Classic pizza tomato sauce recipe

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This classic pizza tomato sauce is so simple to make and perfect for topping homemade pizza dough and topped with cheese and fresh veggies

Makes
SkillEasy
Preparation Time5 mins
Cooking Time30 mins
Total Time35 mins
Cost RangeCheap

If you’re making the effort to bake your own pizzas then it’s really worth spending a little time cooking a lovely rich and herby tomato pizza sauce to spread over the dough too. This recipe makes a fairly chunky sauce, but for a smoother consistency use a hand held blender to whizz the cooled sauce. Choose plump and ripe on-the-vine tomatoes and a good quality olive oil for the best flavour. This recipe will cover 2 large pizzas, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month. Use to spread on other pizzas or add to other sauce-based dishes like chilli con carne or spaghetti Bolognese. It will take around 35 mins to prepare and cook this rich tomato sauce; 5 mins prep and 30 mins cooking time. Making the pizza sauce from scratch is much healthier than opting for a readymade jar - you'll know exactly what's going into it and you can control the salt content too.

Ingredients

  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 4 ripe tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 2tbsp tomato puree
  • 1tsp dried Italian herbs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the garlic, fry gently for 3-4 mins then add the fresh tomatoes and fry for a further 5-6 mins.
  2. Add the canned tomatoes, sugar, tomato puree and dried herbs and simmer gently for 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Mash with a potato masher to break down any large chunks of tomato. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Leave to cool before using.
Top Tip for making Classic pizza tomato sauce

Use this sauce to top a homemade pizza base