Ahh, pizza. It’s one of the most popular foods in the United States and is of course a favorite in Italy, among other countries. Pizza wouldn’t quite be the same without the base of warm, savory pizza sauce. Which herbs and spices are in pizza sauce that make it taste so good?
Some of the most common herbs and spices in pizza sauce are:
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Basil
- Garlic
- Marjoram
- Sage
- Red pepper flakes
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Onion powder
- Salt and sugar (not spices, but flavor enhancers)
We’ll explain how all of these herbs, spices, and flavor enhancers come together to give pizza sauce (and pizza) its distinct flavor.
What is pizza sauce?
Pizza sauce is similar to pasta sauce, so it’s easy to mix them up. They’re both made with tomatoes as the base, but the difference between pizza sauce and pasta sauce is that pizza sauce is uncooked (raw) and cooked with the pizza. On the other hand, pasta sauce is fully cooked and ready to top pasta.
Another difference is that pizza sauce is usually thicker so it doesn’t make the pizza dough soggy when it’s cooking. Pasta sauce has more liquid so it can evenly coat pasta.
You can usually use pizza sauce instead of pasta sauce. If you want to swap it the other way and use pasta sauce for pizza, you’ll need to strain it to remove excess liquid first so you don’t end up with a soggy pizza!
Which herbs and spices are in pizza sauce?
The herbs and spices in pizza sauce will differ depending on the recipe (for homemade) or the brand (for store-bought). We’ll summarize the typical herbs and spices in most types of pizza sauce below!
Psst…some recipes call for an Italian seasoning mix, which contains many of the herbs listed below!
Oregano
Oregano is the backbone of Italian seasoning and is in most recipes for homemade pizza sauce. Not only is oregano popular in Italian cooking, but it’s a staple in Mediterranean cuisine as well. Oregano offers a slightly sweet, slightly bitter flavor that pairs well with the sugars in the tomatoes in pizza sauce.
Parsley
Some versions of Italian seasoning in pizza sauce contain parsley, but not all of them do – oregano is more common. Oregano has a stronger flavor than parsley, so if you decide to use it in place of parsley you wouldn’t need to use as much. Parsley’s flavor is described as peppery and slightly bitter.
Basil
Along with oregano, basil is a very important herb in Italian seasoning and pizza sauce. Basil has a sweet and slightly spicy flavor. This sweet and savory combination makes it a popular herb in many dishes.
Garlic
Garlic’s buttery, sweet flavor is a staple in many foods – or all of them if you’re a garlic lover like us! You’d be hard-pressed to find a good jar of pizza sauce without garlic in the ingredient list. Garlic’s buttery sweetness is enhanced when the garlic is roasted in oil before adding it to the pizza sauce.
Marjoram
Marjoram is an ingredient in some versions of Italian seasoning. Marjoram is similar to oregano in flavor with sweet and earthy notes, but it’s a bit less spicy than oregano.
Sage
Like marjoram, sage is in some versions of Italian seasoning, a seasoning mix often called for in homemade pizza sauce recipes. Like other herbs in pizza sauce, sage is described as having earthy and peppery flavors with hints of mint. Many herbs in pizza sauce have notes of mint – and most of them come from the mint family!
Salt & sugar (not technically a spice)
Okay, we’re cheating with this one a bit since salt isn’t a spice and neither is sugar. Salt is a mineral used as a flavor enhancer in many foods, and is in pizza sauce to enhance the other flavors. Sugar is often added to pizza sauce because it offsets the bitterness of tomatoes and pairs well with the savory ingredients in pizza.
Red pepper flakes
Some pizza sauce recipes call for red pepper flakes, which is the first spicy spice in our lineup of mostly herbs. Red pepper flakes are spicy and hot, but most recipes don’t call for enough red pepper flakes to make the sauce super spicy. (If you like some heat, try adding red pepper flakes as a garnish on your pizza!)
Rosemary
Rosemary pairs well with the other herbs usually found in pizza sauce like oregano, thyme, and marjoram according to McCormick – and they know their herbs and spices! Rosemary is a common ingredient in Italian seasoning which is typically called for in homemade pizza sauce recipes since it includes all of the essential flavors of Italian cooking.
Thyme
Another herb in the mint family, thyme is peppery and sweet but has hints of a clove-like sensation when you eat it, which means it’s warming without being overly spicy.
Onion powder
Like garlic (powder), onion powder is slightly sweet and savory and is a staple in many recipes regardless of the type of cuisine.
FAQs:
The herbs popular for topping pizza are also found in Italian seasoning and include basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and sometimes others.
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