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Are you in the mood to make some homemade pizzas? Do you have some pasta sauce in the pantry, or do you have a favored brand that you love to use? Wondering whether you can use that sauce as the pizza base instead of a specific pizza sauce? Well, here is everything you are going to want to know and consider.

So, can you use pasta sauce on pizza? You can use pasta sauce on pizza, though it will have an impact on flavor and texture. Pizza sauce is typically quite thick and tomato-based, whereas pasta sauces can be runnier and may have a different flavor profile due to additional ingredients. Pizza sauce is hence considered preferable.

It ultimately depends on what you have available and what you are looking for in your pizza(s).

Of course, there’s nothing stopping you.

But will each sauce yield the same results – it’s unlikely.

As we shall see by continuing to explore in the following few sections.

Is Pasta Sauce The Same As Pizza Sauce?

Pasta sauce is not the same as pizza sauce. While they can be made of the same ingredients, pasta sauces are typically cooked ahead of sale, whereas pizza sauces are purposefully left uncooked prior to sale. Water content and ingredients are often different, too.

Now, you may be wondering how does this all matter?

Well, hear me out.

Cooked vs. Uncooked Differences

If you’re making a pizza, consider that you need to add sauce on top of uncooked dough and unheated cheese.

You then need to place this into an oven (or even a pizza oven) in order for the ingredients to develop, alter and even combine.

Hence, pizza sauce is typically not cooked – as it is very much understood that it will need to be cooked (or exposed to heat) along with the rest of the pizza and ingredients.

Whereas, with pasta and pasta sauce, the intention is typically that you will be adding the sauce to precooked pasta.

You don’t typically ever add the sauce to pasta until the pasta is done.

At the very least, you may mix it in at the end once the pasta has already been boiled and drained.

Water Content Differences

Then there is the water content.

Pasta sauces typically contain much more water.

This is because they need to stretch further and will need to be able to coat and at least cover the pasta.

Pizza sauce, on the other hand, should be concentrated.

It should not make the dough base go soggy, and hence, it is designed to be quite thick.

In many ways, it’s largely a tomato paste.

Ingredient Differences

Then onto ingredients.

Pizza sauce is often kept to a minimum when it comes to ingredients.

It’s not designed to serve as the centerpiece or main flavor of the dish.

It’s there to play a supporting role.

Hence, pizza sauce is largely just tomatoes. Perhaps a few additional seasonings, but nothing major. Think subtle herbs like basil.

Whereas pasta sauce, well, it is there to offer flavor. And in many ways, to offer much more than the plainer flavors of the pasta.

So, you’ll often find additions that offer bolder flavors, such as garlic, peppers, olives, and/or onions. And these have an impact on texture, too.

Why Pizza Sauce Is Typically Best

Pizza sauce is typically best for pizzas due to its flavor profile, consistency, and texture.

Besides, think about it. Pizza sauce has been designed for pizza (hence the name), and pasta sauce for pasta.

So if you were to put pasta sauce on a pizza base, you should expect a different end result.

It won’t taste as fresh.

And the tomato flavors will just not pull through as you would get with a traditional pizza sauce.

How To Make Pizza Sauce From Pasta Sauce

You can make pizza sauce from pasta sauce by straining, blending, and adding additional tomato paste.

Say you only have pasta sauce lying around; well, thankfully, with a few alterations, you can make it much more appropriate for use on a pizza.

What you essentially need to do is alter the consistency and flavor profile.

You can do the former by first straining the sauce through a sieve.

Essentially, you are draining out any excess water.

From there, add the sauce to a blender/food processor to remove any ‘chunks.’ You essentially want to blend the sauce until it is smooth.

Next, you can add a tablespoon or two of tomato puree/paste to add some fresh tomato flavor.

And lastly, you can strain the sauce by running it back through your sieve to remove any leftover watery residue.

The result is a thicker, smoother, and more tomatoey sauce that will be much more appropriate for the base of a pizza and for the cooking process.

Need a blender for sauces? Best Blender For Sauces ⋆ Top Picks & Buyers Guide ⋆

Lastly

So while you can add pasta sauce to your pizzas, I personally wouldn’t.

Not unless you are going to make some alterations first (straining, blending, adding more tomato paste).

That’s because pizza sauces and pasta sauces are two very different things designed for two very different dishes.

They are made to be used at different times and in different cooking conditions.

So while it may seem like a marketing or promotional ploy, it really isn’t.

Trust me.

Can You Use Pasta Sauce On Pizza? ⋆ Let’s Find Out ⋆