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.

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Easy Keto Pizza Sauce Recipe (1)

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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 kind of pizza sauce is keto-friendly? ›

Heavy Cream and Cheese-Based White Sauce

A common white-sauce recipe for a keto-friendly white pizza starts with melting cream cheese and combining it with heavy cream, parmesan and olive oil to make it more spreadable over a pizza.

What is the best 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? ›

A slice of regular pizza can contain anywhere from 20-30 grams of carbs or more, depending on the size and toppings. Will too much protein per one meal kick me out of ketosis? In short: Yes. Your body will use gluconeogenesis to turn the protein into glucose for energy.

What makes pizza sauce better? ›

Finally, remember that the quality of your ingredients will impact the taste of your pizza sauce. Use high-quality San Marzano tomatoes for the best possible flavor, and don't skimp on the garlic or olive oil. Fresh herbs like basil or thyme can also add a nice touch of flavor to your pizza sauce.

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

Consuming only the cheese sauce and toppings from a pizza can be a keto-friendly option, as long as you avoid the carb-rich crust.

Why is tomato sauce not keto? ›

For instance, many store-bought tomato products, such as tomato paste, tomato sauce, salsa, tomato juice, and even canned tomatoes, contain added sugars. This significantly raises their total carb content, making them more difficult to fit into a ketogenic diet.

What can I use instead of tomato sauce for pizza sauce? ›

  • Several things come to mind for a yummy substitute for pizza sauce:
  • Pesto.
  • Alfredo sauce..especially with chicken, spinach and artichokes as toppings.
  • Beschamel sauce ( a plain white sauce)
  • Yeah, gravy could work, depending on the toppings, but it doesn't sound appetizing to me.
Feb 8, 2021

What other sauces can you use 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.

What pasta sauce is closest to pizza sauce? ›

In Italy, cooks use marinara and pizza sauce interchangeably by adding pasta water or spices to a base tomato sauce. To turn pizza sauce into marinara, reduce the sauce on the stove to thicken it, and add herbs such as oregano, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and basil to give it more flavor.

What happens if you eat a lot of carbs after being on keto? ›

They may also feel very tired or experience digestive issues when they reintroduce the carbs they once enjoyed, and even regain a bit of weight due to higher insulin levels. This phenomenon (known as carbohydrate intolerance) is a normal response when the body is adapting to these changes in diet.

What happens if I eat too many carbs on keto? ›

The bottom line. You should avoid cheat meals and days on the keto diet. Consuming too many carbs can kick your body out of ketosis — and it takes several days to 1 week to get back into it. In the meantime, your weight loss may be disrupted.

Do any pizza chains have keto? ›

Blaze Pizza's Keto Pizza

The fast-casual chain's keto crust has just six grams of net carbs, swapping flour for ingredients like flax seeds, eggs, and cheese. "Pizza crusts are traditionally made mostly of flour, water and yeast," Blaze Pizza's executive chef, Brad Kent, told Business Insider.

What are the best tomatoes for pizza sauce? ›

SUMMARY – San Marzano are the tomatoes by excellence for classic red sauce pizza. Some other varieties include the Pomodorino del Piennolo- yellow or red. If San Marzano is impossible to find where you live, oblong peeled tomatoes are the best next choice.

Should you add sugar to pizza sauce? ›

Spices: Basil, oregano, onion powder, salt & pepper. Taste and adjust these spices to your liking. Sugar: I know it sounds like a weird addition but granulated sugar is an essential ingredient as it mellows out the acidity of the tomatoes.

Does spaghetti sauce make good pizza sauce? ›

The appeal of using pasta sauce as a pizza sauce lies in the fact that pasta sauce is usually more thicker and richer than pizza sauce. Not only does it provide an interesting flavor, but it also adds a unique texture and complexity that you won't get from a traditional pizza sauce.

What store bought sauces are keto-friendly? ›

85 Keto-friendly condiments and sauces
  • Mayonnaise.
  • Mustard (yellow, Dijon, whole grain)
  • Hot sauce (Tabasco, Frank's RedHot)
  • Worcestershire sauce.
  • Soy sauce (choose low-sodium options)
  • Tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • Coconut aminos.
  • Apple cider vinegar.
May 16, 2023

Is Rao's sauce keto-friendly? ›

Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce is generally keto-friendly due to its low sugar content. It's made with high-quality ingredients and can be a great addition to your keto meals.

What sauce can you use on pizza besides tomato? ›

5 Pizza Sauce Alternatives
  • Other tomato-based sauces. Traditional pizza sauce is made using canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, onion, and herbs like basil and oregano but there are so many other tomato sauce options that offer different flavour profiles. ...
  • Pesto. ...
  • Alfredo. ...
  • Tapenade. ...
  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

Can you ever eat pizza on keto? ›

Can Pizza Be Keto? Yes, absolutely! There are many keto-friendly pizza crusts to try out, as well as keto pizza toppings that won't even make it feel like you're on a diet. We've gathered some suggestions for you so you can stick to your diet plans but still enjoy the deliciousness that is pizza.

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