Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
The simplest pizza sauce traces directly to Naples, Italy, where pizza as we know it emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (founded 1984) specifies that authentic Neapolitan pizza uses only raw, crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano DOP from the volcanic slopes of Mount Vesuvius. The no-cook approach preserves the tomatoes' fresh, bright flavor, which intensifies and sweetens during the brief, high-heat baking. When Italian immigrants brought pizza to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the no-cook sauce tradition came with them. Early pizzerias like Lombardi's in New York (opened 1905) used simple crushed tomato sauces. The addition of garlic and dried oregano became more common in Italian-American versions by mid-century, appearing in recipes in newspapers and community cookbooks. This classic version represents that Italian-American standard: crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, olive oil, and just enough salt, mixed raw and allowed to cook on the pizza.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- mixing bowl — Combines ingredients with room to stir and mix thoroughly without overflow
- garlic press or microplane — Creates fine garlic paste that distributes evenly throughout sauce for consistent flavor
- spoon — Stirs sauce ingredients and portions sauce onto pizza with proper distribution
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Raw garlic flavor mellows as sauce sits; taste before adding more.
- Sauce keeps refrigerated up to 1 week.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Use quality canned tomatoes; they are the star.
Cheap tomatoes taste tinny and acidic; San Marzano-style tomatoes are sweeter and more balanced
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Do not cook this sauce.
No-cook sauce stays fresh and bright; it cooks on the pizza in the oven
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Let sauce rest 5 to 10 minutes before using.
Resting allows garlic and oregano to bloom and flavors to meld
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Season carefully; pizza toppings add salt.
Oversalted sauce plus salty cheese and toppings makes pizza unpleasantly salty
Prep Get set first
About 3 min of prep
- Open canned tomatoes
- Mince or press garlic
- Measure seasonings
This is a 10-minute sauce including rest time. It can be made while dough rises.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Combine the all ingredients
In a mixing bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, and sugar if using. Stir well to distribute garlic and seasonings evenly.
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Rest the before using
Let sauce sit at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 1 week.
Chef's notes
San Marzano DOP tomatoes are ideal but quality domestic brands work well.
For smoother sauce, blend briefly or pass through a food mill.
Sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
A pinch of sugar balances acidity but is optional with good tomatoes.