What to Do With Leftover Pizza Sauce? 9 Ideas
Consider you are a pizza lover like I am. Consider also that you like to make your pizza dough and sauce as I do. Then you know that some pizza sauce is always left at the end of the recipe. So, what to do with leftover pizza sauce?
The easiest thing you can do with leftover pizza sauce is to freeze it. Still, you can also use your sauce to make new delicious dishes like salsa, chili, baked potatoes or eggs, ratatouille, eggplant casserole, spaghetti Bolognese, tomato soup, or even a Bloody Mary.
There are probably a thousand ways to reuse leftover pizza sauce. At the top of the list, you’ll probably find freezing it or doing more pizza, but I think we should be creative with our food. So, in this article, I’ll share with you my top 9 go-to ideas to use that gorgeous homemade leftover pizza sauce.
What to Do With Leftover Pizza Sauce?
When it comes to leftover food, normally, the first thing that comes into mind is to freeze it so that we can reuse it sometime in the future when we decide to make that one recipe again. I believe in giving a second life to our leftovers, and that’s what this article is all about. Instead of freezing your leftover pizza sauce, you can use it to make some of the below recipes and have a completely different and delicious new meal.
Homemade Salsa
Homemade salsa is easy to make and much more delicious when homemade with fresh ingredients.
So, if you have leftover pizza sauce, just add your favorite vegetables, mix with some sugar (if the sauce is too acidic for your liking), and voila! There’s your super easy, super delicious homemade salsa.
I add red onions, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, some chopped tomatoes and peppers (to add texture to my salsa), green onions, a few chili flakes, lime juice, and, to make it extra special, I love to add avocado. Still, you can go with whatever veggies and herbs you have on your fridge at the moment.
Finish it with a drizzle of crème fraîche, grab some tortilla chips, dip into your salsa and enjoy.
Shakshuka (or Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce)
Shakshuka is a traditional North African and Middle Easter healthy breakfast recipe. You just add some bell peppers (I prefer the yellow ones as they are sweeter), some chopped onions, mushrooms, paprika, and your leftover pizza sauce to a pan, allow this to simmer and crack your eggs on top so they poach on the tomato sauce.
You can either do this recipe in the oven or on the stovetop, it takes less than 15 minutes to make (poaching time will depend on how you like your eggs done), and it’s a delicious go-to meal either to start the day or for those rainy nights with some toast and a glass of red wine.
Top your shakshuka with some green onions and feta cheese to take it to the next level.
Tomato Soup
Tomato Soup is one of the easiest soups you can make, especially if you already have some tomato sauce. To give it more flavor, instead of adding water, I add some chicken broth (you can use the vegetable one if you want to keep your soup vegetarian). Once your soup simmers, then you just finish it off in style, adding some flavored olive oil, a poached egg, some croutons, fresh herbs, crispy bacon, toasted nuts, and crème Fraiche. The choices are limitless.
I pair my Tomato Soup with a grilled cheese sandwich for a comfy savory meal.
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a very easy, quick, and delicious recipe you can make as a side for any meat or fish dishes, but it can also be enjoyed on its own.
Start by adding some finely chopped onions, garlic, and bell peppers to a pan with hot olive oil. Then add some paprika and herbs (I go with herbs de Provence and fresh thyme), your leftover pizza sauce, sugar, a splash of balsamic vinegar, some fresh basil, and then some heavy cream (you can skip the heavy cream part if you want to keep it dairy free).
Thinly slice some cucumber, tomatoes, and eggplants, and then, on an oven-proof dish, pour most of your cooked sauce and, on top, tightly pack your vegetable slices, so they cook evenly. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the vegetables, brush them with olive oil and fresh thyme and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
Bake in the oven at 375 ºF for 1 hour. Enjoy!
Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary is probably not on your list of things to do with leftover pizza sauce, but if you are a Bloody Mary lover, this one is for you.
Add vodka (if you prefer a virgin bloody mary, skip the alcohol), lemon and lime juice, creamy horseradish, Worcestershire, sriracha (to make it extra spicy), a small garlic clove, and pepper to your pizza sauce and shake. A tip for the perfect drink is to blend and strain your leftover pizza sauce first to get a smooth sauce for your cocktail.
Finish with some celery or lime, and have fun!
Eggplant Parm Casserole
To make an excellent Eggplant Parm Casserole, you will need eggplant, breadcrumbs, grated cheese (I use a mix of mozzarella, provolone, and pecorino Romano), and your leftover pizza sauce.
Start by dipping very thin slices of peeled eggplant into a whisked egg mixture and then press them on breadcrumbs. Lay the breaded eggplant slices on a sheet pan, spray with olive oil and broil on the top oven rack for around 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Turn each slide over to the other side and repeat the process.
Once your eggplant is ready, start building your casserole:
- Sauce (enough to coat the bottom), eggplant, sauce (to cover the eggplant), and cheese mixture.
- Repeat steps until you use all your ingredients, finishing with a generous layer of cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes in a preheated oven (350ºF). Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti Bolognese is probably the most common use for leftover pizza sauce. It’s easy and delicious, and you will only need a handful of ingredients to make the perfect dish.
On a pan, add some olive oil and brown your beef. Add chopped onions and garlic, oregano (if you didn’t add it to your pizza sauce), salt, pepper, chili flakes (if you like your Bolognese spicy), and some red wine. Once the wine evaporates, add a spoon of flour (to thicken your sauce), mix well and then pour your pizza sauce. Add some sugar to make it sweeter, water if needed, and serve over al dente pasta.
Baked Potatoes
Baked Potatoes are probably something you have never heard of before, but they sure are delicious. Start by prepping your potatoes. I go with sweet ones: fork them and cover them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Rub them well and bake at 425ºF for 40-45 minutes.
Once the potatoes are ready, cut in the middle (but not all the way through, as you want to create a little pocket for your filling), fluff the inside with a fork, and generously pour your leftover pizza sauce. Add the toppings to your liking (pepperoni, leftover shrimp scampi, pulled pork, Bolognese, etc.) and lots of grated cheese (I use parmesan). Top with smaller slices of pepperoni and put the potatoes back in the oven at 375ºC until the cheese is melted.
Chili
This Chili recipe is very similar to the Spaghetti Bolognese I shared above. To make this delicious dish, follow the Bolognese steps, skip the flour and sugar, and add some bell peppers and red beans after your leftover pizza sauce. Add water and let it cook on medium to low heat for around 45 minutes to get a rich, thick, heavenly-made chili.
Serve over a white rice bowl and top with crème Fraiche and lime.
How Long Does Leftover Pizza Sauce Last?
Pizza sauce will last 5-7 days when stored in the refrigerator and up to 3 months if you freeze it, in which case you’ll just need to leave it overnight in the refrigerator, so it defrosts and is ready to be reused.
What to Do With Leftover Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- some herbs
- 2 cups leftover pizza sauce
- pinch of sugar
- splash of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh basil
- 3 oz heavy cream
- salt, pepper
- 1 cucumber
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 eggplants
Instructions
- Chop onions, garlic, and bell peppers
- Start by adding some finely chopped onions, garlic, and bell peppers to a pan with hot olive oil
- Then add some paprika and herbs
- Add your leftover pizza sauce, sugar, a splash of balsamic vinegar, some fresh basil
- Now add heavy cream (you can skip the heavy cream part if you want to keep it dairy free)
- Thinly slice some cucumber, tomatoes and eggplants
- On an oven-proof dish, pour most of your cooked sauce and, on top, tightly pack your vegetable slices, so they cook evenly
- Pour the remaining sauce on top of the vegetables, brush them with olive oil and fresh thyme and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese
- Bake in the oven at 375 ºF for 1 hour
