Marinara vs Pizza Sauce: Difference and Comparison

The type of sauce being used in dishes creates a significant impact on the flavours, nutritional value, and overall texture. The two very misjudged types of sauces are Marinara sauce and Pizza sauce which people consider as one or use interchangeably.

The two sauces are very different from each other and have their characteristics.

Key Takeaways

1. Marinara sauce is a cooked tomato sauce with added flavors such as garlic, onion, and herbs, while pizza sauce is an uncooked tomato sauce with minimal seasoning.
2. Pizza sauce has a thicker consistency than marinara sauce, making it better suited for spreading on pizza dough.
3. Marinara sauce is more versatile and can be used in various dishes, while pizza sauce is specifically designed for use on pizzas.

Marinara Sauce vs Pizza Sauce

Marinara sauce is a simple tomato-based sauce that is seasoned with garlic, onions, and herbs such as basil, oregano, and thyme. Pizza sauce is a thicker and sweeter sauce that is specifically made for use in pizza. Pizza sauce is made with tomato puree, garlic, onion, and herbs.

Marinara sauce is an authentic sauce that dates back to the 17th century. It is a very deep flavoured sauce consisting of tomato puree, sauce of tomatoes, pepper, garlic, olive oil, oregano, basil, and lots of other herbs.

All the ingredients are simmered together to give the amazing marinara sauce.

Pizza sauce is sometimes regarded as the close relative of marinara sauce.

The reason is that basically pizza sauce’s main ingredient is tomato too. Although, Pizza sauce doesn’t have any spices or herbs and is made up of lots of tomatoes and lots of garlic with sugar basil, salt, onion, and pepper.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Marinara Sauce	Pizza Sauce
Ingredients	Tomato, garlic, olive oil, salt basil, pepper, oregano, and more herbs.	Tomato puree, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, basil leaves, and onion.
Consistency	It has a thinner consistency.	It has a thicker consistency.
Nutrition	It doesn’t have much protein and fibre content.	It is better in protein and fibre.
Vitamin	It is rich in B3, K, B6, and E.	It is rich in B1, C, B5, and A.
Use	Used as a sauce for pasta, etc.	Used as a base layer in Pizza and also as a dip.

What is Marinara Sauce?

The Marina resource is an authentic blend of tomatoes in such a way that it makes any dish versatile. This amazing sauce dated back to the 17th century and was curated by Indians.

The word Mariano means soldier in Italian, and it was a ritual to make this sauce as a welcome by the wives of soldiers when they came back after a war.

The Marina resource consists of lots of tomatoes, garlic, onion, pepper, salt and many varieties of herbs, including basil and oregano. The onions are first dried after dicing and cooked in olive oil till they become translucent or brown.

The next step is the addition of herbs and spices, followed by adding tomato sauce and simmering it for about 10 to 15 minutes. This is the part preparation of marinara sauce that makes it different from pizza sauce which is not cooked but blended.

The nutritional value of Marinara sauce isn’t much, and the protein and fibre contents are comparatively lower than pizza sauce. It is a low-calorie food, and in 100 grams, there are 50 calories. The fat and mineral content is also very low.

But on the brighter side, the vitamin content of marinara sauce is way higher than pizza sauce. The marinara sauce also has a thinner consistency and so cannot be used as a dipping sauce.

What is Pizza Sauce?

The Pizza sauce is world-famous and used in a lot of ways that one cannot even imagine. It is a perfect blend of tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil, along with some pepper, sugar, and salt.

It is blended rather than cooked. Relation doesn’t involve any heating but just mixing of all the ingredients in the right proportion.

All that one needs to do is add up all ingredients that are tomato puree, garlic, tomato sauce, salt, basil pepper, onion and sugar in a blender and let it become smooth.

Due to its thick consistency, Pizza sauce can be used in a variety of ways, from making a layer on the pizza base to using it as a dip for nachos and even cooking flavoured rice.

Although, it has a simpler taste as compared to marinara, which is a kick of flavours.

Pizza sauce has a higher nutritional value as compared to marinara sauce. It is rich in fibre, protein, and minerals.

But due to its high salt content, pizza sauce is also rich in sodium which is not considered good for health. Pizza sauce is rich in a lot of vitamins, too, like B1, C, A, and B5.

Due to its low-fat content, pizza sauce is beneficial for losing weight and is also involved in a keto diet.

Main Differences Between Marinara and Pizza Sauce

1. Marinara Sauce is cooked while, on the other hand, pizza sauce is just blended.
2. Marinara Sauce is made up of tomato, olive oil, and many herbs like basil and oregano. Pizza sauce is made up of tomato puree, pepper, garlic, onion, salt and sugar.
3. The consistency of Marinara sauce is thinner as compared to the consistency of Pizza sauce.
4. Marinara sauce can be used in pasta, whereas pizza sauce is comparatively more versatile and can be used in a lot of dishes like pizza, rice, pasta, dips, etc.
5. The nutritional value of Pizza sauce is higher than that of marinara sauce. Marinara sauce is rich in vitamins like B3, E, K, and B6. Pizza sauce is rich in vitamins like C, A, B1, and B5.

References

1. https://ifst.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-4549.2001.tb00471.x
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0260877402002753

Last Updated : 14 July, 2023