Pizza is a delicious snack enjoyed by almost everyone. Pizza sauce and different toppings give it the essential flavor and texture.
Sometimes, you might detect a sweet taste while eating pizza loaded with excess sauce. That might make you wonder if the pizza sauce contains sugar.
Does Pizza Sauce Have Sugar?
Yes. In 100 grams of canned pizza sauce, 1.8 grams of sugar content will be present. However, not all types of pizza sauces have sugar content in them. Make sure not to put in too much sugar in the pizza sauce since it can become excessively sweet.
Do you want to know more? In that case, keep on reading as we will also talk about different types of pizza sauces and how to prepare pizza sauce, and more.
Do Other Sauces Have Sugar?
You can find different flavored sauces in the stores, or you can make them at home as well. Many seasonings contain sugar, and you might be surprised to know about the sugar content in a few sauces.
Tomato ketchup contains 4.1 grams of sugar in one teaspoon. Sweet chili sauce contains more sugar content as it is one of the main ingredients.
As for the brown sauce, the total sugar content is about 3.5g in a teaspoon. Even mustard sauce, pasta sauces, and other cooking sauces have sugar, but the gross percent is relatively low.
8 Different Types Of Pizza Sauces
There are different types of pizza sauces available. You can pick the pizza sauce based on the toppings, ingredients, and flavor you want to enjoy.
Here, we have listed some of the most common, popular, and even a few unique pizza sauces.
1. Tomato-Based Pizza Sauces
A tomato-based sauce is always a safe bet. Several people like red pizza sauce (tomato sauce), which is made with tomato, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, and different herbs and spices. In general, tomato-based sauces also contain sugar, but the amount might vary.
2. Peppery Red Sauce
Peppery pizza sauce is not only one sauce, but it is a general term used to describe a variety of pizza sauces that contain roasted red pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes. Depending on the amount of pepper content, the whole flavor changes. Peppery sauces go well with savory toppings like bacon, chicken, mushrooms, and steak.
3. Spicy Red Sauces
Spicy red sauces are made of chili and other spices. Though they have a tiny amount of sugar content, the spiciness overshadows it.
In order to balance out the spiciness of the red sauce, you can add meat and pepperoni to the pizza. Other toppings that are also good are bacon, mushrooms, and sausage.
4. Sweet Pizza Sauces
Sweet pizza sauce gets its sweetness from tomatoes, sugar, and additional sweeteners. This sauce is relatively sweeter than other sauces, which is why not all toppings go well with this one. However, it is undeniably tasty, and several people prefer to eat pizza made of sweet sauce.
5. Pesto Sauce
Pesto is a tasty substitute sauce for a plain cheese pizza. In general, it is prepared using parmesan cheese, basil, olive oil, garlic, roasted pine nuts, and lemons.
In recent years, people have experimented with this pesto sauce by substituting walnuts for pine nuts and putting spinach for added nutrition.
6. Creamy Alfredo Sauce
Though this sauce is not highly popular, there are still folks who crave to eat pizza that has creamy alfredo sauce as the base. It is a buttery, heavy cream-based white sauce with cheese and pepper.
It is a decent choice to be combined with bacon, olives, steak, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, chicken, mushrooms, dried tomatoes, and other ingredients that can stand up to its strong flavor.
7. BBQ Sauce
You might have a surprised look on your face because of this one if you usually eat pizzas made of regular sauces.
Yes, BBQ sauce is not only for ribs or grilling as you can add it to pizza dough. If you make a pizza with BBQ sauce, it is better to add suitable toppings that harmonize the taste and flavor with the sauce. Such ingredients are bacon, pineapple, chicken, and ham.
8. Hot Wing Sauce
The ingredients used for hot wing sauce are spicy sauce, vinegar, butter, and spices. This sauce is an excellent choice to be paired with toppings like chicken, mozzarella cheese, ranch, or blue cheese.
How To Prepare Pizza Sauces At Home
Here, we will explain how to prepare two different types of pizza sauces at home:
1. Tomato Sauce
It is one of the most common sauces used for pizzas.
Ingredients list:
- Tomato
- Garlic clove
- Red wine vinegar
- Pepper
- Salt and sugar
Step 1: Make tomato puree with tomatoes.
Step 2: Add one minced garlic clove to one and a half of the prepared tomato puree
Step 3: Stir the base together for some time
Step 4: Now add one teaspoon of red wine vinegar and a bit of pepper, salt, and sugar as per your taste
Step 5: Cook it until you get the right consistency and add it to the pizza dough.
2. Creamy White Pizza Sauce
You can go with this sauce if you are in the mood to enjoy pizza with a creamy texture.
Ingredients list:
- Heavy cream
- Minced garlic cloves
- Lemon juice
- Pepper
- Salt
Step 1: Cook one full cup of heavy cream along with two minced garlic cloves in a tiny saucepan
Step 2: Simmer it on the stove until the base is a bit thickened or for around 3 minutes
Step 3: Take it out of the pan and add two tablespoons of lemon juice
Step 4: Stir it and add as much salt and pepper as you want
Step 5: Prepare a white pizza, add this sauce, and use pieces of parsley or basil as toppings.
Recommended further reading – How To Thicken A Puree? | How To Thin Out Queso? | What Is Bitter Cream?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Pizza Sauce Has Added Sugar?
Yes, several pizza sauces have added sugar content. However, the amount of sugar in the pizza sauce varies based on the preparation method. For instance, store-bought pizza sauces tend to have more sugar as they need to stay edible for some duration.
Does Pizza Dough Contain Sugar?
As mentioned previously, sugar is not a mandatory ingredient for making pizza dough. However, sugar is added lightly to assist brown the crust if the microwave could not accomplish it naturally. In addition, sugar adds a light sweetness which some people prefer.
What Consistency Should Pizza Sauce Have?
It can be a bit of a personal choice. However, it is better to make sure that the sauce is thicker than normal seasoning but not thick like a cooking paste. Reducing the sauce will give a fierce flavor.
Can I Freeze The Pizza Sauce?
Yes. If you have made pizza sauce in excessive quantities, you can freeze it for later use. For that, keep the sauce in the ice cube tray and allow the ice cubes to freeze. After that, put the frozen cubes in a freezer-safe packet.
How Long Does Homemade Pizza Sauce Last In The Fridge?
In general, pizza sauces stay in an edible condition for about five to seven days if stored in the fridge between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Sauces that are made of tomatoes can survive a bit longer, but sauces with cheese have the tendency to go bad quickly.
Conclusion
Now, you know that many pizza sauces contain sugar, and some of them have sugar in high quantities, while others have sugar in low amounts.
Depending on the ingredients used and toppings, you can decide which pizza sauce is suitable.