A traditional Authentic sauce starts with the freshest homemade ingredients from start to finish.
That actually means you must use fresh herbs, fresh spices, homemade dough, and the highest quality tomatoes to make a great pizza, not just a good one.
Whether you love thick pizza or thin pizza this fantastic homemade pizza sauce will be the deal-breaker on every pizza you've ever tasted in an American kitchen with a straight from an Italian flavor that's over 150 years old.
Grandma only made everything from scratch recipes, and she was from Rome, Italy which we got had her thin-crust pizza recipe.
Then from time to time, we enjoyed a thick Sicilian-style pizza that was a nice change once in awhile and used the same delicious sauce on top.
Scroll down to get Grandma's printable homemade pizza sauce recipe it's the tastiest and easiest sauce you will ever make in an American kitchen that's taste authentic right from Italy.
What Is Sicilian Pizza?
A Sicilian pizza is usually about one inch thick and more bread as opposed to thin and crispy.
The pizza also is covered in a generous amount of homemade pizza/tomato sauce recipe below and more sauce on it than a normal pizza.
The secret to a great pizza is using all fresh ingredients including the dough and sauce.
Keep in mind again, the tomatoes are the most important ingredient in this recipe besides the Homemade Pizza Dough.
Tips for pizza sauce:
- Always use good quality tomatoes or they will be tasteless, they can be soured and ruin the pizza if they aren't ones from Europe or sun ripe plum fresh tomatoes then don't use them
- never use tomato paste
- sugar isn't necessary with good quality tomatoes
- Italian seasoning is a non-Italian creation
- use fresh herbs only for authentic flavors
- do not use garlic powder or onion powder or any other powders for that matter
Ingredients I highly recommend:
- San Marzano tomatoes or anything that says Pomodoro San Marzano
- tomatoes from Europe are the best-canned tomatoes for great results or fresh
- extra virgin olive oil
- dried oregano is fine and fresh basil is best
- salt use good sea salt
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Pizza Sauce Not Pasta Sauce
The difference between the sauces our Traditional Sunday Sauce is meat sauce and cooked.
Pizza sauce the authentic way in Italy is freshly squeezed tomatoes and not cooked.
Pizza sauce the way grandma made it isn't thick not at all, it's light and so don't worry if it's thin that's the right way we make it the Roman way!
Pizza A Classic
We love thin or thick crust as long as it's pizza and is loaded with lots of whole milk mozzarella.
Remember to refer to my tips for an Authentic pizza sauce found in Italy and not an American version for the best ever sauce you won't be sorry you tried the best of the best here in America in your own kitchen.
Yield: 4

Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
This is just a quick homemade pizza sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes. The pizza dough is homemade a family recipe you will find the link for. Sicilian pizza is a very thick risen dough with pizza sauce and cheese on top.
Ingredients
- 1 28 ounces can of San Marzano tomatoes or other high-quality brand tomatoes or use 2 pounds of sun-ripened rosa plum tomatoes
- Note: These are the most important ingredients always good quality tomatoes
- 4 1/2 tablespoons of good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon or more to taste of sea salt
- evenly shake dried oregano over the top of the tomatoes
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 or 4 fresh leaves of basil
- Optional: red pepper flakes for heat
Instructions
- Pour the can of tomatoes into a bowl.,crush them with your hands, or you can pulse them lightly in a food processor.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Salt to taste the tomatoes.
- Spread over fresh risen Pizza Dough and bake in a preheated oven of 430 degrees until crispy.
- I add the mozzarella cheese on top and broil the cheese last.
Authentic Italian Pizza Sauce and Sicilian Pizza Pin for later
Dough Ideas
Pizza Fritta ( fried dough)
Garlic Knots
Panzerotti (fried inside out pizza)
Runza (German Russian meat pies)
Italian Stromboli
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2014. It was edited and re-published in 2021.
I am now hungry for pizza. Yum
ReplyDeleteSO many fabulous pizza options! I need to start at the top and work my way through!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's one perfect pizza, Claudia! Looks mighty tasty! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing better than a homemade Italian sauce for pasta or a pizza. We do make pizza quite a bite and I can't wait to try this sauce. I actually have the San Marzano tomatoes so I am ready to go.
ReplyDeleteWoohooo. Nobody refuses pizzas in my household. An we never had a Sicilian pizza before, so this recipe is surely a must-try. Now it's weekend, I can't wait to surprise my boys for tomorrow's lunch with with this pizza. Thanks in a bunch.
ReplyDeleteUsually I just buy pizza sauce at the store, but I wanted to make something more authentic! This really took my pizza to the next level! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt has been way too long since we have made homemade pizza. Your sauce looks absolutely amazing! Especially with the San Marzano tomatoes as the base. Yum!
ReplyDeleteWe love making homemade pizza in our house - I'm going to try this pizza sauce recipe next time we do, it sounds so authentic and delicious!
ReplyDeleteMy husband loves thin pizza but I prefer the thick crust! This fresh pizza sauce is so easy to make, there is no need to buy a pre-made sauce at the store.
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight for dinner with some pasta! The sauce is SOO good! My family loved it
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for an authentic pizza sauce recipe, and this one is it! The combination of garlic, oregano and basil brings out the flavors of the tomatoes, and pairs so nicely with cheesy pizza!
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered how the pizza is made in Sicily. Super excited about this post - thanks for sharing all the tips! :-)
ReplyDeleteQuality tomatoes are a must! LOVING this Italian pizza sauce and pizza!
ReplyDeleteSo so so delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteThis looks and sounds absolutely amazing! I can't wait to make it.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing better than a homemade pizza/pasta sauce. We have pizza night every fortnight, I can't wait to try this sauce.
ReplyDeleteWith all the fresh and delicious tomatoes in season, I'm going to be making this recipe, and canning for the winter!
ReplyDeleteOh man! This pizza looks amazing and ours turned out fantastic! Such a delicious and very tasty recipe! Can’t wait to work my way through these!
ReplyDeleteThis sauce is so good! I just love the fresh flavor the basil adds, and it was super quick and easy to put together.
ReplyDeleteI just love how authentic this recipe is! Easy ingredients and easy to make!
ReplyDeleteDelicious! This was so easy to make and so very tasty. It'll be my go to now, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to Italy is so long but this recipe really brings me back. Thank you for such a great pizza sauce recipe!
ReplyDeleteMy kids love pizza and how thick this was! The sauce was super delicious and easy to make!
ReplyDelete