Easy Pizza Sauce with Tomato Paste

There is something wonderfully satisfying about making pizza completely from scratch—and you don’t need a complicated sauce to make it delicious.

This easy pizza sauce with tomato paste, only requires a few simple seasonings, and ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. It takes just a few minutes to make and has a rich, savory tomato flavor that is perfect for homemade pizza.

I made this sauce recently for a family pizza night when we were making seven personal-sized pizzas. I had already made a batch of my easy no-yeast pizza crust, so I wanted a sauce that was quick, flavorful, and thick enough to work well on the homemade crust.

This sauce was exactly what I was looking for.

The pizzas were such a hit that I knew this recipe needed to make its way onto the website.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pizza Sauce With Tomato Paste

• Quick and easy: It takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.
• Made with tomato paste: No fresh tomatoes or blender required.
• Rich and flavorful: Tomato paste gives the sauce a concentrated tomato flavor.
• Perfect consistency: It’s thick enough to spread on pizza without making the crust soggy.
• Easy to customize: Add more garlic, herbs, or chili flakes depending on what your family likes.
• Great for family pizza night: This recipe makes enough sauce for about seven personal pizzas.

Easy Pizza Sauce with Tomato Paste

This easy pizza sauce starts with tomato paste, a few simple seasonings, and ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. It takes just a few minutes to make and has a rich, savory tomato flavor that is perfect for homemade pizza.

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 7

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup 250 g tomato paste
• ¾ cup 180 ml water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes optional (I don’t always have these but use them when I do)

Method

 

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and whisk until smooth.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

Cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Allow to cool slightly before spreading over pizza crust.

Use approximately 2–3 tablespoons per personal-sized pizza.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze in small portions for later use.

Combine the ingredients

1. Add the tomato paste, water, oil, oregano, basil, garlic, sugar, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes, if using, to a small saucepan.
2. Whisk everything together until smooth.

Simmer the sauce

1. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
2. Cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. You don’t need to cook it for a long time. The short simmer is enough to mellow the tomato paste and allow all those lovely garlic and herb flavors to come together.

Taste and adjust

1. Give the sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
2. If it tastes a little too acidic, add another ½ teaspoon of sugar.
3. If it is thicker than you’d like, add a splash of water.
4. If you want a stronger herb flavor, add a little more oregano or basil.
5. And if you like your pizza with a little heat, add more chili flakes.

Let it cool slightly

1. Let the sauce cool for a few minutes before spreading it onto your pizza crust.
2. For personal-sized pizzas, about 2–3 tablespoons of sauce per pizza is plenty.
3. You want enough sauce to cover the crust without drowning it.

Notes

Tips for the Best Homemade Pizza Sauce

 

Don’t use too much sauce

This is especially important when you’re using a homemade no-yeast crust. A generous but thin layer of sauce will give you plenty of flavor without making the middle of the pizza soggy.

Taste your tomato paste

Different brands of tomato paste can vary in acidity and saltiness. Taste the sauce before adding additional salt or sugar.

Fresh garlic or garlic powder?

Both work beautifully.

Fresh garlic gives the sauce a stronger, more pronounced garlic flavor, while garlic powder makes the sauce especially quick and easy.

Make it your own

This is a very forgiving recipe. Add a little extra oregano, basil, garlic, black pepper, or chili flakes until it tastes just right to you.

Pull Up a Chair

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Leave a comment below and let me know what you served it with. Some of our best dinner ideas have come from conversations around the table.

From Our Kitchen Notebook

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A Little About Me

I’m Emily — a wife, mom of three, and home cook who believes some of life’s best conversations happen around the table.

Our family moved back to Uganda after more than a decade away, and our kitchen has become a place where old favorites, new flavors, and everyday moments come together. Here, I share the recipes we actually make for our family—from homemade bread and simple weeknight dinners to treats worth baking again and again.

I’m so glad you stopped by. I hope you find something your family will love, too.

Meet Our Family →

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