Who doesn’t love pizza, right? All of us do. But do you know what makes the pizza taste best? Its sauce, which is used while making the pizza as the sauce is made from a combination of ingredients and seasonings.
When talking about pizza sauce, marinara sauce comes first on the list. Its rich flavors make the pizza more delicious and appealing. So, read this article and learn how to make marinara sauce for your pizza.
This is the primary ingredient in marinara sauce. Now, there are two ways to go: either use tomato paste out of stores or fresh whole tomatoes. Considering the convenience, the use of tomato paste seems more of a good idea. In case you use tomato paste, about 3-4 tablespoons will do. You can opt to use fresh whole tomatoes for about 2-3 medium-sized to achieve the fresh flavors.
Choosing fresh tomatoes requires you to blanch them first, drain and peel off the skin, and mash tomatoes using the back of the spatula. Or you can blend the tomatoes in a mixture for a faster way.
Canned crushed tomatoes
These kinds of tomatoes are usually cooked and stored in a jar. It helps to bring added flavor to the sauce. Separate 1 tablespoon of canned crushed tomato for the sauce.
Olive oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil is added initially to create slippery moisture as it prevents the sauce from sticking in the pan. It also adds richness to the sauce.
Red wine
Red wine makes the sauce rich in flavor. Use 1 tablespoon of red wine after the garlic to bring a lively taste to the sauce. In case you are out of red wine, balsamic or any vinegar can be used.
Garlic
Garlic has that sweet and garlicky flavor that brings a robust taste to the sauce. Mince 2-3 cloves of garlic finely for a better outcome or you can use 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
Onion powder
Use 1-2 teaspoons of onion powder to enhance the deep sweet flavor of the sauce. Instead of onion powder, you can opt for finely chopped onion (1 medium-sized). Not to underestimate but chopped onion adds more fresh flavor to the sauce, so use based on your accessibility.
Salt and black pepper
Salt brings life to any dish, and so for marinara sauce. So, include 1-1.5 teaspoons of salt to taste. Black pepper works to spice up the marinara sauce slightly, so use 1 teaspoon of it.
Dry oregano and fresh basil
These aromatics are the star of the marinara sauce. Use 1 teaspoon of dry oregano and 2-3 fresh basil leaves to add a refreshing fragrance to the sauce.
Tools Required
A pan
Spatula
Measuring spoons
A bowl
How To Make Marinara Sauce
Unlike normal tomato sauce, marinara sauce requires a careful selection of ingredients and proper follow of steps. We have explained the steps in detail for your ease. So read and learn to make the best marinara sauce for pizza.
1. Heat the Oil
First, preheat the pan on the stove. It allows the remaining moisture to dry and makes the pan hot to allow the oil to heat quickly.
Once you see slight smoking coming from the pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. See you need to adjust the amount of oil, based on the amount of sauce you’re about to make.
2. Sauté the Garlic
After 30-50 seconds the oil should be heated, then move to add minced 2-3 garlic cloves. Stir the garlic for about 30 seconds. Stringing frequently ensures the even browning of garlic.
Make sure not to burn garlic as burnt one makes the sauce slightly bitter. So pay good attention while doing this. When garlic turns to a brown color, it is time to move to the next step.
If you choose to use chopped onion instead of onion powder, add onion before the garlic. Stir chopped onions until golden and then add garlic. The reason is that onions take longer time to get browned than garlic. So, putting garlic first leads it to burn by the time the onion is well cooked.
After garlic is all browned, pour a tablespoon of red wine or balsamic vinegar to the pan. Don’t forget to stir the mixture of wine, garlic, and onion (if added). This creates a richness in flavor as the ingredients blend well together.
Simmer the red wine for about 1-2 minutes. By that time, the wine reduces to half and turns into a slightly thick paste. This paste contains nuanced flavors of garlic, olive oil, and onion (if added).
Now, move towards adding the tomato paste you prepared to the mixture. To be sure about the measurement, use a spoon. Pour around 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste and stir well using the spatula.
Here, you need to make sure the gas is in low heat for the rest of the process. Because low heat allows the smooth extraction of flavors from the ingredients. This way the paste doesn't get sticky to the pan and blend well with other ingredients.
Yeah, not to mention that frequent stirring is the key to making a well-flavored marinara sauce. So, follow the rules properly.
Once the tomato paste blends well, sprinkle all the seasonings one by one. First, start with salt, then proceed to black pepper, and dried oregano. Then, stir the mixture using the spatula until all the seasonings are blended well.
Here’s a tip for stirring. First, continuously and gently beat the paste for 1 minute. It will allow the seasonings to dissolve in the paste. Then, simmer for another 1 minute and stir frequently. Follow this process for about 4-6 minutes in low heat.
Here comes the main steps that determine the quality of the sauce. Because simmering ensures that all ingredients are cooked well and whatever flavor they hold is released due to the heat.
The ideal time to simmer marinara sauce is 15-20 minutes. This time may vary based on the quantity of sauce you’re preparing. Without covering the pan, leave the paste to slightly boil. In between, toss the mixture with a spatula as this doesn't let it stick in the pan.
After the simmering period is done, test the flavors and salt. If you feel like the seasonings are not up to your expectations, then add as required.
Don’t miss out on stirring well when seasonings are adjusted. Simmer the sauce for about 3-4 minutes and turn off the stove. Upon testing, if there’s no need to adjust the seasonings then proceed to cooling the sauce.
8. Cool the Sauce and Store
This is the final step of this whole process. There is nothing much to do here, simply leave the sauce for cooling. The cooling time may be around 15-20 minutes. You can stir the sauce in between to reduce the resting time.
Use a spatula to transfer the sauce to a bowl. Don’t rush while doing this otherwise, it will be a great mess. You can use the sauce for pizza or to dip crackers.
Once you separate the needed sauce and there is still some sauce remaining, then pour it into an airtight container or jar. Keep the container in the fridge. This way the sauce lasts for up to 5-6 days.
To extend its shelf life, store the container in the freezer. Your marinara sauce will go up to 6 months. This will eliminate the need to make it frequently and it can be enjoyed anytime you need.
Many Italian dishes are incomplete without this sauce. Pizza is one of the widely loved Italian dishes, people love pairing white sauce with it. If the white sauce is too mild for you and you love spice, pepper, and red pepper flakes are good options to go with.
Pesto
Pesto is a great salad and pasta sauce, but it comes out good on pizza too. The basic sauce consists of crushed fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, and hard cheese like parmesan. The aroma of herbs lifts any dish pesto is combined with.
Chimichurri
Love a thinly sliced steak topping on your pizza? Then get an Argentine chimichurri sauce, ideal for your pizza dough, and add on its toppings.
Most often, it is made of olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, and dried or fresh oregano. These are just pulsed in a food processor until smooth.
Harissa
Harissa is a staple in North African cuisine. It is a red chili paste or sauce made with chiles, garlic, olive oil, citrus, and warm spices. It is slightly sweet, smoky, tangy, and spicy but not too hot and ideal on pizza.
The amount of sauce to use depends on the size of the pizza. Usually, a bigger pizza requires slightly more sauce and smaller ones demand a lesser one.
But in general, 1 tablespoon of sauce is enough for a personal pizza. With this measurement, you can increase the amount of sauce for your pizza.
There is one more way to crack this confusion. First, take 1 tablespoon of sauce and spread it all over the pizza dough. Ensure the sauce is evenly pasted.
If the pizza dough is still visible despite the layer of sauce, know you have used a nice amount of sauce. You have overused the sauce if the dough is not visible.
How To Store Leftover Marinara Sauce
Having leftover marinara sauce means you need immediate storage. For this, store the sauce in the refrigerator. It prevents the sauce from spoiling. The sauce remains fresh and edible for 5-6 days.
All you need to do is pour the leftover marinara sauce into an airtight container. Then, place the container in the refrigerator. Choose the place that is most cold in the fridge.
It is usually a good idea to avoid keeping the sauce near the fridge’s door. Because frequent opening and closing of the door affects the temperature and disrupts the sauce’s quality.
If you want your marinara sauce to last for up to 6 months, store it in the freezer. It allows you to enjoy the same flavor and quality as that of the fresh ones. To do this, store sauce-filled airtight containers in the freezer.
The only thing you need to make sure of is the internal temperature of the freezer. So, ensure the temperature is at 0˚F (-18˚C) or lower. As it’s an ideal temperature that retains the quality of your leftover marinara sauce.
