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This small batch pizza sauce is a quick, flavorful homemade sauce made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in minutes. It delivers rich tomato flavor and is perfect for any homemade pizza or as a dipping sauce.
Featured Comment
“Love this sauce! So simple, so delicious.”
– Sterling
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Full Tomato Flavor: Made with simple pantry ingredients, this homemade pizza sauce delivers a rich flavor you won’t get from a jar.
- Fast and Easy: Ready in minutes, which makes it perfect for quick homemade pizza nights.
- Works With Everything: Use it on pizza, as a dipping sauce for breadsticks, or spooned over pasta.
- Small Batch Recipe: Makes one half cup, the ideal amount for a personal pizza or a small pizza night.
- Easy to Scale: Double the ingredients if you need more sauce.
I love how just a few simple ingredients can create a rich, flavorful pizza sauce that feels truly homemade. As the tomatoes simmer with garlic and basil, the aroma fills the kitchen and sets the stage for an unforgettable pizza night.
This small batch version gives you the perfect amount for a personal pizza, and it is easy to adjust to match your taste. It is a recipe I rely on often because it is quick, dependable, and always full of fresh, vibrant flavor.
You can enjoy this versatile small batch pizza sauce in so many ways. Use it with our personal pizza dough recipe, spread it on a mini Detroit-style pizza, spoon it over French bread pizza, or add it to a pizza bowl for one or our personal pepperoni pizza recipe. It also makes a great dipping sauce for warm homemade French bread or small batch chicken tenders.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch pizza sauce recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for a rich, full tomato flavor in this homemade pizza sauce. It adds depth and helps the seasonings bloom. If you prefer a lighter taste, a regular olive oil works well too.
- Garlic: One clove of fresh garlic brings essential flavor to this easy pizza sauce. If you are short on time, use 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder. When using garlic powder, you can simply stir it in without simmering.
- Canned Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes give this quick pizza sauce a smooth, rich tomato base. If you only have whole peeled tomatoes, blend them briefly to reach the same consistency. Leftover tomatoes are great in caponata for one, small batch spaghetti sauce, tomato soup for one, or slow cooker ropa vieja.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds concentrated tomato depth and helps the sauce thicken. I like using paste from a tube so it stays fresh longer. If using a can, freeze the remaining paste in small portions. Extra tomato paste works well in lasagna soup for one or chili mac for one.
- Sugar: A small amount of sugar balances the acidity and rounds out the tomato flavor.
- Seasonings: Dried basil and salt complete this simple pizza sauce and bring classic Italian flavor. These pantry staples help highlight the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.
Recipe Variations
Try these easy ways to customize this small batch pizza sauce and create your own homemade flavor.
- Herb Pizza Sauce: Add a hefty pinch of fresh oregano or rosemary for a simple garlic herb pizza sauce. Stir the herbs in as the sauce simmers to deepen the flavor.
- Spicy Pizza Sauce: Mix in red pepper flakes or a small amount of sriracha for a spicy homemade pizza sauce with extra heat.
- Creamy Pizza Sauce: Stir in a spoonful of heavy cream to create a smooth, creamy rosé-style sauce that pairs well with white pizzas or vegetable toppings.
- Mushroom Pizza Sauce: Sauté finely chopped baby bella or cremini mushrooms and fold them into the sauce for an earthy, mushroom-forward variation.
How To Make A Small Batch Of Pizza Sauce
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make pizza sauce. See the recipe below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat the olive oil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, dried basil, and salt.
- Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pro Tip: While the sauce simmers, I like to make our personal pizza dough recipe so both are ready at the same time.
This recipe makes about one half cup of pizza sauce. Use it right away to make homemade pizza.
Expert Tips
- Read through the full recipe and Ingredient Notes before you begin. Seeing the steps and photos first helps you understand how this homemade pizza sauce comes together.
- Adjust the Flavor: For a spicy pizza sauce, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you cook the garlic. For extra richness, stir in a little freshly grated Parmesan just before using the sauce.
- Make It Chunky: If you prefer more texture, use canned diced tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes for a chunkier pizza sauce.
- Quick No Cook Sauce: If you want a no cook pizza sauce, replace the fresh garlic with 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder and stir everything together in a bowl. It is ready to use right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, pizza sauce can be made without cooking, but this recipe is designed to be simmered. Cooking the sauce helps deepen the tomato flavor, soften the garlic, and create a thicker texture that works especially well on homemade pizza.
Canned crushed tomatoes work best for a smooth sauce, but you can blend whole peeled tomatoes or use diced tomatoes for a chunkier texture.
Pizza sauce should be thick enough to spread easily without running. Simmering helps reduce excess liquid.
A personal or small pizza usually needs about one quarter to one half cup of sauce.
Absolutely, it stores well in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
No, pizza sauce is typically thicker, uses fewer ingredients, and is designed to stay on top of the dough rather than coat pasta.
Explore More Small Batch Sauce Recipes
If you enjoy this small batch pizza sauce, try one of these homemade sauce recipes. Each one is perfectly portioned and made with simple ingredients.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch pizza sauce or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Pizza Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes (4-ounces)
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, dried basil, and salt.
- Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- This recipe makes about one half cup of pizza sauce.
Notes
- Adjust the Flavor: For a spicy pizza sauce, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you cook the garlic. For extra richness, stir in a little freshly grated Parmesan just before using the sauce.
- Make It Chunky: If you prefer more texture, use canned diced tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes for a chunkier pizza sauce.
- Quick No Cook Sauce: If you want a no cook pizza sauce, replace the fresh garlic with 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder and stir everything together in a bowl. It is ready to use right away.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I doubled the recipe for my 10 inch pizza. I had about 1/2 cup left over for dipping. It’s the perfect consistency! I will definitely be making this again!