12 Ingredients That Make Store-Bought Pizza Sauce Taste Homemade

Whether you're craving a custom combo you can't find in the grocery store aisles or just totally over takeout, making a (mostly) homemade pizza is a delicious and fun dinner option. Opting for a store-bought sauce is a quick fix that makes the preparation process quite a bit easier — and leaves you with less dishes. When it comes to the flavor of jarred sauces, though, some leave much to be desired. But don't worry, there are several ingredients in your fridge and pantry right now that will take your store-bought pizza sauce to the next level.

You can liven up your pizza sauce with fresh herbs, add emulsifiers to improve the texture and consistency, or even customize it to match your favorite combination of toppings. From cheese and cream to herbs and spices, there are plenty of options to heighten every aspect of your store-bought sauce. Grab that jar of pizza sauce and check out these 12 ingredients you can add to achieve a homemade taste, depth, and complexity, without all the mess (or the work)!

If you want to add a kick without straying too far from a classic pizza sauce, crushed red pepper is the perfect addition. We all know about putting red pepper flakes on top of pizza, but adding it to the sauce brings depth and allows for the infusion of the spice, instead of packing a singular, powerful punch as it does when sprinkled on top. You can easily control the heat by adjusting both the amount you add and how you use it in your dish.

When it comes to how you incorporate crushed red pepper, you've got options. For a quick fix, just sprinkle a bit into the sauce before spreading it on the pizza. This still allows the spice to seep into the sauce as the pizza bakes without adding an extra step to the preparation process. For a stronger kick, simmer the sauce with the crushed red pepper for a few minutes to really meld those flavors and integrate the heat from the pepper flakes into the sauce. The longer you simmer, the more that delicious spice will combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Fresh basil is a game-changer when it comes to your pizza sauce. It adds a burst of freshness and livens up the whole dish. You can incorporate basil into your sauce in a variety of ways, like finely dicing, roughly chopping, or even throwing smaller leaves in whole and letting them soften up during baking for a peppery basil punch. 

Depending on what notes you prefer, there are different types of basil to choose from. For the traditional taste that comes to mind when you think of basil, Genovese is your best bet. It's the go-to for a variety of Italian dishes, and will add an earthy, herbal layer to your sauce without being overwhelming. Though Genovese is a type of sweet basil, it is more peppery than classic sweet. Sweet basil, on the other hand, is going to have a lighter profile with notes of clove and anise. You can dice up the stems and toss them in for a light, herbal bite.

While it is a less traditional addition, a bit of heavy cream can absolutely level up your store-bought pizza sauce. Heavy cream will meld the ingredients of your sauce together and add a touch of incredible richness. The fat in the cream acts as an emulsifier and unifies the flavors as it smooths out the texture. On its own, heavy cream has a touch of fatty sweetness, so when you combine it with the tomatoes in the sauce, it balances some of their acidity.

Just splash heavy cream into a pan with the sauce, and simmer for a few minutes for a velvety result. Take care not to cook it for too long or on too high heat though, as overheating heavy cream can cause it to separate, creating a grainy, lumpy texture. Low or medium-low heat will do the trick. Also be sure to stir regularly to avoid that separation.

Although most jarred pizza sauces contain garlic, it is usually garlic powder, which tastes quite different from garlic cloves that have just been peeled and cut. Adding some of your own fresh-minced garlic truly takes your sauce into the next tier of deliciousness. Depending on your preference for texture, there are a variety of ways to cook with fresh garlic and incorporate it into your sauce.

For subtle depth, mince up a few cloves and saute them until they become fragrant, before adding them to your pizza sauce. Or if you just want to mince the raw garlic and toss it right in before baking, you'll maintain some of that inherent spice and punch. You can also wrap the whole head of garlic in tin foil and bake it in the oven for a creamy, smooth finish that you can stir right into your pizza sauce. This option allows the garlic to combine beautifully with the flavors already present in the sauce, without adding much of a textural element.

Red wine adds a layer of depth and richness to your sauce, offering complexity and an overall boost. The boldness of the beverage tones down after a good simmer so it won't be overpowering, but it will mix with the acidity of the tomatoes for a more balanced taste. If you're worried about the alcohol not cooking out, simply give it more time on the stove to allow for more evaporation. If you've never cooked with wine before, some simple guidelines will help you choose a bottle that meets your needs, offers delicious flavor, and doesn't break the bank. 

In general, you want to avoid wines with high tannins, as these will leave your dish with a sharp bitterness after you cook it down. Although you don't have to choose an expensive bottle, you want to avoid the cheapest option too. Cooking wines, while inexpensive, are generally lower quality and not worth using if you're looking for something subtle yet tasty. 

Pinot noir is a flexible, light red that is the first choice for many home cooks and chefs alike due to its versatility and mildness. Merlot is another excellent option. It offers fruitiness and a smooth texture that holds up well to simmering. After the extra liquid cooks off and your sauce reaches your desired consistency, you'll have a whole new sauce laden with umami richness and depth. 

As delicious as Parmesan is sprinkled on top of pizza, it might be even better underneath the cheesy top layer. Parmesan adds a rich creaminess to your pizza sauce and can improve the texture of jarred sauces which can be a bit watery and cause your crust to get soggy during baking. You can grate it yourself for the punchiest flavor, use pre-shredded for a balance of quality and convenience, or even sprinkle in finer pre-grated cheese. Though there are some reasons people prefer to avoid pre-grated Parmesan, if you're looking for a quick fix, it will still add a savory layer to your sauce and complement the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Using a true DOP Parmigiano-Reggiano will offer your sauce the most complex and nuanced flavors. DOP, in English, translates to "Product Designation of Origin" and ensures that your Parmigiano-Reggiano was produced according to traditional methods in specific regions of Italy. Naturally, this commitment to quality is going to offer more elevated, robust notes, and DOP Parmigiano-Reggiano will add both nuttiness and its classic savory richness.

If your jarred sauce is falling flat, try adding a pinch of sugar to heighten the flavor of the herbs and tomatoes and give it a light sweetness. Be careful not to go overboard, and remember: You can always add more, but you can't take it out! While it might seem surprising to combine sugar with the savoriness we expect from pizza, this is a classic trick that many recipes employ. Adding just a dash won't overpower the pizza or bring sweetness to the forefront of the sauce, but it will infuse depth and complexity.

When it comes to adding sugar, you can sprinkle it in when your sauce comes to a simmer or just add it to a bowl with your sauce and stir it up to distribute throughout. If you want it to be truly sweet rather than just curb some of the acidity of the tomatoes and balance out the overall flavor, then throw in an extra pinch. But don't forget to taste test as you go.

Oregano is one of the key seasonings in any pizza sauce, whether jarred or homemade. Incorporating some fresh oregano into your sauce will add that classic Italian flavor and a lively, herbal boost. To prepare the oregano, you can dice up the leaves, throw them in whole, and even include the stems for an extra boost. 

The most common oregano variety — and the one that recipes usually refer to if they don't specify — is Greek oregano. It has a robust taste and cooks well without losing much of its boldness. Italian oregano, surprisingly, is usually the second choice for sauces, as it has a lighter flavor. 

Marjoram is another herb that is often used in addition to oregano and can even be substituted if you prefer more muted notes with less spice. Marjoram is also one of the classic ingredients in most Italian seasonings, which also serves as a convenient, catch-all addition to pizza sauces if you want more of the classic Italian taste without purchasing fresh herbs.

The crucial step to making this addition shine is cracking the pepper when you're ready to use it. Using freshly ground black pepper has incredible flavor benefits, as it releases the nuanced aromas from the oils in the peppercorns. When ground, that essence begins to infuse itself into its surroundings. If you're grinding right into your sauce, that's where the peppercorns will reveal their subtler notes. Pre-ground pepper, on the other hand, has had an indeterminate amount of time for its aromas to dissipate, which diminishes the intensity.

Black pepper enhances the flavors of the ingredients it is mixed with, so it's no surprise that it's a classic addition to nearly every savory dish. Tomato sauce is no exception, as it can benefit from several good twists of the pepper grinder. For an extra layer, toast your freshly cracked pepper in a pan for a bit of smokiness.

Don't worry, adding a bit of well-ground fennel seed won't make your pizza taste like licorice. Fennel also has a nutty, minty taste, and crushing the seeds will add a light and refreshing layer to your sauce. Crushing the fennel seeds is important to release the oils trapped inside and to disperse the flavor throughout the sauce.

Biting into a whole fennel seed might be an unpleasant experience, but there are several methods for grinding up whole spices at home to maximize the taste. A mortar and pestle is a perfect tool for crushing up your dried spices, and you can even incorporate other herbs or spices and grind them at the same time. Or, if you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can always place the fennel seeds in a plastic baggie and use a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to smash them and release the oils.

Onion is a building block for hundreds of dishes, and your pizza is certainly one of them. Onions are versatile, and adding one to your sauce will provide another layer of savory, umami depth and richness. Depending on how much you want the flavor to shine, and whether you're looking for a subtle or powerful addition, you can choose between different varieties and preparation styles. 

Yellow onion cooks well and infuses a savory, earthy layer to the sauce, while red onions are milder and sweeter. White onions have the sharpest bite and provide the most intense profile if you're looking to pack a punch. For a subtle addition that still elevates your dish, yellow onion is the way to go. 

Mincing and sauteing it first will allow for a seamless integration into the sauce while reducing some of the kick that raw onion carries. If you'd like to make the onion even subtler, you can shred it instead. On the other hand, you can slice it into larger half-rings to let their flavor stand out against the backdrop of the sauce.

While this might seem like a surprising ingredient, adding vodka to a tomato-based sauce is sure to enrich the flavors already present without being overwhelming. Vodka is an excellent enhancer, and when it combines with the tomatoes, it creates a reaction that breaks down some of their compounds. This improves not only their flavor but also the texture, resulting in a silkier, richer sauce.

Simply add a splash of vodka to your sauce and simmer it on the stove until it reaches the desired consistency. This process of heating will cook off most of the alcohol, and the reaction will reveal elements in the tomatoes that you would not otherwise be able to taste. For example, vodka cuts the acidity, which brings out their sweetness and tanginess. Vodka also unlocks aromas trapped within the ingredients and releases them for a sauce that smells as good as it tastes. This chemical reaction between vodka, tomatoes, and heat is an incredible hack you'll certainly want to keep in your back pocket.