The Best New York-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe – State of Dinner (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

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This New York-style pizza sauce recipe simmers on the stove to give you a flavorful and fresh-tasting sauce! It is slightly sweet and bursting with the flavors of tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. This delicious recipe is perfect for your next pizza night!

The Best New York-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe – State of Dinner (1)
Jump to:
  • What Makes This a Good Pizza Sauce Recipe?
  • Steps to Making the Best Pizza Sauce
  • What Else Do I Need for a New York Pizza?
  • Side Dish Recommendations
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Pizza Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Reviews

What Makes This a Good Pizza Sauce Recipe?

This recipe is for a cooked sauce of tomatoes that is bursting with the flavors of garlic and basil. It has much more depth of flavor than a sauce is that uncooked, which makes every bite of your pizza simply extraordinary!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

All of these sauce ingredients work together to create a robust pizza sauce where the tomatoes and herbs are hearty, without any one flavor being overpowering. While each ingredient is important, there are a few that really make the sauce what it is!

Whole Tomatoes: Most brands use their higher quality tomatoes for the canned whole tomatoes, and their lesser quality tomatoes go into their diced tomatoes. So for the best flavor, I use whole tomatoes for my sauce. If you need to use diced tomatoes then it is an equal substitution.

Tomato Paste: The addition of tomato paste in this recipe helps create a rich and thick sauce. If you do not have tomato paste then you can increase the whole tomatoes to 28 ounces. With this substitution, you may need to cook your sauce for up to 90 minutes in order to get a thicker consistency.

Fresh Basil: Some recipes use basil sprigs and remove them after cooking, but I like the flavor of basil blended into the sauce. It adds freshness and vibrance! When it comes to basil in this sauce, fresh is best! But if you do not have fresh basil then you can use 2 teaspoons of dried basil in its place.

Olive Oil and Butter: Many times when adding fat to a recipe, you use one source. But when we combine butter and olive oil together we get an even better sauce. The olive oil adds flavor, and the butter adds richness and texture.

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Steps to Making the Best Pizza Sauce

Step 1: Saute the herbs in olive oil and butter. This builds the foundation of the sauce.

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Step Two: Add in all of the remaining ingredients. The tomatoes, onions, basil, and sugar go into the pot.

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Step Three: Puree the tomatoes and other ingredients together. This can be done using a hand blender or food processor.

My family likes a smooth sauce with no tomato chunks, so I puree the ingredients until they are smooth. But if you like some chunks in your sauce then just blend it for a shorter amount of time.

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Step Four: Simmer the sauce for an hour over low heat, with the sauce gently bubbling. The flavors deepen as the sauce cooks, and in the end, you will have a rich and delicious pizza sauce!

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What Else Do I Need for a New York Pizza?

Now that you have made the best pizza sauce you will ever have, you just need a few other things for the very best New York-style pizza recipe!

Pizza Dough: They say that there is nothing like a true New York pizza crust. Apparently, there is something in the water that makes it impossible to recreate. But this cold ferment pizza dough recipe has great flavor and texture, and makes a darn good pizza!

If you want to enjoy your pizza today then try this delicious .

Premium Quality Mozzarella Cheese: The third most important ingredient for a New York pizza (coming in behind the sauce and the crust) is the cheese. Shredded cheese, to be exact.

You won't find slices of fresh mozzarella cheese on a New York pizza. Instead, sprinkle shredded low moisture mozzarella over the sauce. The key here is that it needs to be whole milk, low moisture cheese. Skip the low-fat and pre-shredded cheeses, and you will end up with the best creamy, delicious topping for your pizza.

Additional toppings: You can add your favorite toppings, like pepperoni or sausage. Just keep the toppings minimal to let the crust and sauce shine through. Finally, sprinkle some shredded Parmesan cheese over the top and the pizza is ready to bake.

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Side Dish Recommendations

  • A big green salad
  • Some buffalo wings. Or to mix it up, try these sweet and spicy!
  • Toasted ravioli makes a great appetizer!
  • If you want to stick with iconic New York food then be sure to serve up some Half Moon Cookies for dessert!
  • Pair with a medium-bodied wine, like Syrah or Chianti. For a white wine, Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this sauce for other styles of pizza?

This recipe is the perfect foundation for any homemade pizza! If you are making a Detroit or Neapolitan-style pizza, then follow the directions exactly as listed. For a Chicago-style pizza, blend the ingredients for less time, leaving small tomato chunks in the sauce.

How should I store the sauce?

Once the sauce has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

More Pizza Recipes

  • Cold Ferment Pizza Crust Recipe
  • Easy No Sugar Pizza Sauce Recipe
  • Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
  • Homemade Garlic and Herb Pizza Dough Recipe
The Best New York-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe – State of Dinner (12)

Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind-the-scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!

Recipe

The Best New York-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe – State of Dinner (13)

The Best New York-Style Pizza Sauce

Recipe by: Erin

Delicious New York-style pizza sauce that simmers on the stove to develop a rich flavor to make your next pizza night extra special!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Condiments

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6

Calories 79 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) butter
  • 2 medium (2 medium ) garlic cloves (2 teaspoons minced)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons (3 grams) dried oregano
  • teaspoon (0.25 grams) crushed red pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons (9 grams) kosher salt
  • 14 ounces (370 grams) whole peeled tomatoes
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) tomato paste
  • ¼ cup (40 grams) finely minced yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons (4 g) chopped fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat.

    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter

  • Add the minced garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper, and salt, and stir frequently until you begin to smell the garlic and herbs (2-3 minutes).

    2 medium garlic cloves, 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, basil, and sugar, and puree using a hand blender, until smooth. (You can also use a food processor for this step.)

    6 ounces tomato paste, 14 ounces whole peeled tomatoes, ¼ cup finely minced yellow onion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon sugar

  • Return the sauce to the stove over medium heat. Once the tomatoes begin to simmer, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, where the sauce just bubbles lightly.

  • Cook for 1 hour, until the sauce has reached your desired consistency. Taste the sauce and add additional salt, if desired.

  • Use immediately, or cool and store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Yield: This makes enough for two 14-inch pizzas.

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 918mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 624IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Share a photo of your creation with your friends!Mention @stateofdinner or tag #stateofdinner!

The Best New York-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe – State of Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to New York-style pizza? ›

It is made from a different variety of wheat and not milled as finely. It results in a crust that's chewier, a little denser, and with significantly more structure than a Neapolitan crust. Sugar is almost always added to New York dough.

What gives NY pizza its flavor? ›

Minerals present in New York City's tap water supply are also credited with giving the dough in metro area pies its characteristic texture and flavor. Some out-of-state pizza bakers even transport the water cross-country for the sake of authenticity.

Is New York-style pizza sauce cooked or raw? ›

While Neapolitan-style pizza dictates the use of simply pureed, uncooked tomatoes, New York and other pizza styles utilize a cooked sauce of tomatoes and spices and—gasp—sugar.

What are three things that make New York pizza unique? ›

New York-style pizza is large, hand-tossed thin crust. Sold in big slices. While the crust is thick and crispy at the edge, the center of the pie is thin and foldable so that the large slice can be folded up and eaten. Traditionally toppings are just sauce and cheese.

What cheese do NY pizzerias use? ›

Low-moisture mozzarella (LMM) is what most New York slice pizzerias use and what you probably grew up thinking of as “mozzarella” cheese if you didn't grow up as in an Italian where your birthright is great mootz. I like to use this potato grater to make nice, ropy shreds that melt slower and thus stay oozier.

What is the best flour for New York pizza? ›

Chef Felice recommends a good bread flour for New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Sicilian pizzas, such as Gold Medal Unbleached Unbromated flour or Caputo Americana. For Pizza Napoletana and Neo Neapolitan, he recommends 00 flour made from finely ground Italian durum wheat.

What do New Yorkers sprinkle on pizza? ›

Spread tomato sauce evenly over dough. Sprinkle with oregano, mozzarella cheese, basil, Romano cheese, and red pepper flakes. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom of crust is browned when you lift up the edge a little, and cheese is melted and bubbly.

What is the most famous pizza flavor? ›

Poll after poll, pepperoni always tops the list of America's favorite pizza toppings.

What makes a pizza taste best? ›

Good dough, good sauce, and good cheese together can make a great pizza. the most important part of the sauce is good tomatoes. Italian tomatoes are the best: they just are. Then you need to cook the tomatoes with some fats.

What are the best tomatoes for pizza sauce? ›

SUMMARY – San Marzano are the tomatoes by excellence for classic red sauce pizza. Some other varieties include the Pomodorino del Piennolo- yellow or red. If San Marzano is impossible to find where you live, oblong peeled tomatoes are the best next choice.

What tomatoes do New York pizzerias use? ›

The sauce consists only of uncooked canned tomatoes. Most New York pizzerias use 7/11 by Stanislaus or one of their other brand lines. The cheese will be block mozzarella, shredded.

What cheese does Sally's Apizza use? ›

Sally's “mozzarella” pizza is essentially a Margherita, although the dry American mozzarella made for pizza, and used in New Haven, tends to turn rubbery and a little heavy in the oven. The cow's-milk fior di latte favored in Italy is moister and lighter.

Does New York water make pizza better? ›

yeah, kind of. While the city's water is certainly unique and has defining qualities, the impact it has on the actual taste and texture of bagel and pizza dough may be more minimal. In fact, the production techniques are likely what makes these signature New York items taste better.

What's the difference between pizza and New York style pizza? ›

New-York style pies are often easily distinguishable because of their extra-large and thin crust. The crust isn't as chewy as that in the traditional pie. Because the base isn't as complex as that of traditional pizzas, it is the perfect backdrop for loading up on layers of toppings and cheese.

Why is NYC pizza so good water? ›

New York has been known to have “soft water” which may have some influence on the quality of bread, bagels, and you guessed it: pizza! The majority of the city's water comes from the Catskill or Delaware watersheds, where it is then transferred to the Hillview Reservoir for chemical treatment and pH balance.

What is the difference between New York style pizza and regular pizza? ›

New-York style pies are often easily distinguishable because of their extra-large and thin crust. The crust isn't as chewy as that in the traditional pie. Because the base isn't as complex as that of traditional pizzas, it is the perfect backdrop for loading up on layers of toppings and cheese.

What's the difference between New York style pizza and regular pizza? ›

In general, New York Style pizza tends to be larger, often up to 16 inches in size. It is also often served by the slice, whereas Italian pizza is served whole, and is usually around 10 – 12 inches in size. Although you can get regular size New York pizzas too.

What makes New York Pizza dough different? ›

New York-style pizza dough is an offshoot of Neapolitan-style dough—still a thin crust pie, but slightly thicker than its Italian cousin. The crust is sturdy, but not cracker-like, and instead features a tender chew thanks to the addition of oil in the dough.

What's the difference between New Jersey and New York style pizza? ›

But the key difference is what happens when you fold your slice to take that first bite. New York style pizza reportedly owes its suppleness to the water in the city, holding its pliability without cracking. But New Jersey style gives you a nice crackle when you fold it, owing to the stone oven in which it's cooked.

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