This Ingredient Makes Pizza Sauce Taste 10x Better Than A Plain Tomato Base

Across generations, regions, and home kitchens, pizza sauce remains anchored to the traditional tomato base. We have built endless recipes around it, weaving that tangy acidity into every topping, so imagine just how different things will be when you finally try other delicious alternatives for classic pizza sauce. Just a small step beyond your comfort zone, bell pepper paste can stand in place of the usual tomato paste to revamp your pizza from the ground up.

Bell pepper paste is what happens when bell peppers' earthy, sweet goodness is cooked down and blended with garlic, oil, salt, and other optional seasonings. Here's what you can expect with this condiment: sweetness and vibrancy — and a whole lot of it. As those defining traits fade a bit, savory and herby flavors linger to improve nearly every recipe the sauce touches. What the paste can add to your pizza sauce is a uniquely complex depth, which is exactly what every good pie needs to leave an unforgettable impression.

While completely on par with its tomato counterpart, bell pepper paste spins pizza sauce in a different direction. This time, it's a sweet, bright intensity that balances rich meat and molten cheese, elevating the pizza's flavor profile. However, note that if you have a nightshade intolerance or allergy, this paste isn't a suitable alternative for any tomato ingredient since both tomatoes and bell peppers are part of the same nightshade (also known as solanaceae) family.

No different than tomato paste, bell pepper paste can flavor-shift itself to adapt to any dish. As you might be making it from scratch, consider pairing it with typical pizza flavorings, like dried oregano, minced garlic, crushed pepper flakes, or most fittingly, paprika. If you're not ready to part with tomato paste yet, add a few tablespoons of freshly diced tomatoes to the blend. In fact, you could even add bell pepper paste to a regular marinara sauce. Pulling inspiration from Serbian and Balkan cuisines, you can also whip up a batch of ajvar — a roasted red pepper paste that features eggplants, hot peppers, garlic, oil, and vinegar. The roasted veggies infuse it with a smoky, toasty warmth that gives you a sauce unlike any other, making an especially stellar companion for barbecue pizzas.

This bell pepper paste upgrade works with almost any pizza that typically uses tomato sauce. Maybe your homemade margherita pizza has been calling for a subtle change all along, or you've got a pepperoni pizza that would taste a whole lot better with a touch of sweetness. Tucked inside a calzone, where it provides a luscious base for melty cheese and leafy greens, the bell pepper pizza sauce is pure heaven. That said, the paste's reach extends beyond Italian cuisine, so make it your gateway into a Mediterranean pizza loaded with feta cheese, roasted artichoke hearts, and kofta. And why not experiment with dishes that typically feature bell peppers while you're at it? A Philly cheesesteak pizza is already unexpected, but with such a distinctive sauce base, it's guaranteed to stand out.