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    Home » Recipes » Pantry

    Marinara Pizza Sauce

    Published: Aug 16, 2022 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This easy marinara pizza sauce made with canned tomato sauce and Italian seasonings is more budget-friendly than jarred tomato sauce. Use it to top a homemade pizza or stir into easy pasta dinner recipes.

    A tomato pizza sauce is being mixed in a bowl.

    When we started making homemade pizzas as part of a fun family weekend tradition, I needed a tasty red pizza sauce for building classic pizzas like pepperoni and sausage.

    The key to the best marinara pizza sauce is all in the texture. You want a sauce that is thick enough to spread over the pizza crust and won't be runny when you slice into your baked pizza.

    The pizza sauce should have plenty of herbs and seasonings without taking away from the flavors of the other pizza toppings.

    This pizza sauce recipe is the perfect solution and is budget-friendly and easy to keep ready to go in the pantry!

    Jump to:
    • Why This is the Best Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • The Best Italian Herb Blend for Pizza
    • Budget Friendly Tips
    • Mix the Sauce Together
    • How to Use Marinara Pizza Sauce
    • Make Ahead & Freezer Tips
    • Breads to Dip in Marinara
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why This is the Best Recipe

    After testing several methods, I discovered that the best pizza sauce starts with super budget-friendly canned tomato sauce which is a lot cheaper than many brands of jarred tomato sauces.

    I'm not talking about the canned pizza sauce that is already seasoned, but a plain can of tomato sauce that you season yourself in just a minute with these easy tips.

    I think this is the best recipe because:

    1. The texture of the sauce is perfect.
    2. You don't need to cook it before you use it on your pizza.
    3. You can freeze leftovers so there's no waste.
    4. You can use it as a substitute for jarred tomato sauce for other recipes.
    5. You can adjust the seasonings to suit your family or the pizza recipe as needed.

    Ingredients

    The ingredients for pizza sauce are on the counter.

    The ingredients for this pizza sauce couldn't be easier:

    • A PLAIN Can of Tomato Sauce: Do not buy the ones that are already seasoned.
    • Italian Herb Blend: I have several suggestions for which blend to buy below.
    • Fennel Seed: This is what gives the sauce a pizza flavor. It is essential.
    • Garlic Salt
    • Sugar: This only needs to be added to some tomato sauces and depends on the brand. See the notes in the recipe card for clarification.

    The Best Italian Herb Blend for Pizza

    I've tried lots of different Italian herb blends from various brands over the years.

    When making a homemade marinara pizza sauce, you want a blend that has:

    • Oregano
    • Basil
    • Thyme

    In addition, if you can find a blend that also has these ingredients, your sauce will have an even better flavor:

    • Marjoram
    • Rosemary

    Don't worry about whether or not your Italian herb blend has garlic in it, we'll be adding garlic salt on the side.

    • Little Italy by The Spice House
    • Italian Herb by Spice Islands
    • Pizza Seasoning by Frontier Co-op: This one includes fennel seeds right in the mix if you really don't want to buy a separate jar of fennel seeds!

    Budget Friendly Tips

    To save money on your homemade pizza night, make this budget-friendly pizza sauce because it is so much cheaper than prepared options or jarred sauce from the store.

    I like to buy a large case of organic canned tomato sauce during trips to Costco and use them for months.

    But at the regular grocery store, I can often find canned tomato sauce for $2 or less per can. Especially when I shop the sales and buy them in bulk.

    There are so many ways to use the marinara sauce, that I appreciate having a stash of cans ready to go in a pinch.

    Mix the Sauce Together

    The ingredients have been added to a mixing bowl.

    Making the marinara pizza sauce is super easy.

    Simply open the can of tomato sauce and pour it into a mixing bowl.

    Add all the seasonings and stir.

    That's it! You don't need to cook it before spreading it on a pizza crust, it will cook plenty while it is in the oven.

    How to Use Marinara Pizza Sauce

    The pizza sauce is being spread onto a homemade pizza crust.

    This pizza sauce is perfect for spreading on my favorite homemade bread maker pizza dough.

    Top it with mozzarella cheese and your favorite pizza toppings. Get my classic cheese pizza recipe right here.

    • A homemade cheese pizza is sliced and ready to serve.
      Classic Cheese Pizza

    However, I use this recipe for so much more!

    It goes great as the sauce for my baked meatball subs and could replace the jarred tomato sauce in my pasta rosa with sausage or the weeknight-friendly easy chicken bolognese.

    It also makes a great dip for dunking bites of homemade pizza buns or breadsticks!

    • A pair of meatball sub sandwiches are on a cutting board for serving.
      Easy Baked Meatball Subs
    • A white bowl holds curly pasta coated in a creamy tomato sauce with crumbled sausage and parmesan sprinkled on top.
      Pasta Rosa with Sausage
    • A plate of spaghetti with chicken bolognese sauce has a fork twirling the noodles.
      Easy Chicken Bolognese
    • A dinner plate with two pizza buns and caesar salad.
      Homemade Pizza Buns Stuffed with Pepperoni

    Make Ahead & Freezer Tips

    I usually use about half of the recipe on a single pizza crust.

    If we're only making one pizza, I transfer the remaining pizza sauce to a freezer-friendly container and save it for later.

    You can freeze the marinara pizza sauce for up to one year.

    Simply thaw in the fridge overnight or defrost it in the microwave before using in your recipe.

    If you know you'll be making another recipe in the next few days, you could also store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Breads to Dip in Marinara

    This pizza sauce also makes a wonderful pizza sauce dip for dunking bread and other appetizers like baked mozzarella sticks.

    If you plan to use it as a dip, you will want to pour the canned tomato sauce into a sauce pan, add the seasonings and stir them together right in the pan.

    Then cook the sauce over medium heat until it bubbles.

    Cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium-low to let the flavors mingle and serve warm.

    Our garlicky homemade pokey sticks, crispy garlic bread, or seasoned bread machine focaccia would all be super delicious with this marinara sauce as a dip.

    • Homemade pokey sticks have been baked and cut into breadsticks.
      Homemade Pokey Sticks
    • The baked garlic bread is on a cutting board and has been cut into wedges for serving.
      Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
    • A focaccia bread on parchment paper with several squares cut and scattered.
      Bread Machine Focaccia

    📖 Recipe

    A tomato pizza sauce is being mixed in a bowl.

    Marinara Pizza Sauce

    4.67 from 3 votes
    This easy homemade marinara pizza sauce is made with budget-friendly canned tomato sauce and can be frozen for later use. Spread it on a pizza crust or use it as the base of a pasta recipe or dip for dunking garlic bread.
    TOTAL TIME 5 minutes
    PREP TIME 5 minutes
    YIELD 2 cups
    PIN RECIPE FOR LATER PRINT RECIPE NOW

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 (15 oz) can of plain tomato sauce
    • 2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
    • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspon garlic salt
    • 1 teaspoon sugar optional, see notes
    • Salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
    • The sauce can be used immediately when making homemade pizza.
    • If using the sauce as a dip for breadsticks, transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Let cook for 2 - 5 minutes and serve warm.

    Recipe Notes

    A Note on Sugar:

    I avoid adding sugar to tomato sauce whenever possible but some brands of canned tomato sauce are more acidic tasting than others. Be sure to taste test your sauce and add up to 1 teaspoon sugar as needed to moderate the acidity of the sauce.
    COURSEPantry
    CUISINEItalian-American
    AUTHORTiffany Dahle

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

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