Is Marinara the Same as Pizza Sauce? You Might Be Doing It Wrong

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Is marinara the same as pizza sauce? Pizza sauce and marinara are often confused with each other, but they’re not the same. Both are made with tomatoes, but they have different textures, ingredients, and cooking methods. Simmering marinara sauce is used to dip vegetables or put on pasta. 

Pizza sauce is typically uncooked, but it is not necessarily thicker than marinara; in fact, it is often made thicker using tomato paste or less liquid. This article explains the main differences, when to use one over the other, and what to use to make your next meal taste the greatest.

A Healthier Pasta Night – Carrot Marinara, Paleo-Approved!

Is Marinara the Same as Pizza Sauce?

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There are differences between marinara and pizza sauce that many people use. While both are tomato-based sauces in Italian cuisine, they are not the same. The way they are cooked, the ingredients they use, and their texture all change, which changes how they are used in recipes. 

When you know these differences, you can choose the right sauce for your pizza or pasta and keep the crust from getting soggy or the flavor from being bland.

Key Differences in Texture & Preparation

Marinara is a cooked tomato sauce made with crushed tomatoes and other ingredients, while pizza sauce is usually an uncooked tomato sauce made with pureed tomatoes. Pizza sauce is meant to cook in the oven with the pizza, while marinara is slow-simmered to get a deeper flavor.

• Pizza sauce texture: Pizza sauce is usually made from uncooked pureed tomatoes and may be thickened with tomato paste, but the consistency can vary depending on regional or commercial recipes.

• Marinara sauce texture: Marinara sauce is simmered and often develops complex flavors, but its texture is not always thinner; it can be thick depending on the recipe.

• Cooking method: It is an uncooked sauce, which is put on pizza dough before it's baked. Marinara is a cooked sauce that is often used as a dipping sauce or put on a pasta dish.

• Flavor profile: Marinara tastes strong because it has garlic, olive oil, and sometimes white wine in it. For pizza sauce to taste good, it needs to be baked.

Why They’re Often Confused

The two sauces are both from the heart of Italian cuisine and have similar ingredients, like garlic, tomatoes, and dried oregano. However, the ways they are used and made make them different.

• Similar look: Toppings for both are made with tomato-based sauce.

• Overlap in ingredients: There are usually the same tomatoes, herbs, and spices added.

• Store labeling: This is because a lot of store-bought sauces taste like both pizza sauce and marinara.

• Common substitution: People who cook at home often switch them out without realizing how it changes the taste and texture.

Can I Substitute Marinara for Pizza Sauce?

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Marinara can be used as pizza sauce, but it might not always work well. However, marinara is thinner, which might make pizza crusts soggy. The sauce needs to be thick enough to stay on top of the crust and cook evenly with the toppings for a tasty, crispy pizza.

When It Works (and When It Doesn’t)

In some cases, marinara can work on pizza, especially when the pizza is thin or made like flatbread. However, a thicker pizza sauce is better for pizzas with lots of toppings or that are very thick.

• Best use cases: For thin pizzas, pita pizzas, or when you just need a thin layer of sauce.

• Avoid for: Heavy pizzas and pies with deep-dish bases, like those with ground beef or Italian sausage.

• Why it fails: Marinara may have more moisture, but thickness can vary by preparation; reducing moisture during cooking can make it suitable for pizza.

• Flavor difference: The flavors in Marinara are more complex, while the flavors in pizza sauce are developed in the oven with fewer spices.

How to Thicken Marinara for Pizza Use

A few easy steps can turn marinara into pizza sauce if that's all you have on hand. The aim is to lower the moisture level and raise the thickness.

• Simmer longer: Allow the extra water in the marinara sauce to evaporate while it's cooking.

• Add tomato paste: To make it thicker, add tomato paste and mix it in.

• Use a blender or food processor: Mix the sauce to make the end result smoother.

• Strain the sauce: Use a sieve to get rid of spills.

• Avoid extra oil: For crusts that don't stay together, don't add olive oil.

• Season as needed: To make it taste like pizza sauce, add more dried oregano, red pepper flakes, or garlic.

Is Marinara Sauce Just Pizza Sauce in a Jar?

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No is the short answer. Both sauces are made with tomatoes, but they taste, cook, and serve different purposes. Some people compare pizza sauce to marinara, but pizza sauce is made just for pizza.

Ingredient Profiles Compared

Pizza sauce is formulated to complement pizza toppings and to develop flavor during baking, while marinara is typically served after being simmered to develop flavor. Each has a different way of using tomatoes and helps with different kinds of cooking.

• Marinara sauce: It is made with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, herbs, and sometimes white wine or capers.

• Pizza sauce: Made with tomato paste, pureed tomatoes, and fewer seasonings to go with the cheese and toppings.

• Complexity: There are more ingredients in marinara sauce than in pizza sauce. Pizza sauce is simple with just a few extras.

The Purpose of Each Sauce in Cooking

There is a purpose for every sauce in the kitchen; each one is made to do a certain job.

• Marinara: Great as a sauce for breadsticks and mozzarella sticks or to put on pasta or meatballs.

• Pizza sauce: Made to bake with the pizza so that the flavor of the sauce can develop over high heat.

• Other uses: It goes well with ratatouille, eggplant Parmesan, or spaghetti sauce. Pizza sauce is mostly used on pizza and calzones.

Can Marinara Sauce Be Used for Pizza?

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Many people want to know if pizza sauce and marinara sauce are the same. If you're short on some ingredients, you might want to switch them out. The difference between pizza sauce and marinara sauce is how they are cooked, what goes into them, and how their final textures behave once baked.

What the Experts Say

Pizza sauce and marinara may look alike, but they have different uses, say Italian cuisine experts. Marinara generally includes garlic, herbs, and onions, and is cooked; pizza sauce is often simpler and uncooked, but exceptions exist.

• Marinara sauce cooking process: Mixed with garlic, onions, basil, salt, and pepper to make the flavor stronger.

• Pizza sauce cooking method: Most of the time, they are not cooked yet, so that the cheese and toppings can add flavor while they bake.

• Pizza sauce vs marinara: Marinara may be more watery depending on how it is prepared, but it can be thickened for pizza use.

• San Marzano tomatoes: Preferred in both sauces, but cooked in different ways: pizza sauce uses fresh tomatoes that have been pureed, while marinara sauce simmers them.

Popular Pizza Recipes That Use Marinara

Even though it's not common, marinara sauce is sometimes used instead of regular pizza sauce to make the flavor stronger or more rustic.

• Pizza Marinara: A classic from Naples that is made with herbs, garlic, tomatoes, and no cheese.

• Flatbread pizzas: Will not get soggy when mixed with pasta sauces like marinara.

• Vegetarian pizzas: Combine well with marinara sauce to make them more flavorful.

• Calzones: Pizza dough shouldn't have marinara in it because it's too wet to use as a dip.

What Does FullyHealthy.com Offer on This Topic?

FullyHealthy.com is a place where people on strict diets can find information. This website can help you change your mind about pizza sauce and marinara if you are allergic to tomatoes or want to find other options. Traditional pasta sauce and spaghetti sauce aren't sold there. Instead, it focuses on tomato-free sauces and ingredients that are safe for people on a diet.

Marinara, Pizza Sauce & Nightshade-Free Options

• Tomato-free options: The AIP doesn't have a standard tomato sauce, but other options are safe.

• Allergen-conscious sauces: For people who can't have fresh tomatoes, basil, or nightshades.

• Creative substitutes: Use root vegetable bases or blends that don't contain nightshades.

AIP and Specialty Diet-Friendly Pizza Alternatives

• Paleo and AIP recipes: Supply pizza crusts and sauces that don't contain common allergens.

• No tomato pizza: Perfect for people who don't like cooked or fresh tomatoes.

• Noodle and pasta kits: When making your own sauces and noodles, don't use regular ones.

Final Thoughts

Knowing the difference between marinara and pizza sauce makes every meal better. Pizza sauce and pasta sauce are different in how they are cooked and used. Comparing pizza sauce and marinara sauce shows how herbs, spices, and other ingredients like onions, salt, and pepper can change the taste. 

For tomato sauce, use fresh tomatoes, and know what the best pizza or pasta sauce is. Pick carefully so the crust stays crisp and bakes perfectly, with all of its flavors. For the best marinara every time, keep it fresh.

FAQs

Is pizza sauce or marinara better on pizza?

Pizza sauce is better on pizza because it’s uncooked, gives more flavor when baked, and keeps the crust from getting soggy, unlike cooked marinara or pasta sauce.

Can marinara sauce be used for pizza on Reddit?

Yes, many Reddit users say marinara works for pizza, but pizza sauce vs marinara still shows different flavors when baked on the crust.

What is the best substitute for pizza sauce?

The best substitute is cooked tomato sauce or pasta sauce using fresh tomatoes, salt, and herbs for good pizza flavor.

Do Italians use marinara on pizza?

Sometimes Italians use marinara on pizza, especially Pizza Marinara with cooked pasta sauce, no cheese, just salt and fresh tomatoes on baked crust, where the flavor develops naturally.

Is Domino's pizza sauce marinara?

No, Domino’s uses a proprietary pizza sauce that is cooked and seasoned differently from traditional marinara; however, exact formulation may vary.