A super simple big batch recipe for pizza sauce! If you like to make pizza at home, then you should definitely know how to make and freeze homemade pizza sauce!
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First, the Cost Breakdown
So if you’re going all in on this sauce by using San Marzano tomatoes, it’s going to be a bit more expensive than your store-brand or other name brands. That’s what I’ve used here. I heard they were the best tomatoes to use for making pizza sauce.
Overall, you should end up with somewhere between 65 and 70 ounces of sauce with this recipe. When you buy a small jar of pizza sauce, you’re usually getting 14 ounces. So let’s compare! Remember, I live in Seattle and our prices might be different!
Homemade (items I had to purchase to make the sauce)
28 ounce can of peeled tomatoes – $5.99 (then I found it at TJ’s for $3.99, ugh)
28 ounce can of tomato puree – $3.69
1 yellow onion – $0.53
fresh organic basil leaves – $2.99
total for 70 ounces pizza sauce – $13.20
Total Cost per Ounce = $0.18
Store-Bought Pizza Sauce
14 ounce jar of Ragu – $1.99
Total Cost per Ounce = $0.14
Ouch! I did not see this coming. I think if you used store-brand canned tomatoes, the results would be different. The garlic I used was from my garden, but the fresh basil also puts us past the limit.
However, it IS nice knowing that there will never again be a half open jar of pizza sauce in my fridge (date of opening unknown). Not to mention the fact that it tastes so much fresher when it’s homemade.
Next time I’m at the store, I’ll grab the prices of a cheaper kind of canned tomato and see if the difference is worth it over the San Marzano tomatoes.
How to Make and Freeze Homemade Pizza Sauce
You’ll need a large stockpot or soup pot to simmer your sauce. I prefer to use a high heat rubber spatula to stir the onions, but later I’ll switch to a wooden spoon to squish the tomatoes and stir while the sauce simmers.
Once the sauce is done, it should cool most of the way before you try to freeze it. I use a one cup Pyrex glass measuring cup to pour the sauce into the individual ice cube slots.
Freeze a full tray of cubes for around 3 hours or until they’re completely frozen. Remove the cubes from the trays just like you would do with normal ice. Easy!
Since I only had one extra ice cube tray laying around, I had to store the extra pizza sauce in the fridge while I waited for each batch to freeze.
Once they’re frozen, transfer to a Ziploc and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you love making pizza at home, they will not last long!
Pizza Sauce Cube Notes
- Two sauce cubes equals approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sauce (depending on how full you fill the trays).
- For one mini (12 inch) Boboli pizza crust (pictured), 2 cubes of sauce is perfect. For a large pizza, you will need 4-5 cubes.
- Each batch of sauce should make 3-4 trays of cubes, at least 36 cubes total. Fill the trays as full as you can to avoid having to freeze a 4th tray.
- Thaw a few cubes by placing them in a Ziploc bag and submerging in hot water for about 10 minutes.
- You can also learn How To Make Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough Into Freezer Friendly Premade Pizza Crusts on Project Meal Plan!
September 2021 Edit: I now use my favorite product Souper Cubes to freeze things like this! I’ll update the photos soon! My favorite size is the 1-cup Souper Cubes Trays (affiliate link!)!
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How to Make and Freeze Homemade Pizza Sauce
Big batch pizza sauce recipe to prep and freeze so you can have homemade pizza sauce in 10 minutes, anytime!
- Total Time20 minutes
- Yield36 pizza sauce cubes (6–7 cups of sauce) 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon EVOO or avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
- 1 28-ounce can tomato puree (San Marzano tomatoes)
- 1 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes)
- 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
To make the pizza sauce:
- In a large soup or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook until beginning to turn translucent, or 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic to the pot and stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add all remaining ingredients to the pot and stir until well mixed. Use a wooden spoon to gently crush the peeled tomatoes against the side of the pot (for about 30 seconds) until the sauce has reached your desired consistency.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool fully before freezing (you can also use some right away and freeze the rest).
To freeze the sauce:
- Once the sauce is cool, carefully pour a small amount into each section of an ice cube tray. Freeze for 3 hours or until completely frozen. Remove the sauce cubes from the tray and store in a freezer bag or airtight container. Store the leftover sauce in the fridge while it waits to be cubed and frozen.
- Repeat until all the sauce is gone. This takes about 3 normal trays worth (4 if the cubes are smaller) and makes approximately 36 cubes. Note: Your ice cube tray MIGHT stain from red sauce if you leave the sauce in the tray for a long period of time, although mine did not.
To reheat the sauce:
- Place sauce cubes in a small Ziploc and seal completely, removing as much air from the bag as possible. Fill a deep bowl with hot water and submerge the bag of cubes until thawed, about 10 minutes.
- Two sauce cubes equals approximately 1/4 cup of sauce.
- For one mini (12 inch) Boboli pizza crust, 2 cubes of sauce is perfect. For a large pizza, you will need 4-5 cubes.
- Use on pizza, pasta, garlic bread, or anywhere you might normally use pizza sauce!
Notes
Note: You don’t HAVE to use San Marzano tomatoes, but it makes the best pizza sauce!
Adapted from Basic Pizza Sauce Recipe from The Food Network.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stovetop
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cubes (1/4 cup)
- Calories: 35
- Sugar: 3g
- Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Protein: 1g
Did You Make This?
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Thank you so much for checking out How to Make and Freeze Homemade Pizza Sauce! Do you have a special pizza sauce recipe you like to use? Let me know!! Be sure to use #projectmealplan on social media to share, or if you make this recipe! Follow me on Pinterest for meal inspiration every single day.
– Danielle
Do you chop the basil or leave it whole and then remove?
Good question – should say chopped! Thanks for pointing that out. -Danielle
Delicious , and easy to make.
I found it a bit runny, so any tips on making it thicker would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Lynn – So glad you enjoyed it. I think a bit more time simmering on the stove would help that extra liquid reduce. Hope this helps 🙂 -Danielle