San Marzano Pizza Sauce (2024)

This homemade San Marzano pizza sauce is made with five ingredients in 30 minutes and will make any pizza taste restaurant-worthy! Use this fresh sauce as the base for chewy pizza dough or a dip for garlic bread bites to elevate your next Italian night!

San Marzano Pizza Sauce (1)

Pizza night in my house always involves from-scratch soft pizza dough and pizza sauce! This San Marzano pizza sauce is the best because it’s so easy to make and blows any store-bought tomato sauce away.

San Marzano tomatoes are very high-quality tomatoes and the best for giving any sauce an authentic restaurant-quality flavor.

Need a recipe to use your homemade sauce? Try my super popular Cast Iron Skillet Pizza and Focaccia Pizza.

Table of Contents

Why We Love This Recipe

  • This homemade pizza sauce is baked in the oven, making it quick and easy for a last-minute pizza night.
  • You only need five ingredients and 30 minutes to make this recipe.
  • This recipe is made with the best quality ingredients and tomatoes, giving it an authentic restaurant-quality taste!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

San Marzano Pizza Sauce (2)

Whole San Marzano tomatoes: These tomatoes are the best quality to use for homemade sauce because they have a sweeter taste and less acid, water, and seeds than other varieties. I do not recommend substituting them.

Sugar: The sugar is used to cut through some of the acids in the tomatoes. You can also substitute honey instead.

Shallot: Shallots are sweeter than regular onions and hold more flavor than regular onions.

Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below!

Recipe Instructions

Step 1: Combine the sauce ingredients. In a large cast-iron skillet, dutch oven, or oven-proof pan, combine the San Marzano tomatoes, fresh garlic, shallot, granulated sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper (image 1 below).

Step 2: Bake the pizza sauce. Bake the sauce in the preheated oven for 30 minutes (image 2 below).

San Marzano Pizza Sauce (3)

Step 3: Test for doneness. When the sauce is ready, it will look thick and will have reduced slightly (image 3 above).

Step 4: Blend! Transfer the baked sauce to a blender and blend for 30 seconds until it’s very smooth. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, blend or pulse it until you reach your desired texture (image 4 above).

Expert Tips

  • Use San Marzano tomatoes: These tomatoes are widely available and are of higher quality than regular brands. They are always my go-to choice for creating the tastiest sauces!
  • Make a double batch for later. I love making a double batch and freezing half of it for later! Then you can pull it out for your next pizza night.

Storage and Freezing

You can store any leftover sauce in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container or jar.

This recipe yields about three cups of sauce. You can transfer any leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to use it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight or place the container in a bowl of cool water for a few hours.

FAQs

How many pizzas can you make with the San Marzano pizza sauce?

This recipe yields about 3 cups of sauce. Depending on how big your pizzas are, you can make up to 6-9 pizzas.

Can you freeze San Marzano pizza sauce?

Yes! Store the sauce in an airtight container or jar for up to three months in the freezer.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely! You will likely need a larger pan and will need to add some minutes to the baking time.

Are San Marzano tomatoes better for pizza sauce?

San Marzano tomatoes are viewed as the best tomato choice for pizza (or pasta) since they contain less water which creates a thicker sauce.

San Marzano Pizza Sauce (4)

More Pizza Night Recipes

  • Vodka pizza
  • Focaccia bread pizza
  • Chewy pizza dough
  • Cast iron skillet pizza

If you tried thisor any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in thecomments, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave astar ratingwhile you’re there! You can alsotag me onInstagramorFacebookso I can check it out!

San Marzano Pizza Sauce (5)

San Marzano Pizza Sauce

– by Cambrea Gordon

This homemade San Marzano pizza sauce is made with five ingredients in 30 minutes and will make any pizza taste restaurant-worthy! Use this fresh sauce as the base for your favorite pizza or as a dip for warm garlic bread to elevate your next Italian night!

Print Recipe Save RecipePin Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 3 cups

Equipment

  • blender

San Marzano Pizza Sauce (6) Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams!

Ingredients

  • 28 ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes
  • 5 fresh garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 medium shallot, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F/205 C.

  • Combine the tomatoes, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, sugar, and Italian seasoning in a 9 inch cast iron skillet, dutch oven, or oven-proof baking pan.

    28 ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes, 5 fresh garlic cloves, 1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 medium shallot

  • Bake the sauce for 30 minutes, or until the pizza sauce looks reduced and thickened.

  • Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.

  • Store it in a sealed container or jar in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Notes

Step-by-step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.

  • Use San Marzano tomatoes: These tomatoes are widely available and are of higher quality than regular brands. They are always my go-to choice for creating the tastiest sauces!
  • Make a double batch for later. I love making a double batch and freezing half of it for later! Then you can pull it out for your next pizza night.

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 579mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 4mg

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

San Marzano Pizza Sauce (7) Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!

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San Marzano Pizza Sauce (2024)

FAQs

Are San Marzano tomatoes good for pizza? ›

SUMMARY – San Marzano are the tomatoes by excellence for classic red sauce pizza. Some other varieties include the Pomodorino del Piennolo- yellow or red. If San Marzano is impossible to find where you live, oblong peeled tomatoes are the best next choice.

Does Costco sell San Marzano tomatoes? ›

La San Marzano Italian Whole Peeled Tomatoes, 2.84 L | Costco.

What is San Marzano sauce made of? ›

Here's the full list: canned San Marzano plum tomatoes, garlic cloves, quality tomato paste, olive oil, salt & black pepper, and fresh herbs – basil and oregano.

What tomatoes do NY pizzerias use? ›

The sauce consists only of uncooked canned tomatoes. Most New York pizzerias use 7/11 by Stanislaus or one of their other brand lines. The cheese will be block mozzarella, shredded.

Does Rao's use San Marzano tomatoes? ›

Rao's Homemade Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce 24 oz

A: Hello! Our San Marzano tomatoes are washed, and steam peeled prior to being cooked. While this is a very effective method to peel our tomatoes, we cannot guarantee that there will not be any peels in our sauces.

What's the big deal about San Marzano tomatoes? ›

The volcanic soils in the San Marzano PDO—a relatively small region in southern Italy between Naples and Salerno—are famed for producing tomatoes with a balanced flavor that combines sweetness, tomatoey intensity, and just the right amount of acid.

Are San Marzano tomatoes just Roma tomatoes? ›

In the United States, San Marzano tomatoes are the genetic base for another popular paste tomato, the Roma tomato. The Roma is a cross between a San Marzano and two other varieties (one of which was also a San Marzano hybrid), and was introduced by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service in 1955.

Why are San Marzano tomatoes so expensive? ›

Why Are San Marzano Tomatoes So Expensive? Because true San Marzanos are so prized, they have to be imported from Italy, and the sunny, volcanic region in which they're grown is relatively small, there is more demand for them than other types of canned tomatoes. So the price tags match.

Why add olive oil to pizza sauce? ›

Adding butter to the sauce helps round off the rough edges of the tomatoes and gives it a richer, fuller mouthfeel. Mixing it with extra-virgin olive oil adds peppery flavor. Starting with whole peeled tomatoes generally sets you up with higher quality tomatoes, and therefore better results.

What's the difference between pizza sauce and Italian sauce? ›

Pizza sauce leans towards a thicker, paste-like consistency to prevent the pizza dough from becoming soggy. Pasta sauces, such as marinara or bolognese, contain more water and can include chunkier vegetable pieces or meat, offering a richer texture and flavor complexity.

Why does pizza sauce taste different than pasta sauce? ›

Although they contain similar ingredients, there is a difference between pasta sauce and pizza sauce. Pizza sauce is prepared with uncooked pureed tomatoes while pasta sauce is made with cooked blended tomatoes and flavorful garlic, herbs, and spices.

What is the best tomato for pizza? ›

The Best Tomatoes for Pizzas

Plum tomatoes are ideal for making pizza sauce. Actually, the best tomatoes for pizza sauce are ones below Mt. Vesuvius' soil outside Naples in San Marzano, Italy. But, since everyone doesn't live around Vesuvius, canned San Marzano tomatoes are available in the supermarket.

What is the difference between San Marzano tomatoes and regular tomatoes? ›

What Is a San Marzano Tomato? The tomatoes themselves are longer and skinnier than a regular plum tomato, with a thin skin and thick flesh. The smaller size and dense flesh lead to less of that watery goop in the middle, meaning they have more flavor than other, similar types of tomatoes.

Are San Marzano tomatoes like Roma tomatoes? ›

Compared to the Roma tomato, San Marzano tomatoes are thinner and more pointed. The flesh is much thicker with fewer seeds, and the taste is stronger, sweeter, and less acidic.

Why do Italians use San Marzano tomatoes? ›

In Italian Dishes, San Marzano tomatoes have a sweet, tangy flavor with low acidity and a meaty texture, making them a popular ingredient in many Italian dishes, such as pizza, pasta, and tomato sauce.

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