Garlic Sauce for Pizza: Best Homemade Creamy Pizza Sauce Recipe
This creamy garlic sauce is a game-changing alternative to tomato sauce for pizza night. Rich, velvety, and packed with mellow garlic flavor, it comes together in under 15 minutes and pairs perfectly with any pizza toppings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (enough for 2-3 pizzas or 6-8 servings as a dip) 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4–6 large fresh garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Let it melt completely but do not let it brown.
- Stir in the minced garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Sprinkle the flour over the garlic-butter mixture. Whisk well and cook for about 30 seconds until thick and pasty.
- Gradually pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. The sauce will look watery at first but will thicken as it heats.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, until it thickens to a pourable but not runny consistency (about 3-4 minutes).
- Lower the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, dried Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool for 2-3 minutes. It will thicken slightly as it sits.
- Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sauce per 12-inch pizza, add toppings, and bake as usual.
Notes
For a dairy-free version, use plant-based butter, non-dairy milk, and vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast. To make it gluten-free, substitute a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. The sauce thickens as it cools; add a splash of milk to thin if needed. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 160
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 3.5
- Carbohydrates: 2
- Protein: 2
Keywords: garlic sauce, pizza sauce, creamy pizza sauce, white pizza sauce, homemade garlic sauce, easy pizza sauce, vegetarian pizza sauce, dipping sauce, garlic cream sauce