How to Make Pizza Sauce From Canned Tomatoes? | 20-Minute Staple

Pizza sauce from canned tomatoes comes together in about 20 minutes with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, no cooking required if you prefer.

The best pizza sauce starts with good canned tomatoes, and the whole process is forgiving enough for a weeknight. You blend or crush the tomatoes with a few pantry seasonings, simmer briefly to concentrate flavor, and you have a sauce that beats most jars. The version below follows the approach used in RecipeTin Eats’ popular pizza sauce recipe, which relies on simple ingredients and a short cook time to build depth.

What You Need: Ingredients and Tools

Most of what you need is probably already in your kitchen. The ingredient list is short, and the tools are basic.

• Canned tomatoes: 14.5 oz of diced or fire-roasted, or 28 oz of whole, crushed, or ground. Whole peeled tomatoes, especially San Marzano-style, give the best flavor.
• Olive oil: about 2 tablespoons for the flavor base.
• Garlic: 2–3 cloves, minced or sliced.
• Dried oregano and basil: about 1 teaspoon each, or to taste.
• Salt and black pepper: to taste; salt is the most common under-seasoning mistake.
• Sugar (optional): a pinch to balance acidity.

You will need a blender or food processor for a smooth sauce, or a potato masher for a chunkier texture. A saucepan finishes the job.

Step-by-Step: The Quick Method

This sequence takes about 20 minutes and produces a sauce with a balanced, slightly chunky texture that won’t sog out your crust.

1. Heat the oil and garlic. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, but not browned.
2. Add the tomatoes. Pour in the canned tomatoes with their juices. If you are using whole tomatoes, crush them by hand as you add them.
3. Season. Stir in the oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar if using.
4. Simmer. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This reduces the watery liquid and thickens the sauce.
5. Blend or mash. For a smooth sauce, pulse in a blender or use an immersion blender. For a chunkier style, mash with a potato masher to your preferred texture. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

When it works, the sauce will look slightly darker and noticeably thicker than when it went into the pan, and the raw tomato smell will have mellowed into something savory. You can use it right away or store it for later.

Texture, Cooking Time, and Common Mistakes

The right texture is the difference between a great pizza and a soggy one, and the cooking time is the main lever you control.

• Quick simmer (15–20 minutes): the default for a fast weeknight sauce, still thick enough for pizza.
• Longer cook (20–30 minutes): produces a noticeably thicker, more concentrated sauce.
• One-hour reduction: yields a deeply flavored, New York–style sauce that clings to the crust without pooling.
• No-cook: if your canned tomatoes are high quality, you can blend them with seasonings and use immediately.

The most common mistake is over-blending into a watery puree when a light texture is better. Start with short pulses and check the consistency. Under-seasoning salt is the second most common issue, so taste after simmering and adjust before you call it done. Overcooking can make the sauce too thick or cause it to catch on the pan, so keep the heat at a gentle simmer and stir often. If you are using a brand of tomatoes you know to be watery, simmering them down is the fix.

For the best results, choosing the right can matters as much as the technique. If you want to compare the top-rated options side by side, our tested roundup of the best canned tomatoes for pizza sauce breaks down which brands hold up best on a crust.

Storage and Make-Ahead

This sauce is easy to prep in advance, and it keeps well in the fridge. Cool it completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerated, it lasts up to a week. The sauce also freezes well for a few months, so doubling the batch is a smart move if you make pizza often.

This recipe is a practical, flexible base. Adjust the herbs, skip the sugar, or blend it as smooth as you like — the method stays the same, and the result is a reliable homemade sauce for your next pizza night. The full method, with photos and variations, is on RecipeTin Eats’ pizza sauce recipe if you want to see it in action.