Gluten-free Pizza Sauce

If you’re searching for a gluten-free pizza sauce to use on your favorite gluten-free pizza crusts, then this is it! This homemade pizza sauce uses minimal ingredients, has no added sugars, and cooks in about 20 minutes. Make a double batch of sauce to freeze to have ready for when a pizza craving hits.

I’ve been making this pizza sauce for years, possibly decades, even before I started to eat gluten-free. Well, it occurred to me that this pizza sauce is gluten-free, and it includes only four ingredients, has zero added sugar, and is so simple to make.

Reasons you’ll love this recipe.

• The entire family will love this pizza sauce. It’s challenging to find gluten-free recipes the whole family can get behind. Fortunately, this gluten-free pizza sauce is one of them. You can use this pizza sauce on all of your favorite regular and gluten-free pizza crusts.
• This pizza sauce recipe is one of the easiest you’ll ever make. Honestly, you won’t need to purchase store-bought pizza sauce again. There’s minimal prep and the total cook time is under 20 minutes. Also, you don’t need a food processor or blender for this recipe! Just one pan.
• This gluten-free pizza sauce can rival most local pizza joints. I know this is a big statement to make, but every person that tries this pizza sauce RAVES about it. 
• This pizza sauce is also low in calories, sugar-free, low carb, dairy-free, Whole30, Keto, and Paleo-friendly! Yep, it checks all of the boxes.
• This recipe can be made ahead and frozen ahead of time. Make a double or triple batch and freeze into portions to use on your favorite gluten-free pizza recipes later on. 

Ingredients 

• Tomato sauce. Choose organic, high-quality canned tomato sauce to ensure no additives or preservatives. Thrive Market and Muir Glen are organic, gluten-free tomato sauce brands I love using. Some pizza sauce recipes use tomato paste, but I don’t think it’s necessary for this recipe.
• Extra virgin olive oil. I use 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Garlic. 2-3 medium to large garlic cloves will add delicious garlic flavor to the sauce. Although most of the time, when I make this sauce, I use about 4-5 cloves. I believe in measuring garlic with my heart. You can also use garlic powder and onion powder for extra flavor.
• Dried oregano. Traditional pizza sauce uses oregano as its only seasoning. 

How to make gluten-free pizza sauce

As I said, this is the easiest homemade pizza sauce to prepare.

• Start by heating olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, then add in the garlic. At this point, you’ll need to pay attention and move fast because garlic cooks quickly.
• When the garlic starts to become fragrant and looks like it’s beginning to brown, then pour in the tomato sauce. Turn the heat down to low and give the sauce a few stirs until the garlic and sauce are combined. 
• Then stir in the oregano. Cook the sauce for 15 – 20 minutes or until it develops into a dark red color. 
• Cooking the sauce for at least 15 minutes will help cook out the canned tomato taste and create a rich flavor.
• This recipe creates about 3 cups of sauce. An individual serving size is two tablespoons. 
• Spread the sauce on your favorite gluten-free pizza dough or crust and bake in the oven until the crust cooks, cheese melts, and sauce is hot.

Servings suggestions

You can use this pizza sauce on just about anything. 

• Use it as a dipping sauce for gluten-free mozzarella sticks, gluten-free garlic bread, crispy baked eggplant, or baked zucchini sticks. 
• You can also use this as pasta sauce in a pinch.

Cooking tips

• I use about ½ cup of sauce for 8-inch cauliflower pizza crusts. However, I use about 1 – 1 /2 cups of pizza sauce when making a sheet pan pizza.
• Use other seasonings. Dried basil and Italian seasoning are other seasonings to use in pizza sauce. You can also use fresh herbs to brighten up the sauce.
• Add butter. For a creamy, silky sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons of salted butter to the olive oil as you’re sauteing the garlic. 
• Stir in grated Parmesan Cheese for a delicious layer of cheesy flavor.
• Add crushed red pepper flakes to give the pizza sauce a spicy kick.
• Add chopped mushrooms, or other vegetables, into the sauce. If you want to bulk up the pizza sauce’s nutrition, then saute mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant before adding the garlic.

Storages tips

After the pizza sauce is cooked and cooled, pour the sauce into an airtight glass container. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze gluten-free pizza sauce?

Yes, you can freeze pizza sauce. After the sauce has finished cooking, let it cool. After it’s cooled, freeze into 1 – 1 ½ cup portions to use on pizza or other recipes later on. 

FAQS

Best Store-bought Gluten-free Pizza Crust

Gluten-free pizza crusts have come a long way. Gone are the days of tasteless cardboard. 

Here are my favorites.

• Schar pizza crust is my favorite pre-made pizza crust with great sourdough flavor and a chewy crust. I always keep a box in my pantry to make a quick pizza during the week. They are shelf-stable and sold in the gluten-free section of grocery stores. You can also find these pizza crusts online for a great price at Thrive Market.
• I like the two packaged cauliflower pizza crust brands, Caulipower pizza crust, and Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Pizza crust. Both are in the grocery store’s freezer section and have great flavor, and hold up nicely to pizza toppings.
• If you want to make pizza dough by hand, I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free pizza crust mix. It’s easy to make using one bowl, has a tasty flavor, and texture isn’t exactly like regular wheat pizza dough, but it’s close enough to curb a craving. It uses yeast, so the dough does need to rise, and the dough mixture is sticky but once you get used to handing it, making homemade gluten-free pizza dough is easy. 

Other gluten-free sauce recipes 

Here are some other gluten-free pizza sauce ideas

• Gluten-free Alfredo sauce is delicious with spinach, cheese, and chicken.
• Garlic and olive oil is a classic base that works great with all kinds of gluten-free pizza toppings.