Can You Substitute Marinara For Pizza Sauce?

When you pick up a jar of pizza sauce at the grocery store, you can't deny it looks an awful lot like — if not identical to — a jar of marinara. (Incidentally, the best store-bought marinara probably isn't the one you're thinking of.) I, for one, have certainly used an open jar of marinara from my fridge to smear onto homemade pizza when I don't have pizza sauce on hand. In the end, they're both tomato-based sauces used for Italian food, right? Well, according to Matthew Cutolo (matthewcutolo), third-generation Italian-American chef at Gargiulo's Restaurant, the two sauces are very different, and shouldn't be substituted for each other. 

"Marinara sauce is a cooked, well-seasoned tomato based sauce typically used for pasta," he told The Takeout. "It often includes ingredients like garlic and herbs and sometimes a bit of spice. Pizza 'sauce,' on the other hand, is uncooked. It's typically made with pureed or crushed tomatoes, salt, and minimal seasoning, allowing the natural flavors of the tomato to shine."

Cutolo's Coney Island-based restaurant specializes in Neapolitan cuisine, and he added that, when it comes to authentic Neapolitan pizza, marinara is never used. Only uncooked, crushed tomatoes from San Marzano (a tiny region just outside of sun-drenched Naples) will do. Canned tomatoes are typically steam-peeled and heat-sterilized, which is why canned tomatoes are already cooked.

Now, if you find yourself building a pizza at home on the fly and all you've got is marinara to use, it's not a complete disaster. But you will need to "adjust your toppings" if you use marinara, chef Matthew Cutolo explained, because there will be much more seasoning in that than a proper pizza sauce. "Simple would be better," he suggested.

But, with pizza, a tomato-based sauce certainly isn't a necessity. There's a world of flavors and toppings to play with when it comes to pizza. I often forgo tomato sauce and opt for olive oil with roasted garlic brushed on the crust. When topped with broccoli rabe, spicy Italian sausage, melted mozzarella, and a sprinkling of pecorino Romano, I could eat the whole pie by myself.

Tomato-free white pizza is often topped with a creamy, white alfredo sauce (which isn't as old as you'd think). You can eat this indulgent pizza just as is, or top it with more mild cheese like ricotta or mozzarella. Of course, barbecue chicken pizza uses barbecue sauce instead of tomato sauce. Fragrant basil pesto is excellent brushed on pizza crust if you're topping your pie with charred vegetables and ricotta. Or you can just layer lots of gooey cheese directly on top of your crust, followed by whatever other toppings your heart desires. An olive oil drizzle just before serving helps keep everything moist.