Pizza Sauce with Tomato Puree & Rosemary

Pizza sauce is one of the easiest things to make from scratch and one of the worst things to buy in a jar. This 10-minute pantry version uses tomato puree (passata) and tomato paste together, which is the secret to that thick, dense, full-flavored sauce that clings to dough instead of running off.

The blend of oregano, basil, Italian seasoning and ground rosemary is what makes this taste like real pizzeria sauce. Rosemary is the unexpected addition that elevates a basic pizza sauce into something with depth. Grind the dried needles between your palms before adding to release the oils.

Dehydrated onions instead of fresh is intentional. Fresh onions release water and dilute the sauce. Dehydrated onions rehydrate in the warm liquid and concentrate flavor without adding moisture. The same logic is why this recipe uses garlic powder instead of fresh.

No cooking required. Heat just to serving temperature. Long simmering would caramelize the tomato sugars and turn the sauce sweet. Pizza sauce should taste bright and tomato-forward, not jammy.

Pro Tips

• Use a thick passata or strain canned crushed tomatoes through a fine mesh sieve. Watery tomato base will make a soggy pizza.
• Add water gradually only if needed. Most pizza sauce should be thick (jam-like) so it doesn’t soak into the crust.
• Make ahead. The flavors meld and intensify after a few hours in the fridge. This sauce keeps for a week refrigerated or 3 months frozen.
• Spread thinly on pizza dough. A heavy hand with sauce is the most common reason home pizzas come out soggy.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for arrabbiata-style spicy sauce.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a splash of red wine for a richer, more rounded flavor.
• Swap rosemary for fresh fennel seed for a Sicilian-style pizza sauce.