Pizza Sauce (Gluten & Dairy-free)

I remember the first time I learned to make pizza sauce. It was to go on top of a few homemade pizzas I had just learned to make. The recipe I found took me hours as I kept tasting it. I couldn't balance the acidity, salt, and herbs right. Roll on a couple of years, and I have perfected this pizza sauce recipe. I now always have a jar in the fridge! Whether it's to go on a homemade pizza. To create a rich chorizo and tomato tagliatelle. Or to dip garlic dough knots into as a late-night Friday treat. And once you learn this simple pizza sauce recipe, you'll never buy a tomato sauce from the supermarket again.

Why make this pizza sauce?

There are tons of reasons as to why you should learn this pizza sauce recipe. Oh, and adding to pizza is just one of them! It's a super easy recipe to create. You only need time to chop some vegetables and cook the tomatoes down. It can be stored for almost an entire week in the fridge. Making it a staple to have to hand for those quick after-work dinners. Just use the sauce as a base. Then add extra spices and herbs, or incorporate the sauce into perfect recipes for a tomatoey twist. Chorizo and tomato tagliatelli. Gnocchi. Saucy-grilled cheese. Spicy tomato dip for homemade steak chips. The possibilities are endless. Plus, it's gluten and dairy-free, making it a perfect pizza sauce for those homemade gluten-free pizza bases.

Ingredients you'll need

Pizza sauce in a glass jar with pizza in the background

I always recommend using the best quality ingredients and sustainably sourced when possible. Homegrown produce is even better. With Italian-influenced recipes, I believe you want to cook with few ingredients. But the ones you use have to be good quality. As it's all about making those ingredients natural flavour sing. Lastly, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, but due to my blog focusing on gluten-free recipes. It's worth noting: if you're cooking gluten-free for someone with Coeliac disease. Please check all ingredients before using for gluten and inform your guests of any risk of cross-contamination. Below is each ingredient you will need:

• Olive Oil or Neutral Oil - I recommend using a good quality olive oil to add a depth of flavour to this recipe. However, you can use a neutral vegetable oil if that's all you have in your house. I have tried this recipe with both and found both delicious.

• Brown Sugar - I typically use brown sugar as it brings a richer flavour to the overall sauce. On the odd occasion when I don't have brown sugar in the house, I will use granulated white sugar, and the pizza sauce still tastes great. So use whichever sugar you have to hand.

• Onions - I only use yellow or white onions in this recipe. I tend to find that red doesn't cook down as well as yellow and white onions. Plus, red onion lacks the deep flavour that yellow onion will provide once cooked down into this pizza sauce needs.

• Garlic - I love garlic, and the bigger the clove, the better. You can never have too much garlic, and I feel it compliments the flavour of tomato perfectly.

• Chopped Tomatoes -You could use 800g of fresh tomato, either store-bought or home-grown. However, most busy working professionals are likely to have chopped tinned tomatoes. You could also use tinned peeled tomatoes. However, it can take longer for the tomatoes to break down in the cooking process.

• Tomato Purée - Any tomato purée will do. It's used to bring an extra depth of flavour and richness to the sauce. But make sure it's 100% tomato. You don't want to use a tomato with garlic purée or a tomato and herb purée.

• Bay Leaf - A dried bay leaf might seem like an unnecessary ingredient. I have cooked with and without. Noticing that if you don't incorporate the bay leaf, the sauce tastes like it's missing something.

• Dried Oregano - Pungent, spicy and just a little bit bitter. Dried oregano is a classic herb used in tomato sauces.

• Dried Marjoram - Similar in flavour to Oregano but with a sweeter more citrusy flavour provide more depth of flavour to the recipe.

• Basil - Only use fresh basil in this recipe. If you don't have fresh basil. Either create the sauce without basil. Or replace it with fresh parsley or tarragon. This will change the overall flavour of the finished dish.

• Vinegar - While tomatoes are already acidic. I love adding a dash of Merlot or Riesling vinegar to the sauce. It helps to bring an extra depth of flavour to the recipe. You can easily omit this if you want to, and it will still taste great. Just season with salt and pepper to your preferred taste.

• Salt - Table salt is all you need. Keep your Maldon sea salt for finishing dishes. Just don't be afraid of using table salt in the sauce. Remember that tomatoes love salt, and salt helps to bring the flavours out of the sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question you want to ask that isn't in the frequently asked questions section, please send me your question or drop a comment at the bottom of the recipe. I try to answer every question, ensuring you create perfect recipes every time.

Can I make this pizza sauce recipe gluten-free?

Most pizza sauces are dairy-free and should be made from tomatoes, herbs, and alliums. My pizza sauce recipe is no different and is 100% dairy-free. The only dairy that could come close to this pizza sauce recipe is if you decided to put it on a pizza smoother in cheese or inside a grilled cheese sandwich. So, if you choose vegan cheese or have a cheese-less pizza. Then, this pizza sauce will remain 100% dairy-free.

Can I make this pizza sauce recipe dairy-free?

Can I make this pizza sauce recipe vegan?

This pizza sauce is 100% vegan. The only thing that would make this pizza sauce not vegan is generally the cheese and meat toppings that go with a pizza. So once you have made this pizza sauce, and if you are making it for a pizza. You could have vegan mozzarella, alternative nut cheese, or even cheese-less pizza. My partner has tried all the options due to being lactose intolerant and only ever said good things.

How do I store pizza sauce?

I always keep my pizza sauce in an air-tight glass jar in the fridge for roughly a week. The little addition of vinegar and salt combined with the natural acidity in tomatoes helps to keep it tasting fresh. While some argue that you can keep tomato pizza sauce longer when stored correctly, I typically wouldn't use it past 7 days.

Can I freeze pizza sauce?

You can freeze this pizza sauce with no problems. Either freeze in ice cube trays. Allowing you to have little hits of rich tomato flavour. You can add it straight into a hot pan. Or put the whole sauce into an airtight jar. You can lift out the freeze and defrost overnight to use on pizza. The pizza sauce should last for up to three months in the freezer.

Recipe

garlic dough twists on a chopping board with a pizza sauce dip

Here's my recipe for this rich tomato pizza sauce that's 100% gluten and dairy-free!

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 large cloves of garlic
2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 bay leafs
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried majoram
2 tsp brown sugar
Handful of chopped basil
1/2 tsp merlot vinegar
Salt & pepper

Method

Add the oil to a saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion to the pan and fry for 15 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Mince the large cloves of garlic and add to the onion, then fry for a further minute.
Next, add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, bay leaf, dried oregano, dried marjoram and brown sugar to the pan.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir frequently to prevent burning and sticking.
Once the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened. Add the sauce and half the basil to a blender. Blitz until the sauce is smooth.
Add the sauce to an airtight container with the remaining basil, Merlot vinegar, and seasoning to your liking.
Allow to cool slightly before using on a pizza.

Recipe redeveloped: 08th March 2025

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