flavors is by canning as much tomato sauce as possible. Although I sometimes regret my enthusiasm when I am knee deep in tomatoes in a hot kitchen, I am always happy throughout the winter when I walk into my pantry and see the bright red sauce in jars lining the shelves.

The main reason we love to have canned sauce is to make the best pizza sauce. This recipe is a bit of a family heirloom and we like to make it in a big batch and put it in the freezer. Whenever we want homemade pizza, we pull out a bag of sauce, thaw and assemble. The sauce also makes a good dip for bread sticks or focaccia bread. This recipe is a great way to use onions, garlic, and fresh or dried herbs from the garden. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

What you will need

• Tomato sauce

  Store bought crushed tomatoes or home canned tomato sauce can be used for this recipe. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, they will need to be blanched, peeled, pureed and cooked down so the sauce doesn’t end up with too much water.

• Tomato paste

  Canned tomato paste helps to thicken the sauce and add a deeper tomato flavor without needing to cook it for an extended amount of time.

• Onion

  Fresh or frozen chopped onion work equally well.

• Garlic

  One clove of garlic is approximately 1 tsp chopped garlic or 1/2 tsp minced garlic. We often add extra garlic just because we love it so much!

• Olive oil and butter

  Any oil can be substituted for the olive oil, however, it is a classic addition to pizza sauce. The butter just adds a little bit extra flavor.

• Basil, oregano, and thyme

  The measurements in this recipe are for dried herbs. If you use fresh herbs, triple the amounts.

• Sugar

  A small amount of sugar helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

• Salt and pepper

Home canned tomato sauce, chopped, frozen onion, and garlic from our 2023 garden.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, approx. 2 cups, chopped

• 4 large garlic cloves, approx 2 tsp, minced

• 1 28 oz can crushed tomato or 3 1/2 cups tomato sauce

• 2 tblsp olive oil

• 1 tblsp butter

• 1 tsp basil

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1/2 tsp thyme

• 2 tsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place olive oil, butter, onions, and salt in a large pot. Cook over low heat until soft and translucent.

2. Turn up heat to medium and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, 3-4 minutes.

3. Add spices and tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes, checking and stirring frequently.

4. Taste sauce and add additional salt if needed. Add pepper to taste, and remove from heat. If you like a smoother sauce, use an immersion or countertop blender to puree sauce. Let cool.

5. To freeze for later, place desired portions into freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.

6. Use with your favorite crust and toppings for pizza, or as a dipping sauce for bread sticks.

Assembling some pizza. Yum!

Pizza night

Comment below with your favorite pizza toppings and the best alternative ways to use pizza sauce.