Spicy Red Pepper and Tomato Pizza Sauce
Roasted red pepper and tomato pizza sauce is one of my favorites. I did not set out to make this sauce per se. It is actually the combination of my favorite tomato sauce with some canned roasted red peppers blended in to make it thinner. I have been known to use both red pepper sauce AND a more traditional tomato based red sauce on the pizza. Now I have my favorite pizza sauce and it is a combination of both!
An easy Friday night is a store bought wheat flatbread, the Spicy Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce with fresh buffalo (not for me but Mark) and basil leaves. I use goat cheese crumbles! What could be better with a nice glass of red vino?
Three Step Super Easy Pizza Sauce
This is a super easy pizza sauce that is ready to use in only three steps. A fifteen (15) minute sauce from beginning to end. Combining everything in a high-speed blender or food processor and then heating it! Seriously, what can be easier? Most items are found in my pantry. It is so much better than store bought! You may never order take out again. (Flatbreads or Olive Sunshine’s Make-Ahead Pizza Dough will speed up a weeknight dinner.)
Ingredients for Spicy Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce
- extra virgin olive oil
- minced garlic
- red pepper flakes
- Italian seasoning
- whole stewed plum tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- tomato paste
- roasted red peppers
- fresh basil
- Optional: Calabria hot pepper
The Creation of Spicy Red Pepper and Tomato Pizza Sauce
To be honest, the base for this sauce is from one of my most delicious (if I must say so myself) recipes on the Olive Sunshine site. Vegan Manicotti in Spicy Tomato Sauce. I love that recipe; it is creamy and spicy and warm – what is not to love about baked pasta? But I digress. This is about the sauce! I had some spicy tomato sauce left over.
If you know me, I never let any of my homemade food go to waste. In the past, I would use left over red sauce on flatbread for a quick weeknight dinner. Lately, I have grown to love a super quick roasted red pepper sauce (sans tomato) on my flatbread. I did not have quite enough spicy tomato sauce to cover the four flatbreads I was making. I added a jar of roasted red peppers to my left-over spicy tomato sauce and voila! This recipe is my favorite, super-quick, three-step pizza sauce!
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Vs. Spicy Tomato Sauce
Both work on flatbread. What I like about the roasted red pepper sauce is it is thicker and stays on the flatbread better. The ingredients can nestle in there. It also does not have quite as much acidity, producing a smoother taste. What I like about the spicy tomato sauce is…well, the spicy! I always think spicy is nicey. The sweetness of the basil just gives it that lovely freshness. Also, the acidity goes well with my toppings.
Combining the two leaves me with a spicy blend of a thicker, smoother sauce that is perfect to hold ingredients on a flatbread. Not quite as much acidity as my typical tomato sauce, but it could also be perfect for dipping focaccia, adding to eggs, or scooping breaded zucchini. This is really the best of both worlds with a uniquely delicious flavor that can be produced with pantry items for the most part.
I hope you love this easy spicy roasted red pepper and tomato sauce as much as I do!
Ingredients
Instructions
In a medium size saucepan with a lid if you have one, drizzle the olive oil. Turn the heat on medium high. After 1-2 minutes, or once the oil is hot, add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning. Sauté for one minute, stirring constantly until the aromas of the spices are opened. Do not burn the spices. Remove from heat and carefully, using a spatula, scrape the oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning into the blender or food processor.
Add all of the remaining ingredients except the basil. Blend until frothy and the tomatoes and red pepper are smooth.
Pour the mixture into the same saucepan and heat on medium high until it comes to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the basil and place the lid on the pan. Cook until the sauce is reduced to your desired thickness, stirring every few minutes. It should be a good consistency in 7-10 minutes.
