Homemade pizza sauce

I realized that I referenced this pizza sauce in my pizza casserole recipe, but didn’t actually provide the recipe anywhere. I thought it was already on this site, but I can’t find it so… Bonus recipe! If you can, you should always make homemade pizza sauce. It’s fairly quick and easy to make up, and it is SO delicious.

Pizza sauce (adapted from allrecipes.com)

* 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
* 6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup (I use agave)
* 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
* salt to taste

1. In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
2. Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.
3. If serving as a dipping sauce, heat briefly in microwave to help blend flavors

Alternate recipe, same ingredients, but mixing up a batch of the seasonings to have on hand to make it even easier to whip out a batch of sauce quickly.

Mix:
* 2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
* 2-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 2-1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
* 2-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
* 2-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
* 1-3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
* 1-3/4 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes

Store in an airtight container.

Add:
* 1 Tbsp of above mixture
* 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
* 6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

1. In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
2. Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.
3. If serving as a dipping sauce, heat briefly in microwave to help blend flavors

Some notes: If you want to adjust the spiciness of the recipe, adjust the red pepper and cayenne pepper up or down, but don’t leave them out entirely. Same is true of the honey/agave syrup. I sometimes omit the minced garlic if I don’t want to take the time to mince garlic.

It is not necessary to let this sit for 30 minutes, but it does blend the flavors. When I’m making it for pizza casserole, I just whip it up and dump it in, no sit time allowed.