Why Sauce Matters More Than You Think

The sauce is the foundation of your pizza's flavor profile. It's the layer that touches the dough directly, that seasons every bite, and that sets the tone for every topping placed above it. Yet it's often given the least attention. Choosing and making the right sauce — and using it correctly — is what separates a forgettable pizza from a memorable one.

The Classic: Uncooked San Marzano Tomato Sauce

The gold standard for Neapolitan pizza. The beauty of this sauce is its simplicity: no cooking required.

Recipe

  • 1 can (400g) of whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • A generous pinch of fine sea salt
  • Optional: a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Method: Crush the tomatoes by hand directly into a bowl, breaking them down into a coarse, textured sauce. Season with salt. That's it. The oven will cook the sauce on the pizza — adding heat beforehand makes it too concentrated and loses freshness. This sauce is thin, bright, and intensely tomatoey.

Best for: Margherita, Marinara, Diavola, and any classic Neapolitan pizza.

Cooked Tomato Sauce (Salsa di Pomodoro)

When you want a deeper, richer tomato flavor — especially on pan pizzas, New York-style, or Sicilian — a briefly cooked sauce is the way to go.

Recipe

  • 400g crushed tomatoes or passata
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • A pinch of dried oregano (optional)
  • A few fresh basil leaves

Method: Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not colored. Add the tomatoes, season with salt, and simmer for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in basil at the end. Allow to cool before applying to dough.

Best for: New York slices, Sicilian pan pizza, thick-crust styles.

White Pizza Base (Pizza Bianca)

Not all great pizzas use tomato. A white base — simply olive oil, garlic, and salt brushed onto the dough — allows other flavors to be the star.

Method: Combine 3 tbsp of good olive oil with a crushed garlic clove and a pinch of salt. Brush thinly over the shaped dough before adding toppings.

Best for: Potato and rosemary, mushroom and truffle oil, four-cheese pizzas.

Béchamel Sauce

A rich, creamy white sauce that works wonderfully as a secondary layer (often combined with tomato) or as a standalone base for indulgent pizzas.

Quick Recipe

  1. Melt 25g butter in a saucepan. Add 25g plain flour and stir for 1 minute to form a roux.
  2. Gradually whisk in 250ml warm whole milk, a little at a time, until smooth.
  3. Season with salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook until just thickened.
  4. Cool before spreading on dough.

Best for: Prosciutto and mushroom, spinach and ricotta, or any pizza quattro formaggi.

Pesto

Basil pesto — whether homemade or a quality store-bought variety — adds instant brightness and herbaceous richness. Apply it after baking rather than before to preserve its vivid color and fresh flavor.

Best for: White base pizzas, topped with burrata, cherry tomatoes, or prosciutto crudo.

Key Sauce Rules to Remember

  • Less is more. A thin, even layer is all you need. Too much sauce makes the dough soggy.
  • Don't go to the edge. Leave a 1.5–2cm border for the crust.
  • Cold sauce goes on cold dough. Never put warm sauce on your shaped pizza — it starts cooking the dough prematurely.
  • Taste before you spread. Season your sauce properly; it carries the whole pizza.