Are you craving homemade pizza but don’t have pizza sauce on hand? Don’t worry; you can easily transform marinara sauce into a delicious pizza sauce with just a few simple steps. Whether you’re in a pinch or prefer the flavor of marinara, this guide will show you how to make pizza sauce that’s perfect for your homemade pies.
Pizza sauce is the heart of any good pizza, bringing together flavors that complement the toppings and crust. While traditional pizza sauce has its distinct recipe, you can achieve similar results using marinara sauce as a base. Marinara sauce, with its rich tomato flavor and aromatic herbs, serves as an excellent foundation for homemade pizza sauce. By enhancing it with a few extra ingredients, you can customize the flavor to suit your preferences.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Before you begin, gather the following ingredients:
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step 2: Enhance the Flavor
In a small saucepan, heat the marinara sauce over medium heat. As it warms, add the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, onion powder, and red pepper flakes, if desired. These additional ingredients will elevate the flavor profile of the marinara sauce, giving it that classic pizza sauce taste.
Step 3: Simmer and Blend
Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the flavors meld together. After tasting the sauce, taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. If you prefer a smoother consistency, you can use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until it reaches your desired texture.
Step 4: Let It Cool
Once the sauce is ready, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly before using it on your pizza. This will allow the flavors to continue developing and prevent the sauce from making the pizza crust soggy.
Step 5: Use and Store
Spread the homemade pizza sauce evenly over your pizza dough, leaving a small border around the edges of the crust. Top with your favorite toppings and bake according to your pizza recipe’s instructions. Any leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for future use.
Conclusion
Making pizza sauce out of marinara is a simple and convenient way to create delicious homemade pizzas. By adding a few extra ingredients and allowing the flavors to meld together, you can transform basic marinara sauce into a flavorful pizza sauce that will elevate your homemade pies. Whether you’re in a hurry or just prefer the taste of marinara, this versatile sauce is sure to become a staple in your pizza-making repertoire. So, the next time you’re craving pizza, reach for that jar of marinara and follow these easy steps to make pizza sauce that’s both delicious and convenient.
