Oil serves several important purposes in pizza sauce. The main reasons to add oil to pizza sauce are:
1. Improves the Texture
Adding oil to pizza sauce gives it a smoother, richer texture. The oil helps to bind the ingredients together and prevents the sauce from being watery or thin. It gives the sauce a nice viscosity that allows it to coat the dough evenly.
Without oil, a pizza sauce would be very thin and runny. It would likely soak into the crust rather than sitting on top of it. The oil forms an emulsion with the water-based ingredients like tomatoes and keeps the sauce thick and saucy.
Olive oil or vegetable oil are commonly used in pizza sauce recipes. Around 1-3 tablespoons per cup of sauce is typical. The oil helps achieve the ideal creamy, spreadable consistency.
2. Enhances the Flavor
In addition to texture, oil provides its own flavor and aroma to pizza sauce. The most commonly used oils like olive oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil contribute subtle fruited and vegetal notes.
The flavor of the oil comes through even more pronounced when fresh, high-quality, extra virgin olive oil is used. This gives the sauce a peppery, grassy, rich taste.
Oil also serves as a medium to dissolve and disperse flavor compounds from ingredients like garlic, onion, herbs, and spices. This allows their flavors to spread through the sauce evenly.
3. Aids in Cooking
Oil helps facilitate the cooking process when making pizza sauce. It allows ingredients to cook more evenly in the pot and prevents scorching or burning.
When cooking aromatics like onion and garlic, the oil conducts heat gently to the ingredients. This brings out their flavors without overcooking.
Adding some oil to the pot along with tomatoes helps prevent them from scalding on the bottom as they break down. The oil creates a protective lining and facilitates even heat distribution.
4. Adds Sheen and Browning
Drizzling a finishing touch of oil over a baked pizza can also improve its appearance. The oil will create a glossy sheen and can enhance browning on the cheese and crust.
This last drizzle of oil helps achieve that perfect, appetizing browned pizza look when removed from the oven. It gives the entire pizza a rich, mouthwatering finish.
5. Improves Nutrition
Using healthy oils like olive oil and canola oil also boosts the nutrition profile of pizza sauce. These oils provide beneficial fats, vitamin E, and phytonutrients.
The fat content from the oil helps with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients from ingredients like tomatoes and garlic. Vitamin E works as an antioxidant to prevent free radical damage.
Overall, oil rounds out the nutritional quality of pizza sauce. It makes the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and flavonoids found in the sauce and other toppings more bioavailable.
6. Extends Shelf Life
The oil content within pizza sauce also helps extend its shelf life. The oil slows down oxidation and degradation of the sauce over time.
By preventing oxidation, the oil keeps the bright color of the sauce intact. It also maintains the integrity of heat-sensitive nutrients like vitamin C for longer.
Storing pizza sauce in the refrigerator, the oil creates a protective seal to limit exposure to air. This allows the flavors to remain fresh for weeks.
7. Improves Freezing
Similarly, oil improves how well pizza sauce retains quality when frozen for storage. The fat content protects the sauce from freezer burn.
It prevents ice crystals from puncturing the cell walls of the tomatoes and other ingredients. So when thawed, the sauce maintains its original texture and flavor.
The oil in pizza sauce makes it suitable for freezing for 1-2 months. Upon thawing, it returns to an edible state with minimal degradation.
8. Adds Moisture Retention
When pizza sauce bakes on top of the dough, the oil content helps retain moisture. This prevents the crust from becoming dry and cracker-like.
As the water-based liquids evaporate in the oven, the oil remains as a moisture barrier. This keeps the crust beneath the sauce chewy and soft.
Too little oil in the sauce can result in a dried out crust. An adequate amount ensures the crust reaches peak texture once baked.
9. Creates Layer Between Toppings
Spreading pizza sauce as the base layer also prevents other toppings from sticking to the dough. The oil creates a slick barrier between wet ingredients like meats and vegetables.
Without oil in the sauce, meat pieces may fuse to the crust as they cook. The oil allows each component to retain its individual texture and shape.
This also makes the pizza easier to cut and serve. The oil helps the slices lift cleanly from the pan without sticking.
10. Aids in Digestion
The oil content within pizza sauce provides some digestion-enhancing properties as well. The fats stimulate the production of bile and gastric juices.
This aids in the breakdown and absorption of the nutrients in the pizza sauce and dough. The oil also slows down the rate at which the sugars enter the bloodstream, preventing energy spikes.
Using healthy oils like olive oil adds anti-inflammatory mono- and poly-unsaturated fats. These have additional benefits for digestion and gut health.
Key Considerations
When adding oil to pizza sauce, keep these tips in mind:
- Use quality olive, canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil
- Add between 1-3 tablespoons oil per cup of sauce
- Mix in thoroughly until emulsified
- Saute aromatics like garlic and onion in the oil first
- Drizzle extra oil over the baked pizza crust
- Store pizza sauce in airtight containers in the refrigerator
Sample Pizza Sauce Recipe
This basic pizza sauce recipe uses olive oil to achieve an ideal consistency and flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and oregano.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
- Allow to cool before using on pizza or storing.
This simple sauce flavored with garlic and oregano gains great texture and richness from the added olive oil. Adjust oil and seasonings to taste preferences.
The Purpose of Oil in Other Tomato Sauces
While pizza sauce relies on olive oil, other tomato-based sauces use different types of fats. However, the general benefits of adding oil are the same:
Marinara Sauce
Marinara sauce gets bright flavor from extras virgin olive oil. A splash added at the end retains moisture and prevents bitterness.
Bolognese Sauce
This meaty sauce often uses pancetta or bacon fat for depth of flavor. The fat also balances acidity and thickens the sauce.
Vodka Sauce
Heavy cream or mascarpone cheese lend richness and creaminess to tomato-vodka sauce. The dairy fats bind flavors.
Arrabbiata Sauce
Olive oil helps mellow out this spicy tomato sauce. It also carries the chili flavor and makes it cling to the pasta.
So whether making a quick marinara or long-cooked Bolognese, oil is crucial for sauce success. It brings out the best in tomato-based sauces and pastas.
Conclusion
Oil is more than just an optional ingredient in pizza sauce. It provides irreplaceable benefits for texture, cooking, flavor, nutrition and more. The ideal oil for pizza is extra virgin olive oil, which brings richness without heavy greasiness. Between 1-3 tablespoons per cup of sauce is sufficient. Oil transforms watery tomato puree into a luscious, full-bodied sauce for pizza. Drizzling extra over the finished crust prevents sticking and adds extra indulgence. Oil is truly the secret weapon that takes pizza sauce to the next level.