This is your own delicious, easy, and quick pizza sauce from tomato paste. No cooking required, just 1 minute to mix everything together. With its rich, concentrated tomato flavor and unbeatable convenience, this no cook sauce beats any jarred pizza sauce every time.
You don't have to use fresh tomatoes to make homemade pizza sauce. This sauce is still made from scratch, just built around tomato paste. Tomato paste is already concentrated, so it makes a rich, flavorful base for a quick no cook sauce. Just mix it with water, herbs, and a few seasonings, and you have pizza sauce that's ready to spread.
It feels like cheating, I know, but using good quality tomato paste will give you in 1 minute a quick sauce for homemade pizza that is so concentrated in flavor you'll think that it has been simmering for hours. Plus you have total control over the consistency and seasoning.
Spread this tomato sauce over a quick Greek yogurt pizza dough without yeast or try this Greek pizza recipe with a crust made with yogurt and olive oil.
📋 Ingredient notes
If you're looking for how to make pizza sauce with tomato paste, this simple recipe is a practical homemade option that works especially well when you want something quick, easy and delicious.
To make it, you'll need the following simple ingredients:
Tomato paste 🍅: Choose your favorite brand!
Dried herbs: I prefer to use a mix of dried basil, oregano and thyme but you can make your own adjustments. Italian seasoning also works.
Seasonings: Dried garlic powder and onion powder. Again, you can adjust this to your liking!
For the full list of ingredients with quantities, please see the recipe card ⬇️ at the end of this post.
✏️ I've been making pizza at home for years, and I've found that the sauce is just as important as the crust. I also cook a lot of tomato-based 🍅 dishes, like this creamy, one pot tomato pasta with feta and this Greek chicken and orzo pasta in tomato sauce (Youvetsi).
Over time, I've learned that good-quality tomato paste and canned tomatoes can often have more concentrated flavor than fresh tomatoes, especially when fresh tomatoes aren't fully ripe.
Here in Greece, we have an abundance of tomatoes, but not all of the tomatoes I find at the market have much flavor. The exception is the ones from my dad's garden, which are organically grown and taste like tomatoes used to taste.
That's why I often turn to good-quality canned tomatoes or tomato paste when fresh tomatoes aren't at their best. Tomatoes destined for canning are generally harvested when ripe, and processing can help preserve and concentrate their flavor.
So, using tomato paste doesn't mean settling for a cheap substitute for pizza sauce. Quite the opposite; it can give you a rich, concentrated tomato flavor and a comforting homemade sauce in just minutes.
👉 Have a can of tomatoes instead of tomato paste? Try this homemade pizza sauce with canned tomatoes.
🎥 Video
Watch this short video for how to make this easy tomato sauce recipe for pizza:
🎵 Music on Video: Quirky eats, Musician: AlexGuz
📖 Recipe
1-minute easy pizza sauce from tomato paste.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (85 g) tomato paste (double concentrated)
- ¼ cup (60 g) water (or as needed)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Transfer the tomato paste to a small bowl. Add the the water gradually, mixing well after each addition until you get a smooth, thick sauce.👉 Use a stainless steel spoon to make this recipe. Tomato paste can stain your wooden spoons or light colored spatulas!
- Add the dried herbs, the garlic powder and the onion powder and mix well.👉 The herbs and seasoning will absorb some moisture so you may need to add an extra splash of water.
- Taste and add salt as needed.👉 If the sauce tasted too harsh or acidic, add a pinch of baking soda or sugar.
Notes
Does sugar actually balances the acidity?
Sugar doesn't actually reduce the acidity (pH) of tomato paste in any meaningful way. Instead, it counteracts the perception of sourness by adding sweetness. Many times I prefer to add a pinch of baking soda to balance the acidity, and after that I will taste the sauce and add sugar if needed (most of the times it's not needed!).How to preserve leftover tomato paste
- If the leftover paste is in a can, level the surface of the paste with the back of a spoon, wipe the inside of the can with a paper towel, cover the tomato paste with a thin layer of oil, cover the can with a lid or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
- If the paste is in a tube, make sure that the tube has no air inside, place back the cap and store in the fridge.
How to Store Pizza Sauce
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze: Store in a zip lock bag in the freezer for up to two months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using. 👉 Don't skip my expert tips below ⬇️ for making this pizza sauce.Similar recipes you'll love:
Nutrition
👨🍳 Expert Tips
Follow these expert tips to make the best pizza sauce using tomato paste:
✅ Choose good-quality tomato paste. Look for one with tomatoes as the only ingredient and without unnecessary additives. Since you're not cooking the sauce, you'll taste the tomato very clearly.
✅ Balance the acidity: To make your tomato paste sauce taste more like a traditional pizzeria sauce, you need to neutralize its metallic sharpness and build depth. Add a pinch of baking soda (it lowers the acidity) or sugar (it counteracts the perception of sourness) to bring it to your desired taste.
✅ Bloom the Spices: Although there's no cooking involved, a short 10-20 minute rest gives the dried herbs and seasonings time to hydrate and blend into the sauce. So, make the sauce before preparing the pizza.
✅ Don't overdo the herbs: Too much can make the sauce taste bitter or medicinal.
✅ Add salt to the sauce: Don't rely on the cheese and toppings to provide all the seasoning. The sauce should taste flavorful on its own. However, don't overdo it, especially if using salty cheeses.
🍳 More recipes with tomato sauce:
If you tried this easy pizza sauce recipe from tomato paste, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
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