How To Make Your Own Pizza Sauce! NY & Neapolitan Sauce Recipes

There are two distinct styles when it comes to tomato-based pizza sauces and although many people choose one and stick to it, I think we should be using both.  Not only do they both have their own distinct flavor but they also have their own purposes.

               A Neapolitan style sauce has to be one of the easiest pizza sauces to make if not the easiest sauce to make. It requires little more than adding ingredients to a food processor. There’s no cooking, heck there’s not really a need for a knife except to peel a couple cloves of garlic. The sauce is light and bright and really works for a classic Margherita pizza. I usually use this sauce for pizzas that have a few pieces of fresh mozzarella and only one or two other toppings.  Since the sauce isn’t cooked it needs to be exposed while the pizza is cooking. This allows some of the moisture to evaporate while still maintaining a bright tomato flavor and crispy crust.

               New York style pizza holds a special place in the hearts of millions. It’s that classic pizza by the slice with all its cheesy goodness and glorious toppings. With all the cheese and toppings it’s important to have a sauce that is rich and flavorful. By adding a few more ingredients and cooking the sauce, we are able to get a great tomato flavor. This sauce takes longer than the Neapolitan sauce but it is crucial to have a thicker and more forward flavored sauce to stand up to the extra cheese and toppings. 

Neapolitan Style Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 28oz can of whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 anchovy fillets*
• ¼ cup extra oil
• Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well incorporated. Add salt to taste.

*You can leave out the anchovy fillets if you like, but please don’t. You can’t taste the anchovies, I swear. However, they add a slight savory umami richness to the sauce that mimics the richness that a cooked sauce would have.

New York Style Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

• 28oz can of whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 and ½ tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 large sprig of basil
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• sugar and salt to taste

In a small sauce pot add the olive oil and butter and turn the burner to medium. Once the butter has melted add the diced onion. Continue to cook the onion until it becomes soft and translucent but make sure it doesn’t get any color.

Add the garlic to the pot and cook while stirring for 30 seconds. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes and stir until the spices are evenly mixed. Immediately add the tomato paste. Keep stirring and cooking the tomato paste until it gets slightly darker and has a sweet smell.

Add the can of tomatoes to the pot and crush using a potato masher or alternatively crush them with your hands before adding. Do not worry about crushing them into tiny pieces we just want to break them up enough to release their juices. Bring the mixture to a simmer and turn heat to low. Continue simmering for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and place the basil in the hot mixture for 5 minutes. Remove the basil and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until the tomatoes and onions are small but the mixture isn’t totally smooth. Add salt to taste and add sugar if the sauce tastes a little acidic.

 Try both sauces yourself and let us know what you think. As always if you have any questions please reach out, we love to help our fellow pizza chef. 

Check out some of our other pizza tips: 

• Help, My Pizza Is Stuck To My Pizza Peel 
• No Mixer? No Problem. No-Knead Pizza Dough Recipe 
• How To Fix Sticking Pizza Dough  
• Store-Bought Dough: Who's Is Best 
• All About Yeast 

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