Easy Keto Pizza Sauce Recipe (2024)

Looking for a keto pizza sauce for your low carb fathead dough or cauliflower pizza crust? This easy 15-minute recipe has a fraction of the sugar found in store bought sauces. Make it while your keto crust bakes and it will be ready when your crust is. You’ll want to make this delicious sauce again and again.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Easy Keto Pizza Sauce Recipe (1)

THIS POST INCLUDES AFFILIATE LINKS TO SHARE THE THINGS I LOVE.

Great Keto Pizza is Possible on Your Low Carb Diet!

Following a low-carb or keto diet is easier than ever when you can enjoy great low carb pizza. The most popular keto friendly pizzas start with fathead dough, chicken pizza crust or a crispy cauliflower crust. All are great choices, so choosing a favorite depends on your preferred flavor and texture.

You'll be surprised to learn that the while today's keto pizza crusts are ultra low carb, it's the sauces and toppings you'll have to pay attention to. They may contain hidden sugars so make sure to read labels.

Carbs in Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain natural sugars and have a net carb count of 0.67 g per raw ounce. Tomato products, especially those which concentrate and thicken pureed tomatoes, are typically high in carbs. It’s common for popular canned/jarred tomato sauces and pizza sauce to add extra sugar to their recipes.

These hidden sugars often contribute to carb creep, causing stalls and weight gain for those on low carb keto diets. Luckily, my low carb sauce is so good you won’t even miss your old stand-by.

Easy Keto Pizza Sauce Recipe (2)

Keto Pizza Sauce

Several keto friendly pizza sauce recipes call for cooking-down fresh or canned whole tomatoes. And while I do that for pasta sauce, this method requires too much cooking time to make a quick pizza sauce.

Conversely, no-cook keto pizza sauce recipes mix a few dried seasonings with tomato paste and water. Yes, they are easy, but they lack the flavor of a cooked sauce.

My recipe takes the best parts of both methods, is easy and tastes great. While it's not ultra thick like store bought brands (Pizza Quick), it has less carbs and better ingredients. Here's how to make it:

  1. In a small pot, saute fresh chopped garlic in olive oil until softened and the raw smell cooks out.
  2. Add an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce to the pan and simmer with...
  3. Fresh chopped parsley, onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.
  4. Add a little sweetener because canned tomatoes are very acidic.
  5. Simmer about 5 minutes or until the sauce darkens a little and no longer smells raw.

Feel free to add chopped onion, fresh rosemary, dried marjoram, red pepper flakes or Parmesan cheese to make it your own.

NOTE: I had Contadina tomato sauce in the pantry but use your favorite brand. Just make sure that it doesn’t contain added sugars.

Easy Keto Pizza Sauce Recipe (3)

Other Keto Friendly Pizza Sauce Options

Some people can’t handle the acid in a tomato-based sauce anymore.* Still others want a new and exciting keto pizza flavor. Here are a few great keto pizza sauce options that will keep you loving your low carb pizza.

  • Alfredo sauce
  • Blue cheese dressing
  • Caesar dressing
  • Enchilada Sauce
  • Garlic and olive oil
  • Keto Barbecue Sauce
  • Pesto
  • Ranch dressing

TIP: Add a little baking soda to your tomato sauce to neutralize the acid. The amount of baking soda depends on the amount of sauce you make. Add ¼ teaspoon at a time until you notice the sauce is more mellow and no longer "bites". You can do this with your morning coffee, too. I add a pinch of baking soda to my coffee every morning!

What Can You Make with Sugar Free Pizza Sauce?

Spoon sugar free pizza over eggs for a quick-and-dirty Shakshuka (eggs-in-hell) recipe. It makes a great dipping sauce for cheesy keto breadsticks, mozzarella sticks or crispy fried eggplant . One of my favorite ways to use this sauce is for keto bagel pizzas. My kids love them as a snack!

Conclusion

It’s easy to make your own keto pizza sauce for your favorite low carb pizza crusts. It only takes a few minutes, you control the ingredients and it tastes great.

Easy Keto Pizza Sauce Recipe (4)

Easy Keto Pizza Sauce

An easy keto pizza sauce recipe made with tomato sauce, herbs, and spices. A quick cook enhances flavors. Great as a low carb dip, too.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiments, Dressings and Sauces

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Low Carb Keto Pizza

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 14kcal

Author: Kim Hardesty

Equipment

  • Can opener

  • Small sauce pan

Ingredients

  • 8 oz Contadina tomato sauce
  • 1 med clove garlic, pressed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon low carb sugar (Sukrin, Swerve, Lakanto, Besti)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley (or ½ teaspoon dried)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dreid basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  • Measure the onion powder, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes into a small bowl. Chop the parsley and add it to the bowl. Open the can of tomato sauce.

  • Pour the olive oil into a small sauce pan and add the pressed garlic. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the garlic is fragrant and loses its raw smell.

  • Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and add the chopped parsley and dried seasonings. Add half of the sweetener and taste, adding the rest if needed. Simmer about 5 minutes or until the sauce darkens slightly and no longer smells raw.

  • Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze until needed. Thaw in the refrigerator.

  • Makes 1 cup of sauce with 8, 2-tbsp servings at 1.25 NET CARBS PER SERVING.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoon | Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.75g | Protein: 0.52g | Fat: 0.58g | Sodium: 130mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.56g | Vitamin A: 1162IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 20mg

Easy Keto Pizza Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for pizza sauce? ›

Some popular pizza sauce alternatives include the following:
  • Pesto.
  • Ricotta Cheese.
  • Barbecue Sauce.
  • Ranch Dressing.
  • Tapenade.
  • Olive Oil and Garlic.
  • Sweet Chili Sauce.
  • Chimichurri Sauce.

Will one slice of pizza take you out of ketosis? ›

Regular Crust

This type of pizza crust can have up to 33g of carbs without any added sauce or cheese. If you're limiting your carbs to 20-50 grams per day, one slice of this type of crust will likely kick you out of ketosis.

How do you eat pizza without carbs? ›

Pizza crust alternatives like cauliflower offer lower calories, carbs, and sodium. Chicken has zero carbs, low fat, and high protein. No matter which alternative you choose, these options are better than the high fat, excessive carbs, and soaring sodium levels in traditional pizza crusts.

What to do when you have no pizza sauce? ›

What can I use instead of pizza sauce?
  1. White Base. White based pizzas are made many different ways but the most common is cheese (usually mozzarella but there's no white base rules to follow) straight onto the base followed by toppings. ...
  2. BBQ Sauce. ...
  3. Vegetable Purees. ...
  4. Cheese Sauce/Rarebit. ...
  5. Creme Fraiche.

What else can be used as pizza sauce? ›

Eight pizza sauce alternatives
  • Basil pesto – A great starting point for experimentation with pizza sauce alternatives. ...
  • Béchamel – An integral part of many Italian dishes, béchamel also works well as a pizza sauce. ...
  • BBQ sauce – Barbeque lovers are likely to enjoy a pizza sauce alternative with a smokier flavor.

Can I just eat the cheese off pizza for keto? ›

Folks who love cheese and pizza together will be relieved to know that there are many cheese types that go well with a keto diet. Here are some of the cheeses you can add to your pizza without feeling guilty: Mozzarella cheese (shredded or fresh) Pepper jack cheese.

What happens if you eat pizza on keto? ›

Understanding the Keto Diet: Can Pizza Be Keto? A keto diet aims to help you reduce your carbs and sugar intake while increasing proteins and fats in your diet. So, if you are on a weight-loss journey but still need to enjoy your pizza, you can enjoy a healthy low-carb pizza to help you attain your weight-loss goals.

Is there a keto-friendly pizza? ›

There are now many options for a keto-friendly pizza crust. You only need to determine exactly what you want in your pizza in order to have the perfect base. For example, if you prefer a crispy crust, you would probably enjoy a cauliflower pizza crust or one made from almond flour.

Will spaghetti sauce work as pizza sauce? ›

You are not alone when you ask "can i use pasta sauce for pizza?" Using pasta sauce as a pizza sauce is an increasingly popular trend among homemade pizza lovers. It is a great way to add some variety to your pizza and make it more flavorful.

How to thicken homemade pizza sauce? ›

Add Tomato Paste

One of the best ways to make use of tomato paste is to treat it as a natural thickening agent for tomato-based sauces, says Arturo. In addition to helping to alter the consistency of your sauce, this pantry staple will also help to further enhance the rich, savory flavors of tomato sauce.

Can I use ketchup instead of pizza sauce? ›

Whereas a pizza sauce is a tomato sauce, it's raw and uncooked with more herbs. Hence, many people want to know, "can you use ketchup on pizza?" The answer - yes. And we're going to help you find out how to do so perfectly, without making your pizza soggy or bad.

What are 5 sauce options for pizza? ›

A Quick Guide to Different Types of Pizza Sauces
  • Marinara Sauce. Marinara is one of the more versatile pizza sauces that you have to choose from. ...
  • Spicy Red Sauce. ...
  • BBQ Sauce. ...
  • Buffalo Sauce. ...
  • Alfredo Sauce. ...
  • Pesto Sauce. ...
  • Chocolate Sauce. ...
  • Become a Wood-fired Pizza Expert Overnight.

Is pizza sauce necessary for pizza? ›

Pizza means flatbread. This means that a pizza can really be called pizza if it has no cheese. That's the case of pizza alla marinara, with crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and a drizzle of extravirgin olive oil. A real pizza can be without any tomato sauce, like this pizza ortolana, with a fresh vegetables medley.

Can you replace pizza sauce with ketchup? ›

A tomato sauce is usually made by boiling tomatoes and making them into a thick paste. Whereas a pizza sauce is a tomato sauce, it's raw and uncooked with more herbs. Hence, many people want to know, "can you use ketchup on pizza?" The answer - yes.

What can I use instead of sauce? ›

7 Substitutes for Tomato Sauce If You Run Out of the Pantry Staple
  • Canned Tomatoes.
  • Fresh Tomatoes.
  • Tomato Paste.
  • Tomato Soup.
  • Ketchup.
  • Tomato Purée.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes.
Apr 27, 2024

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Virgilio Hermann JD

Last Updated:

Views: 6291

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Virgilio Hermann JD

Birthday: 1997-12-21

Address: 6946 Schoen Cove, Sipesshire, MO 55944

Phone: +3763365785260

Job: Accounting Engineer

Hobby: Web surfing, Rafting, Dowsing, Stand-up comedy, Ghost hunting, Swimming, Amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Virgilio Hermann JD, I am a fine, gifted, beautiful, encouraging, kind, talented, zealous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.