I never really had an opinion about pizza sauce until I started making a lot of my own pizzas at home. Sure, it’s a necessary ingredient, but it had never really been the focus of my attention. What can I say? I’m a toppings guy. So when I started cooking my own, I began by buying pizza sauce in jars from the grocery store. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as there are plenty of tasty sauces out there, and most grocery stores sell a “fresh” version of sauce in the refrigerated section. The Trader Joe’s version – in the little clear tub – is still a reliable favorite.
But if you want to get a little fancy, it’s fun to experiment with making your own, and I found that one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to do this is to keep it as simple as possible. In this instance, my favorite pizza sauce (especially for my grilled pizza) is an inexpensive, no-cook recipe that is made of only four ingredients, two of which are salt and pepper. Check it out.
If you’re interested, I have some more complex sauce recipes, which are also pretty tasty:
Ingredients:
- 1 can (low/no salt) diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp (or more) ‘Italian seasoning’ blend
- salt and pepper
YEP – THAT’S IT!
Step by step instructions:
- Place the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and pinches of salt and pepper, in a blender or food processor.
- Blend it down to your preferred consistency. I personally like a relatively smooth sauce, though I don’t mind a few smaller chunks.
- Give it a try, and add seasoning to your taste. Remember that it’ll be cooked on your pizza with cheese and toppings, so take that into account.
- Build your pizza, using as much or as little sauce as you like.
- Store any leftovers in a sealed container, in the fridge, for up to a week.
Love, Food & Beer 