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–+ servings
new york style pizza sauce
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4.67 from 6 votes

Slow-Simmered Pizza Sauce

This cooked-down pizza sauce is deeply flavored and the perfect base for any combination of toppings.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: pizza sauce, red sauce
Makes: 2 cups
Cost: $5

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ small yellow (sweet) onion minced
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes preferably Jersey Fresh (Sclafani) brand
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion until it is soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
    step 1: cook the onions
  • Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a bubble, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, until it has reached your desired consistency.
    step 2: add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 1 hour
  • Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature before spreading on your pizza dough.
    new york style pizza sauce after
  • If you have any leftover sauce, transfer it to an airtight container. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Notes

Time-saving tip: To save time, make the sauce in a large Dutch oven instead of a saucepan; the wider surface area will cook it down faster.
Ingredient tip: If you can't find good-tasting crushed tomatoes like Jersey Fresh (a.k.a. Sclafani/Fattoria Fresca), Pomi, or Bianco DiNapoli, use a 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, and crush them by hand or with an immersion blender.