Last updated on November 6th, 2023
Want to impress your girlfriend with homemade pizza?
Trying to re-create that pizza meravigliosa (or pinsa) you ate in Rome?
If so, put down that jar of Prego and use this recipe to make authentic Italian pizza sauce!
It’s actually simple to make – but there are a few thing to keep in mind. I’ll walk you through all of them below and you’ll be on your way to 100% pizza italiana in no time!
Don’t Feel Bad: Before moving to Italy I was 100% guilty of believing that pizza sauce was a cooked sauce, similar to pasta sauce made with onion, garlic and plenty of herbs. I would actually make a tomato sauce and have spaghetti one night and pizza the next, using the same sauce in both. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
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Italian Pizza Sauce – Pronunciation
In Italian, pizza sauce is called salsa di pomodoro (Pronounced sahl-SAH dee pohm-oh-doh-ROH in Italian).
Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce – What is It?
Authentic Italian pizza sauce is raw, uncooked, simple and so easy to prepare. It’s made from the very best tomatoes, olive oil, salt and either basil or dried oregano.
The original recipe comes from Naples, from where, of course, pizza originated.
Since the recipe is so simple and basic, it is importantissimo (very important) to use top-quality ingredients. If you are using fresh tomatoes, try and buy local. If you are using canned tomatoes, get the very best – San Marzano DOP. And per favore, only use extra virgin olive oil if you can, because it really does make a difference.
Good To Know: If you’re making an authentic Italian pizza sauce, you may want to use Authentic Italian Pizza Toppings.
Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce – What It Isn’t
Italian pizza sauce is not:
- cooked
- made with a soffritto of onions, carrots and celery
- made with sugar
- made with garlic salt
- full of seasoning
- complicated to make
Good To Know: If you see a recipe or come across a pizza that asks you to cook the sauce, chances are the recipe and method are not coming from a reliable, authentic source. I am not saying it won’t be good, it just isn’t an authentic Italian pizza sauce recipe.
Ingredients for Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce
Serves 4 people: The number of pizzas you get will depend on what size and shape you make them. Generally this is enough pizza sauce for dough made with about 1lb 2 oz (500 g) flour (more or less).
Canned Tomatoes
1-14 ounce can good quality tomatoes, fresh or canned. If using canned, try and get the best quality crushed or whole peeled San Marzano variety. DOP is the creme della creme but if you don’t see San Marzano DOP, don’t fret or panic, just go with S.Marzano. In Italy, we will usually use passata, which is peeled, canned tomatoes that have already been pureed for us.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Use 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for this authentic Italian pizza sauce. It’s important to use the absolute best possible, even if it’s going to be cooked.
Other Ingredients
- 8-10 basil leaves, lightly torn OR 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce – Step-By-Step Instructions
Pour the tomatoes into a bowl. If they are whole, either crush them with your hands or you can use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut them up directly in the bowl. This will give you a chunky tomato sauce (which is authentic) but some prefer it completely smooth (also authentic). If this is the case, simply puree the tomatoes using a food processor, blender or immersion blender before adding the rest of the ingredients.
If you are able to find passata, the Italian smooth canned tomatoes, use it as is.
Gently tear or chiffonade the basil and add. If you are using oregano instead of basil, add that instead. Stir well.
Add the extra virgin olive oil and salt. Combine well and cover until ready to use. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt, if need be.
Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce – Substitutions
- Although not authentic in Italy, try adding red pepper flakes to your pizza sauce for a spicy bite. In Italy, if you order a spicy pizza or pizza diavola, it will come with spicy sausage or salame on it.
- Do not even think about adding garlic salt, “Italian seasoning” or sugar to your pizza sauce (that would really offend the Italians, my Italian sister-in-law in particular who is the pizza queen).
- Do not substitute tomato paste for the tomato puree or canned tomatoes. It won’t come out well.
- Canned cherry tomatoes will do just fine if you can’t find San Marzano.
- Try making half the sauce chunky and half the sauce smooth. Compare to see what you prefer!
- If you don’t have fresh basil, opt for dried oregano instead of dried basil.
Tips for Making the Best Pizza
- Give your homemade pizza sauce a quick mix before making your pizzas as the olive oil tends to separate if it sits for any length of time.
- Don’t overload the pizza dough with sauce. Less is more. You will only need 2-3 Tablespoons for each individual pie.
- Don’t add too many toppings or your pizza will get soggy and heavy. It should crisp up and it can’t do that with added weight.
- Get your oven as hot as it will get! Real Italian pizza is cooked at about 700 F but most generic ovens only go up to around 550. Don’t worry, your pizza will be great, but perhaps note quite as crisp.
Now eat your pizza like an Italian! Read How Do Italians Eat Pizza? and Do Italians Eat Pizza With a Fork?
Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 14-oz high-quality tomatoes, fresh or canned if canned, use San Marzano
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 8-10 basil leaves, lightly torn, or 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Pour the tomatoes into a bowl. If they are whole, either crush them with your hands or you can use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut them up directly in the bowl. This will give you a chunky tomato sauce (which is authentic) but some prefer it completely smooth (also authentic). If this is the case, simply puree the tomatoes using a food processor, blender or immersion blender before adding the rest of the ingredients. If you are able to find passata, the Italian smooth canned tomatoes, use it as is.
- Gently tear or chiffonade the basil and add. If you are using oregano instead of basil, add that instead. Stir well.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil and salt. Combine well and cover until ready to use. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt, if need be.
Notes
- Although not authentic in Italy, try adding red pepper flakes to your pizza sauce for a spicy bite. In Italy, if you order a spicy pizza or pizza diavola, it will come with spicy sausage or salame on it.
- Do not even think about adding garlic salt, “Italian seasoning” or sugar to your pizza sauce (that would really offend the Italians, my Italian sister-in-law in particular who is the pizza queen).
- Do not substitute tomato paste for the tomato puree or canned tomatoes. It won’t come out well.
- Canned cherry tomatoes will do just fine if you can’t find San Marzano.
- Try making half the sauce chunky and half the sauce smooth. Compare to see what you prefer!
Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce Recipe – FAQ
Absolutely. Pizza sauce can be kept for up to three days in the fridge before using.
The main difference is that tomato sauce is raw while pasta sauce is made by cooking tomatoes with a soffritto – onions, celery and carrot – and plenty of olive oil for several hours.
Yes, I do it all the time. Sometimes I end up only using half so I pop it in the freezer for the next time.
Sure, the most common use is to put it into a braise or beef or chicken stew or soup that you plan on making the next day. You can also freeze it in smaller portions to pull out at a moment’s notice to jazz up a recipe that calls for canned tomatoes.
You can also quickly cook it with a couple of cloves of garlic and toss in with spaghetti for a literal 15 minute meal. While the pasta cooks, so does the sauce!
This is a bit of a trick question but marinara sauce is this specific Neapolitan salsa di pomodoro or tomato sauce that I am detailing above. Marinara sauce comes from the pizza marinara which is simply a red pizza, made with just sauce, no cheese or toppings, and thus, is a bit jazzed up with basil, olive oil and/or oregano. The original pizza sauce used on a Neapolitan pizza margherita has no basil or oregano. The marinara sauce has however, been adopted by most while the original sauce made without basil or oregano is less common in Italy.
