DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
When you hear “pizza recipe,” you probably think first about the toppings. But in this recipe, the real stars are the sauces. I’m giving you not just one, but three incredible options: a rich and mellow confit tomato sauce, a sweet and flavorful roasted bell pepper sauce, and a quick and bright canned tomato sauce. Each one has a different flavor profile and requires a different amount of time to make, but whichever you choose, it’s going to be absolutely delicious.
Making this pizza isn’t something you can whip up in an afternoon. It does take a little planning ahead. From start to finish, expect the process to take a few days. But I promise you, it’s completely worth it. Once you taste that homemade dough paired with one of these deeply flavorful sauces, you’ll know exactly why you took the time.
The Tomato Confit Sauce: Deep, Mellow Flavor
The tomato confit sauce is all about richness and depth. Slow-cooked in olive oil alongside whole garlic cloves, the cherry tomatoes become soft, sweet, and almost jammy in texture. The result is a sauce that’s mellow, luxurious, and full of layered tomato flavor.
You don’t need to use an expensive, extra-virgin olive oil for this, just something good and decent. The beauty is that the leftover oil becomes an ingredient in itself. After you strain out the confited tomatoes and garlic, you’re left with a gorgeously flavored oil that you can drizzle over salads, use for frying, toss with pasta, spoon over grilled vegetables, or just use as the ultimate bread dip. Nothing goes to waste here.
The Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce: Sweet and Smoky
If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be the roasted bell pepper sauce. Even though it’s not the most traditional pizza sauce, it’s so flavorful that I find myself craving it all the time.
Roasting the red bell peppers and tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness and adds a slight smokiness to the sauce. Once blended with basil, garlic, and olive oil, you get this vibrant, sweet, rich sauce that pairs beautifully with all kinds of toppings. It feels luxurious but also very fresh and lively. This sauce might just steal the show.
The Canned Tomato Sauce: Quick and Bright
When you need something fast but still homemade and full of flavor, the canned tomato sauce is the way to go. Using good-quality canned whole tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and a touch of chili flakes, you get a sauce that’s bright, a little tangy, and really lets the tomato flavor shine through.
It’s simple, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want: a clean, fresh, punchy tomato taste that doesn’t overpower your toppings. This one comes together in just a few minutes with the help of a good food processor.
Why You Need a Good Food Processor
Speaking of food processors; they’re a lifesaver when making these sauces. You could technically mash or blend everything by hand, but using a powerful food processor makes the job faster, easier, and a lot cleaner. I recommend this one. It’s strong enough to blend the sauces until perfectly smooth without overheating or leaving chunks behind. Plus, it’s easy to clean, which is essential when you’re already juggling a few components. A good food processor isn’t just nice to have, it’s a real kitchen workhorse, especially for recipes like this.
Making the Dough: Easy with a Food Processor
I also use my food processor to make the pizza dough. It’s quick, efficient, and saves your arms a serious workout. You simply toss the ingredients in, pulse until the dough comes together, and then give it a quick knead.
Of course, you can absolutely make the dough by hand if you prefer. It’s a little more effort, but there’s something satisfying about working the dough yourself. Either way, you’ll end up with a beautiful, elastic dough that’s the foundation of a great pizza.
The Secret to Perfect Pizza Dough: Time
The real magic of this pizza dough comes not just from the ingredients, but from the time you give it to develop. After mixing, the dough needs to rest in the fridge for at least 24 hours, but ideally 2 and up to 5 days. This slow, cold fermentation process allows the dough to relax and develop a deeper flavor. It becomes much easier to stretch and shape without tearing. You’ll notice that after a few days, the dough becomes airy, bubbly, and elastic. When baked, it produces that perfectly chewy, flavorful crust that you usually only find in the best pizzerias. Don’t rush this step. It’s absolutely worth the wait.
Why You Should Use a Pizza Stone
If you don’t have a pizza oven at home (and let’s be real, most of us don’t), the next best thing is using a good pizza stone. A pizza stone absorbs heat and helps mimic the high temperatures and quick bake times you get in a professional oven. I recommend this one. It’s thick, durable, and holds heat really well, giving you that crispy bottom crust without burning. Just remember to preheat your oven with the stone inside for at least 40–60 minutes at the highest temperature your oven allows; around 250°C (480°F) or even hotter if possible. A super hot surface is key for great pizza.
Toppings: Make It Your Own
Now for the fun part: the toppings! I love using slices of good salami, thinly sliced mushrooms, and lots of cheese. Mixing cheeses gives you the best of both worlds: the gooey meltiness of mozzarella and the sharp, nutty flavor of Parmigiano Reggiano. If I have it on hand, I love adding Västerbottensost, a Swedish cheese that’s bold, rich, and brings an amazing depth of flavor to the pizza. But honestly, the beauty of homemade pizza is that you can tailor it exactly to your taste. Use whatever you love and make sure to have fun with it.
This Pizza Recipe Is All About the Sauces
No matter which sauce you choose – the rich confit, the sweet roasted peppers, or the quick and bright canned tomatoes – you’re going to end up with an incredible pizza. Every component builds on the others: a deeply flavorful sauce, a chewy, crispy homemade dough, and toppings you love.
Yes, it takes a little extra time and care. But the result is so much better than anything you could buy. And, honestly, half the fun is in the making it. Plan ahead, savor the process, and treat yourself and your loved ones to the best homemade pizza experience with one of these amazing sauces.
When you hear “pizza recipe,” you probably think first about the toppings. But in this recipe, the real stars are the sauces. I’m giving you not just one, but three incredible options: a rich and mellow confit tomato sauce, a sweet and flavorful roasted bell pepper sauce, and a quick and bright canned tomato sauce. Each one has a different flavor profile and requires a different amount of time to make, but whichever you choose, it’s going to be absolutely delicious. Enjoy!
Total Time:3 hours 20 minutes (+ rising time)
Ingredients
Scale
Tomato Confit Sauce
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cherry tomatoes
10 garlic cloves
1 liter olive oil
12 basil leaves
2 anchovy filets
¼ tsp chili flakes
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce
5 red bell peppers
3 tomatoes, quartered and white core removed
12 basil leaves
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
Canned Tomato Sauce
400 g (14 oz) canned whole tomatoes
12 basil leaves
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp chili flakes
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Pizza Dough
600 g (4 ¾ cups) bread flour
50 g (⅓ cup) semolina
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry yeast
400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) water
75 ml (5 tbsp) olive oil
Pizza Toppings
Tomato sauce of your choice
Grated cheese (for example, mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano)
Your favorite toppings (pepperoni and thinly sliced mushrooms are delicious!)
Instructions
Tomato Confit Sauce
Add the cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves to an oven-safe dish and pour over the olive oil so they are completely submerged.
Bake in the oven at 125°C (260°F) for 2 hours.
Let cool slightly and strain.
Add the tomatoes and garlic to a food processor with the basil, anchovies, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Transfer to a bowl and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce
Place the bell peppers and quartered tomatoes on a roasting tray.
Roast in the oven at 200°C (400°F) until the skins are charred, turning the bell peppers as needed to char evenly (about 30 minutes in total).
Let cool slightly, then peel the skins off the peppers and tomatoes.
Add the peeled vegetables, basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Transfer to a bowl and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Canned Tomato Sauce
Add the canned whole tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper to a food processor.
Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Transfer to a bowl and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Pizza Dough
Mix the yeast with the water in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the bread flour and semolina together.
Using a stand mixer, food processor, or your hands, add the olive oil and yeast mixture to the flour mixture until just combined.
Add the salt and continue mixing until the dough is well combined and smooth.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
Lightly oil a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place the dough inside and turn it to coat in the oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in the fridge for 2 hours.
After resting, divide the dough into four equal pieces. Place them back in the oiled bowl or an oiled dish, cover again with plastic wrap, and let rise in the fridge for 1–3 days.
Baking the Pizza
Preheat your oven about 40–60 minutes before baking. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven before preheating.
Dust the dough with semolina and shape it into a pizza by pressing your fingers in the middle to flatten, leaving the edges slightly thicker.
Spread your tomato sauce of choice evenly over the dough, avoiding the edges.
Sprinkle generously with grated cheese and add your favorite toppings.
Bake the pizza at 250°C (480°F) for 5–10 minutes until bubbly with golden, crispy edges.
Repeat for all pizzas.
Enjoy!
Prep Time:20 minutes (plus rising time for the dough: 24-72 hours)
Leave a Reply