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Fresh San Marzano Pizza Sauce

A bright, lightly seasoned sauce that lets your homegrown tomatoes shine
Print Recipe
Servings: 2 pizzas
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • Fresh San Marzano tomatoes I've found 4 tomatoes per 12" pizza is about right
  • 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tbsp 1½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic finely minced or grated (optional)
  • 2-3 fresh basil leaves torn or thinly sliced (optional)
  • Pinch of sugar only if needed to balance acidity
  • Tiny pinch of freshly ground black pepper optional

Equipment

  • Immersion blender
  • medium bowl4

Method
 

Step 1: Peel the Tomatoes
  1. You can skip peeling if your blender handles skins well and you like a rustic sauce, but for the cleanest flavor and texture:
    Score a small “X” on the bottom of each tomato.
    Bring a pot of water to boil. Submerge tomatoes for 30–45 seconds until skins start to loosen.
    Transfer immediately to an ice bath.
    Peel the skins off gently. They should slip off easily.
Step 2: Core and Deseed (Optional)
  1. Slice tomatoes lengthwise and remove the core and most seeds. This keeps the sauce from being watery or bitter.
Step 3: Crush or Blend
  1. Use a food mill, immersion blender, or just your hands to crush the tomatoes into a sauce-like consistency.
    Don’t over-blend. A slightly chunky texture is ideal.
Step 4: Season
  1. Stir in:
    Salt
    Olive oil
    Garlic (if using)
    Basil (if using)
    Sugar (if needed — taste first)
    Pepper (optional)
Step 5: Rest or Use Immediately
  1. Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to meld flavors.
    Or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Optional Add-Ins (Use Sparingly):
  1. Oregano – just a pinch, if you want a more “New York” style sauce.
    Red pepper flakes – for a subtle heat, not traditional for Margherita but possible.
    Grated Parmigiano – for added umami if you're going off-script. Or you can grate the parm over the pizza when you put the initial layer of sauce on the dough. That's what I like to do.