A Quick Guide to Different Types of Pizza Sauces (2024)

A Quick Guide to Different Types of Pizza Sauces (1)

Are you looking to take your homemade pizza game to the next level? You’ve come to the right place! Sauces are one of the more overlooked components of a pizza—but they don’t have to be. We’re going to highlight essential pizza sauces and the toppings that elegantly complement their flavors so you can savor every second of your kitchen creations. Let’s jump right in.

Marinara Sauce

Marinara is one of the more versatile pizza sauces that you have to choose from. You’ll find that marinara is thinner than traditional pizza sauce while containing a more robust taste. The main difference between standard pizza sauce and marinara is marinara’s use of cooked tomatoes. Pizza fans regularly utilize marinara sauce to give their recipes a boost of flavor. Fresh ingredients are vital when it comes to producing marinara from scratch. Here are some of the core ingredients that are responsible for marinara sauce’s widely appreciate flavor:

  • Oregano
  • Minced garlic
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Sugar

Having a go-to marinara recipe on file is useful when you’re working to streamline your pizza-making process.

Spicy Red Sauce

A certain percentage of people might find marinara or traditional pizza sauces a little too bland. Even if you are a fan of marinara or standard pizza sauces, you might be looking to switch things up from your normal cooking routine. Consider using a spicy red sauce to integrate some bold flavor into your next pizza. Meat toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms, and sausage are juicy enough to balance out the kick that a spicy red sauces contain.

Home cooks commonly use crushed red pepper flakes or fried dry red chilies to supply their red pizza sauce with an enjoyable spicy flavor.

BBQ Sauce

Barbeque pizza sauce’s tangy taste can benefit from more toppings than barbeque chicken. Pulled pork and shrimp are two barbeque pizza toppings that will have you reaching for seconds before you know it. Consider drizzling some ranch dressing across your next barbecue chicken pizza to produce a taste that allows you to relish every bite.

Buffalo Sauce

Our mentioning of ranch dressing leads us perfectly into our next selection. Combine delectable pizza and wing flavors with a homemade buffalo sauce pizza. Shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken slices complement this sauce’s original taste. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to prepare a buffalo sauce pizza. Keep some extra blue cheese, ranch dressing, and hot sauce nearby to pour irresistible flavor on top of your buffalo sauce pizza whenever you’d like.

Alfredo Sauce

A Quick Guide to Different Types of Pizza Sauces (2)

Alfredo sauce isn’t reserved for pasta. Parmesan cheese and a wide array of seasonings generate an alfredo pizza sauce’s signature flavor. This fact explains why you’ll hear people commonly refer to alfredo sauce as parmesan sauce.

Some of these seasonings include:

  • Parsley
  • Salt and pepper
  • Italian seasoning
  • Garlic

A slightly runny alfredo sauce doesn’t mean you’ve made a cooking mistake. It’s natural for your pizza’s alfredo sauce to thicken while it cools. Pizza lovers seeking a creamy sauce can’t go wrong with an alfredo variety.

Pesto Sauce

Pesto sauce is a great go-to option when you’re looking to pick up some last-minute pizza ingredients from the grocery store. You might even have some herbs or leafy greens stored away at home that you can use to make this sauce.

Pizza chefs making a pesto sauce will generally blend about three cups of herbs and greens with olive oil and garlic cloves. Spinach, parsley, basil, and arugula are some of the herbs and greens that you’ll likely be using within a pesto pizza sauce.

Add some salt, pepper, tomato, and mozzarella slices to instantly elevate your next pesto slices.

Chocolate Sauce

Do you want some pizza after your pizza? Consider making a chocolate sauce dessert pizza when you’re looking for new ways to get creative with your cooking. Homemade cookie crusts and candy toppings are surefire ways to turn a chocolate sauce pizza into a masterpiece. Chocolate sauce pizzas give you the freedom to stick to the basics or go above and beyond with your chosen ingredients.

Become a Wood-fired Pizza Expert Overnight

You don’t have to own a five-star Italian restaurant to produce quality wood-fired pizzas. Fontana Forni manufactures outdoor pizza ovens that keep authentic taste within arm’s reach.

Head over to our site’s outdoor pizza ovens to find the cooking option that’s right for you. Home chefs can combine our Mangiafuoco Oven with our Pizza Desk to produce the ultimate pizza creation workstation. Check out our Gusto Wood Oven while you’re on our site to learn more about how this oven has been producing exceptional pizzas across Italy since 1978.

Do you have any questions for us? You can contact Fontana Forni through our site’s contact form that’s located on our Contact Us Page—or you can call us at 877-842-9822 for a more immediate response.

Back to News
A Quick Guide to Different Types of Pizza Sauces (2024)

FAQs

What is the most important ingredient in a pizza? ›

The key to consistently turning out authentic pizzas comes down to using quality mozzarella cheese because no other ingredient holds a pizza together quite like it. Mozzarella is sometimes referred to as the glue that holds the pizza together, providing the stretchy quality that we all enjoy while having a pizza.

What is the tomato sauce on pizza called? ›

Marinara pizza sauce is a simple sauce blended with tomatoes and aromatic ingredients, such as onions and garlic. Additional seasonings and herbs, such as basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and more can be added depending on personal preference.

Does sauce go on the top or bottom of pizza? ›

Cheese always goes belowthe toppings

You've got your dough as the foundation. Then your sauce. The cheese is the next solid layer. Then your toppings (after all, they're called top-pings and not bottom-ings), and then finally your garnishes like basil, pepper, fresh mozzarella, etc, after the pizza is cooked.

What's the difference between pizza sauce and Italian sauce? ›

Pizza sauce leans towards a thicker, paste-like consistency to prevent the pizza dough from becoming soggy. Pasta sauces, such as marinara or bolognese, contain more water and can include chunkier vegetable pieces or meat, offering a richer texture and flavor complexity.

What is the secret to good pizza? ›

The top chefs all agree that the best pizzas are all about the crust, so salt in the dough should never be sacrificed at the altar of salty toppings. “Building a pizza is like building anything else – you have to make compromises and consider the whole when choosing the parts.

What makes a pizza taste best? ›

Meat, Tomatoes, and Pizza: Glutamate-Rich Pizza Ingredients

In general, more glutamate means more flavor in food. Since pizza is topped with meat, tomatoes, and aged cheese that are rich in glutamate, you are assured that each and every bite you take in your pizza slice is appetizing and flavorful!

What makes pizza so yummy? ›

Pizza contains a large amount of glutamate. When you ingest foods with umami, receptors in your mouth bind with glutamate and two other compounds, inosinate and guanylate.

What is a pizza without cheese called? ›

Food historians trace pizza's origins to Naples, Italy, in the 1800s, and note that it wasn't until 1889 that cheese was added as a topping. A pizza without cheese is today recognized as one of the three official authentic Neapolitan pizzas and is called pizza marinara.”

What is a pizza without tomato sauce called? ›

White pizza (Italian: pizza bianca) is a style of pizza that does not use tomato sauce. The pizza generally consists of pizza dough, olive oil, garlic, cheese, salt and, sometimes, toppings including vegetables such as spinach, tomato, and herbs.

What is Dominos pizza sauce called? ›

The traditional pizza sauce for most Domino's pizza restaurant pies is the Robust Inspired pizza sauce, a thick, zesty flavor redolent with garlic and other special spices. If you prefer less spicy sauces, opt for the Hearty Marinara sauce.

What kind of cheese goes on pizza? ›

A combo of mozzarella and provolone offers both stretch and flavor; in fact, many pizzerias use just this blend. If stretch isn't important but you still favor an ooey-gooey melted cheese experience, any of the other tested cheeses should suit you just fine. Cheddar, fontina, Muenster, Gouda, etc.

What do you put on pizza before sauce? ›

But cheese is a great base because it protects the crust from getting gummy. I love doing cheese first because it melts right onto the crust and you get little to no cheese drag: when your bite pulls a blanket of hot molten mozzarella off the slippery surface of a saucy pie directly onto your clean face and shirt.

Should meat go on top or under cheese on pizza? ›

Toppings should go on the pizza after the cheese. This is because toppings put under the cheese will become soggy and won't sear appropriately under the heat. Precooking most pizza toppings will remove moisture and keep them dry. Many people like to put sauce and cheese on their pizzas first.

What sauce is traditionally on pizza? ›

Traditional pizza sauce is made with a base of tomatoes and spices like garlic, onion, basil, and oregano. You might think that this makes a pizza simple or boring, but this isn't the case. There are so many varieties and recipes for it that you'll never get bored of this meal!

What sauce can you use on pizza besides tomato? ›

Beyond Tomato: Different Types of Pizza Sauces to Try
  • Pesto Sauce. Pesto sauce differs from tomato sauce on your pizza, adding a delicious herby and nutty taste. ...
  • Alfredo or White Sauce. ...
  • Garlic and Oil Sauce. ...
  • Romesco Sauce. ...
  • Buffalo Sauce. ...
  • Barbecue Sauce. ...
  • Spicy Red Sauce.
Dec 21, 2023

What is Italian pizza sauce called? ›

Pizza marinara, also known as pizza alla marinara, is a style of pizza in Neapolitan cuisine seasoned with only tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil, oregano and garlic. It is supposedly the oldest tomato-topped pizza. Pizza marinara.

Is tomato sauce the same as marinara? ›

Rather than having a thin consistency like a traditional marinara, tomato sauce is often thicker and sits on top of your pasta dishes. The flavors of a tomato sauce are simmered together slowly, giving them time to develop. The end result is a red sauce that is traditionally a bit sweeter than a marinara.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rueben Jacobs

Last Updated:

Views: 5576

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rueben Jacobs

Birthday: 1999-03-14

Address: 951 Caterina Walk, Schambergerside, CA 67667-0896

Phone: +6881806848632

Job: Internal Education Planner

Hobby: Candle making, Cabaret, Poi, Gambling, Rock climbing, Wood carving, Computer programming

Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.