Recipes
Chef Shares The Best Recipe For Homemade Pizza Sauce
I tried this, best sauce I’ve ever had.
Kathleen Shipman
01.08.21

Can we all agree that the vast majority of people love pizza? It doesn’t matter the event, you can throw a bunch of pies on the table and you’ll become everyone’s hero.

While anyone can pick up the phone and have mouthwatering pizzas delivered to their door – if you want to really impress guests, you go homemade. That’s right, straight from your own oven pizza.

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There are tons of yummy pizza recipes out there to try. But for those looking to take the freshness up a notch, why not make the sauce too! After all, it’s one of the few main components that a pizza calls for.

Chef John from Food Wishes shared a “top-secret” sauce recipe that’ll be the perfect addition to your next homemade pizza. It’s received tons of 5-star reviews online, not to mention, his demonstration video has over 45K “likes” on YouTube.

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So, head over to the kitchen, and let’s get this pizza party started! Below you’ll find steps to make Chef John’s “Secret Pizza Sauce.”

Ingredients (Makes 8 servings, 3 cups)

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
  • 1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (crushed, salt to taste) (San Marzano is preferred)
  • salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar
  • 1 pinch of fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tiny pinch of baking soda

Step One:

Add the olive oil to a saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Then, put in the anchovy fillets and allow them to cook until they sizzle (approximately 1 minute). Be sure to stir often.

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Step Two:

Add the minced garlic and cook the oil for 1 more minute (you don’t want to brown the garlic). Mix in the fresh oregano and turn the heat down to low. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes while continuing to stir.

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Step Three:

Toss the red pepper flakes and dried oregano into the saucepan.

For those wondering why you would use both fresh and dried oregano, Chef John explains:

“Dry herbs and fresh herbs do not have the exact same flavor.”

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Step Four:

Next, crush your canned tomatoes in a separate bowl, then pour them into the oil mixture.

The chef recommends using “San Marzano” tomatoes from Italy, and not just “San Marzano-style” tomatoes. In his chef notes, he says:

“I think San Marzano tomatoes from Italy are the world’s best sauce tomatoes, without a doubt.”

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Turn the heat up to medium, stir the mixture, and bring it to a simmer. During this time, add in the salt, sugar, and black pepper.

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Step Five:

Now, turn the heat back down to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes. Stir occasionally, and don’t skim the oil off the top.

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Step Six:

This is a “top-secret trick” he got from his grandparents, according to Chef John. Add the tiny pinch of baking soda to the sauce and mix.

He shares:

“What it does theoretically is that soda neutralizes some of the acid … and that’s supposed to mellow out the sauce a little bit, make it a little less acidic, and also possibly prevent heartburn.”

Does the trick really work? He’s not sure! But his grandma did it, so Chef John does it too.

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Your delicious pizza sauce is now done and ready to enjoy! It’s a fantastic addition to a homemade pizza that will have your guests cheering.

Below are a couple of five-star reviews posted on the All Recipes website, from people who’ve tried it:

“EXCELLENT RECIPE!! My wife could not stop raving about the sauce. Definitely a keeper.”

Another person wrote:

“No changes needed. Hands down the best pizza sauce recipe. I use it with my homemade pizza dough. A winner every time.”

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Watch Chef John make his “secret” pizza sauce in the video below!

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