Pizza Sauce
This basic pizza sauce comes together quickly with easy-to-find pantry ingredients. Tomato paste gives the sauce body and a rich, extra-tomato-y flavor that makes it perfect for topping pizza dough, and for filling calzones and stromboli. For a little kick, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or even more) to taste. Canned crushed tomatoes vary by brand; if you find yours are too coarsely crushed for your desired texture, pulse them in a food processor until smooth before beginning the sauce. Like most tomato-based sauces, pizza sauce freezes well; pack it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Before using, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or in a covered saucepan set over low heat. (You may need to add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.)
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 3 persons
Ingredients
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼cup minced or grated yellow onion
- 1tablespoon minced or grated garlic (3 cloves)
- ⅛teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
- ¼cup tomato paste
- 1(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 1teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- Black pepper
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium-low. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes.Step 2
Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the paste darkens and colors the oil in the pan, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary, and cool before using.