Can You Use Pasta Sauce On Pizza?

Pizza and pasta are two of the most beloved Italian dishes around the world. They both share a common ingredient – tomato sauce. But have you ever found yourself wondering if you can use pasta sauce on pizza? 

It’s a common question that many pizza lovers have asked, and the answer might surprise you. While pizza sauce and pasta sauce may seem interchangeable, they actually have some distinct differences. 

This article will be all about answering this question. We’ll explore the question of whether or not you can use pasta sauce on pizza and what implications it may have on the taste and texture of your pie. So, grab a slice of pizza and let’s dive in!

Can You Substitute Pasta Sauce With Pizza Sauce?

Yes! You can substitute pasta sauce for tomato paste if you don’t have tomato paste on hand. Follow these steps.

• Remove excess liquid from the pasta sauce by straining it.
• Using a food processor or blender, blend the pasta sauce until smooth.
• Season and salt to taste.
• Combine thoroughly by pulsing a few more times.
• If any liquid remains, strain it out.
• Add anchovy filets to enhance umami flavor.

How To Thicken Pasta Sauce For Using On Pizzas?

To prevent your pizza dough from getting soggy, thicken your pasta sauce before you make it. The sauce can be thickened by adding tomato paste.

Unless you want the liquid to be reduced and thickened, it doesn’t even require heating on the stove. Yep, I just add one of those 12 oz jars of tomato paste and it works.

What’s the Main Difference Between Pizza Sauce and Pasta Sauce?

Tomato sauce appears to be the same whether it’s on pizza or pasta to the novice home cook, but this could not be further from the truth. There are many different sauces, each with its own texture, consistency, and flavor. 

However, they all contain one common element: the tomato. In terms of tomato sauce, pizza sauce is one of the simplest forms due to the fact that it’s usually uncooked and only contains basic ingredients, whereas pasta sauce has a lot more ingredients.

Let’s examine what makes these two sauces effective for their intended purposes so that you can get a better understanding of their differences. Taking a closer look at these differences will help us understand why they matter.

A pizza sauce differs from a pasta sauce in that pasta sauce is cooked whereas pizza sauce is raw. The spices in pizza sauce are usually raw and uncooked. The main reason for this is to allow the pizza sauce to cook inside the baking oven. 

In addition to oregano, thyme, pepper, onion powder, different Italian seasonings, pizza sauce also contains a number of spices. 

Compared to pasta sauce, pizza sauce has a smoother consistency. It is not recommended to use pasta sauce on pizza because it contains chunky tomato bits. 

The pizza sauce is intentionally tangy in taste in order to complement the meat and cheese on top. It is the acidity of the pizza sauce that gives the flavors the perfect balance. 

As a result of crushing the tomatoes, pasta sauce becomes thinner than pizza sauce due to its addition of water. 

The sauce coats the spaghetti well and adds flavor to every bite. Salt, pepper, and dried oregano are common ingredients in pasta sauce, allowing chefs to season it according to their taste. 

The tomato sauce in pasta sauce usually contains chunks, whereas the tomato sauce in pizza sauce must be smooth and lump-free. There are several types of pasta sauces, including those containing ground beef or Italian sausage.

An online pizzeria like Pizza Bien can be successful if the sauce is right. Pizza is an American obsession, so getting the sauce right can make a difference. 

When you use pasta sauce on pizza without modifying it, you risk it being too thin and soggy, which might not appeal to some of your customers.

Other Differences Between Pizza Sauce And Pasta Sauce

Both sauces have similar spices. Thus, why are they referred to differently instead of as one all-purpose sauce? I’d like to share a few specific differences between pizza sauce and pasta sauce.

1. Preparation

Preparing a pizza sauce is all about creating a flavorful tomato base that will enhance the other toppings. It’s not the star of the dish, but the key ingredient.

It is therefore necessary to have a thick pizza sauce. It is important to keep the sauce from ruining the dough consistency when it sits on top of the pizza.

It is necessary to avoid getting the toppings wet or soaked in leftover sauce water. It is also unlikely that the toppings will stand out if the sauce has too many spices. 

It is different, however, when it comes to pasta sauce. A good amount of water is essential when preparing pasta sauce or purchasing it. The purpose is to cook it longer on the stove without dehydrating it.  

It is up to you how many ingredients you would like to add to your pasta sauce. It is intended as a cooking sauce and not as a baking sauce. Water is absorbed by pasta in large quantities, so pasta sauce must be heavily hydrated.

2. Ingredients

Despite the similarities in ingredients, both sauces require completely different preparation methods. Sauces may have the same base but vary greatly in other ingredients. 

Typically, pizza sauce contains simple ingredients like oregano, pepper, garlic, and basil. There are more toppings on the base of the pizza sauce than on the top. 

It doesn’t matter what ingredient you place over the pizza sauce, as long as it’s savory, and you’ll be enjoying a delicious pizza. There are a variety of toppings available, including meats, fruits, pickles, and more.

Contrary to this, pasta sauce contains a lot more ingredients. The slices of tomatoes are chunkier. 

In addition to meat, onion slices, ground beef, sausages, and many other condiments, different brands of pasta sauce offer different kinds of condiments.

3. Consistency

Sauces for pizzas should be thicker than those for pastas. The consistency is also very smooth. Tomatoes in pizza sauce have a grainy texture. Pizza sauce rarely contains chunky items. 

There’s a reason for it. It’s meant to be simple and flavorful at the same time. It is, however, thicker in consistency than the pasta sauce. 

During the cooking process, the sauce reduces to a thick sauce. Your pasta will lose the perfect consistency thanks to it. The pasta will become super sticky if the sauce is thick, which everyone dislikes.

You can also add other condiments to your pasta sauce to ease the cooking process. In jarred sauces, you can add processed ingredients without any difficulty because the sauces are already pre-cooked.

Consequently, the consistency of the sauce plays an important role in maintaining the dish’s integrity. 

Why Pizza Sauce Is Best?

It is for this reason that pizza places make pizza sauce specifically, rather than using ordinary pasta sauce. There’s a reason for this: it tastes better.

There is no self-respecting pizza place that uses pasta sauce on their pizzas because it does not have a balanced flavor, and it is less enjoyable (although some people may enjoy the taste of pasta sauce).

Generally, pizza sauce should consist of raw or partially cooked tomato sauces with basic ingredients. With this sauce, your pizza has an intense tomato flavor, rather than the mellowed-out tomato flavor you’d get from a pasta sauce.

The ingredients used in traditional pizza are very basic, raw (dough, sauce, cheese). They will all cook together since they are all uncooked, creating a fresh and tasty pizza. 

By using pasta sauce on the pizza, you are repeating the cooking process. Double-cooked sauces tend to have a deeper and more intense flavor, which can overwhelm the taste buds.

To enjoy classic pizza, it’s important to taste the ingredients for what they are. It’s important to taste the dough, sauce, cheese, and any other toppings with every bite, but a complex, flavor-packed sauce can’t do this.

The choice is yours, but using pasta sauce will take away from some of the great pizza taste. 

It’s very easy to use pasta sauce if you’re also using pre-made pizza dough, but if you’re going through the effort of making your own pizza dough, then you can spare extra time to make the sauce. 

If you use a food processor or blender, it will take less than 5 minutes to make a basic pizza sauce.

What Can Be Substituted For Pizza Sauce?

Pizza sauce can be substituted with pasta sauce, pesto, white garlic sauce, Buffalo sauce, Hummus, and more. Any sauce can be used as a pizza base with the right recipe.

When choosing your toppings, however, make sure you are familiar with the flavor profiles of the sauces you are using as a base.

Conclusion

Using pasta sauce on pizza is an option that can work in a pinch. While pizza sauce is specifically designed for use on pizza and will often have a thicker consistency and different flavor profile than pasta sauce, using pasta sauce can add a unique and delicious twist to your pizza. 

When deciding whether to use pasta sauce on your pizza, it’s important to consider the consistency and taste of the sauce, as well as how it will interact with the other ingredients. 

Ultimately, the choice is yours and experimentation is encouraged in the kitchen. So, why not try using pasta sauce on your next homemade pizza and see what kind of flavor explosion you can create? You might just discover a new favorite pizza recipe!