This slow-simmered New York style pizza sauce was one of the first sauces I developed for Thursday Night Pizza. Because it is cooked down on the stove for 1 to 2 hours, it has a denser, smoother texture and deeper, richer flavor than my no-cook sauce, and it holds up especially well to heavier toppings like sausage, peppers, and onions.
When you're craving a pizza with rich tomato flavor at its base (like the ones you get at pizzerias in NYC), set a pot on the stove, mince up half an onion, and start cooking the sauce while the dough rises.
This is the ultimate sauce for tomato pie, Detroit-style and grandma-style sheet pan pizzas, and classic New York style pizza (obviously). And it's my go-to for Pepperoni and Sweet Pickle Pizza. (Trust me on that last one. It might sound odd, but it's one of the best pizzas I've ever made!)
New York Style (Slow-Simmered) Pizza Sauce FAQs
The flavor gets richer the longer you let the sauce simmer. However, if you don't have the time to let it cook down for an hour, just let the sauce cook for as long as possible. The flavor won't be as robust and the texture will be thinner, but no one will complain.
Another way to save time is by making the pizza sauce in a larger pan, such as a Dutch oven. The wider the pot, the faster the sauce will reduce. In fact, I've made some really delicious New York style pizza sauce in my enameled cast-iron Dutch oven in about 30 minutes!
Though any canned crushed tomatoes work fine in this recipe, do yourself a favor and choose the best-tasting ones you can find. I like Jersey Fresh, Bianco DiNapoli, and Pomi Finely Chopped Tomatoes*. However, I'm sure there are plenty of other delicious canned tomatoes out there.
Don't fret! Just get a 28-ounce can of high-quality whole peeled tomatoes, then crush them by hand or with an immersion bender right in the can.
Don't have time for slow-simmered New York style pizza sauce? Check out my no-cook marinara sauce, which takes less than 10 minutes to make!
Slow-Simmered Pizza Sauce
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.
- 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.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature before spreading on your pizza dough.
- 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
Looking for other sauce recipes? Here are a few of my all-time faves:
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Linda says
Tasty sauce, easy and quick, and a nice consistency after a low simmer for 90 minutes. I like the addition of the Balsamic vinegar. BUT… no garlic??? I added minced garlic and a pinch of basil.