Pizza is a food staple in America. The perfect combination of a crispy, chewy crust, gooey cheese, and flavorful tomato sauce is simply unbeatable. While there are many options of pizza sauces on the market, few can compare to the rich and robust taste of the Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce. This sauce really brings something special to pizza night.
Throughout this blog post we will take an intricate look at the Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce. How does it stand against other premade pizza sauces? Does getting fire roasted affect how it tastes? And most importantly – why should you choose this over any other brand for your next homemade pizza night? Grab a slice and let’s dive in!
An Introduction to Classico Pizza Sauces
Classico is one of the more popular jarred pasta sauce brands in America. They offer a wide selection of flavors; from traditional marinara to Alfredo and pesto sauces. Although Classico isn’t only known for their pasta sauces; they also have a great line of pizza sauces that includes both traditional and fire roasted versions.
To make their sauce recipes, Classico uses vine-ripened tomatoes and classic Italian herbs like basil, oregano, and marjoram. The tomatoes are slow cooked so they can develop all their flavor properly. Their regular pizza sauce has a smooth consistency with just enough sweetness without overpowering acidity levels. It easily spreads when poured over the dough and goes along with any topping nicely.
For customers looking for a stronger rustic flavor on their pies; then their Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce takes the cake (or pie!). The process used during fire roasting gives off more depth in taste which ultimately makes any plain old pie extraordinary.
Flavor Components of Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce
Component | Description |
|---|---|
Sweetness | Caramelization during roasting brings out natural sugars. |
Smokiness | Comes from charred tomato skins, adding complexity. |
Herbal notes | Infused with basil, oregano, garlic, and other Italian herbs. |
Spice | Touch of warmth from red pepper flakes and black pepper. |
Acidity | Maintained natural acidity of tomatoes for a balanced flavor. |
The Secret Behind Classico's Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce
So what exactly is fire roasting and how does it change the flavor of Classico’s pizza sauce?
Fire roasting is a cooking technique that has been around for centuries. Before jarred sauces were a thing, tomatoes would be placed above an active fire to make them char. The inside of these roasted tomatoes got infused with a smoky sweet taste which really helped kickstart any dish like soup, stew, or pasta.
Over time, this method has not changed at all. Today it is still used on mainly salsa, pasta sauce, soup – and of course pizza sauce! When you roast your tomatoes they become packed with flavor since they get cooked at 600-700°F. This causes the outer layer to blister while the inside gets softer and mushy (a good thing in this case).
For their Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce, Classico uses both rope grown vine tomatoes as well as Italian plum tomatoes. Their mix allows customers to taste a nice balance between acidity and sweetness. Once roasted in open flame ovens; these ingredients will provide you with flavors that can’t quite be copied when using raw or pre-stewed tomatoes.
How Fire Roasting Impacts the Sauce's Flavor
So what’s actually the difference? To answer that: quite a lot!
Classico’s pizza sauce recipe gains great depth from being fire roasted. You’re not just getting sweet concentrated tomato; but also notes of caramelization and smoke hitting your tongue. There is also a richer mouthfeel due to tomato skins melting down during preparation!
While regular pizza sauce is bright and acidic, the Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce from Classico has an almost umami flavor that is fuller-bodied. Its hints of smokiness make it taste like your pizza was just cooked in a brick oven.
Here are some things you’ll be able to taste:
- Sweetness – As the tomatoes caramelize during roasting, their natural sugars come out and create a subtly sweet flavor. This helps balance the acidity.
- Smokiness – A mild smoky flavor comes from the charred tomato skins. It’s similar to what you’d get with smoked paprika or grilled veggies. What matters most is that this adds complexity to your pie.
- Herbal notes – The sauce gets its aromatic flavor from basil, oregano, garlic and other Italian herbs. This means there’s no shortage of flavors here thanks to fire roasting.
- Spice – You’ll find a touch of warmth from red pepper flakes and black pepper in each jar. This does wonders for rounding out the flavors perfectly.
- Acidity – Just because fire roasting brings heavy flavors doesn’t mean this sauce loses its brightness. The natural acidity of tomatoes is maintained so that things don’t taste too heavy overall.
The combination of these factors makes for a pizza loaded with depth when all said toppings are added on top.
Why Fire Roasting Makes Sauce So Delicious
You can probably guess why Classico’s Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce is such a hit after knowing how it’s made. But if not, here are some key points:
- Amped up flavor – Regular sauce already packs quite the punch. But by adding caramelized notes, smoke and sweetness through fire roasting we’re taken into new dimensions while eating our slice!
- A sauce with character – While fibrous bits may be present due to charring tomato skins, this is what gives the sauce its charm. The rustic personality of it will have you feeling like you’re in an authentic wood-fired pizza place.
- The taste of tradition – Who doesn’t love feeling like they’re eating something from a time long ago? This sauce brings just that to your pies, making them feel like they were made by an Italian grandmother.
- Complemented toppings – You’d think that such strong flavors would overpower other ingredients. But they instead stand up to heartier toppings and make them even better, like pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and peppers.
- Easier spreading – It’s thicker in texture than regular sauce and naturally sweet. As a result, it perfectly coats the crust so there’s no need to worry about ending up with a soggy slice.
- Versatility – While it works wonders as pizza sauce, you can also use it on pastas or as a dipping sauce for breads. There really is no limit on how much fun you can have with it!
Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce is the way to go if you want some authentic flavor in your food. The smoky and robust taste simply can’t be matched.
Tips for Using Classico Fire Roasted Sauce
If I’ve already convinced you enough about this product and you’re ready to start using it now then keep reading! Here are some tips to get your homemade fire-roasted pizzas tasting amazing:
- Choose the right crust – To keep up with all these hearty toppings that come with full-flavored sauce, thick chewy artisan-style or deep dish crusts should be used. Avoid thin or crispy ones.
- Go crazy with toppings – This bold taste calls for lots of things piled on top! So don’t be shy when adding pepperoni, Italian sausage, black olives, onions or bell peppers onto your pie.
- Shred the cheese – It’s much better to shred or grate the mozzarella instead of using pre-cut slices. This helps the cheese melt more consistently over the pie. Fresh mozz is the way to go.
- Add herbs – Just before baking, sprinkle dried oregano, basil, or an Italian seasoning blend over the pizza. This adds another layer of flavor that complements the herbal notes in the sauce.
- Cook it hot – Bake your pizza at your oven’s highest temperature — usually between 450-500°F — for a nicely charred crust and perfectly melted cheese.
- Drizzle and dust after baking too – After pulling your pizza from the oven, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top and sprinkle more dried herbs over it while it’s still hot. This will only enhance those rustic flavors even further.
With a well-made crust, flavorful toppings, and melty cheese, Classico’s Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce makes homemade pizza taste like it was baked by an Italian master pizzaiolo.
How does Classico Fire Roasted compare with other jarred pizza sauce brands?
Comparison of Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce with Other Jarred Pizza Sauce Brands
Brand | Texture | Flavor Profile | Fire Roasted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Classico Fire Roasted | Thick, rustic | Sweet, smoky, umami, rich mouthfeel | Yes | Caramelization and smoke add depth |
Rao’s Homemade Marinara | Silky | Bright tomato flavor | No | Lacks caramelized sweetness and smokiness |
365 Whole Foods Organic | Good herbaceous | Needs more depth | No | Not as bold as Classico |
Dell’Amore Traditional | Heavier, acidic | Brighter acidity | No | Less depth of flavor |
Pastorelli | Seasoned | Base tomato taste is plain | No | Lacks natural sweetness and smokiness |
Francesco | Quality | Lighter and one-note | No | Without fire |
Rinaldi | without fire roasting | roasting, depth is missing | ||
Don Pepino | Thick | Overly sweet, lacks depth | No | Misses the smoky depth of fire roasted sauce |
Muir Glen Organic | Organic, muted | Not much caramelized sweetness or charred smokiness | No | Flavor is muted compared to Classico |
O Organics | Flat | Works but not bold | No | Relatively flat flavor compared to Classico |
I hope you’re already reaching for a jar of Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce at this point but if you’re wondering how it stacks up against other popular jarred pizza sauce brands, here are some thoughts on a few top contenders:
- Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce: Rao’s has a silky texture with bright tomato flavor but lacks that caramelized sweetness and smokiness that fire roasting brings out. The overall flavor profile is also lighter compared to Classico.
- 365 Whole Foods Organic Pizza Sauce: This organic sauce has good herbaceous flavor but could use more depth and complexity that fire roasting would provide. It’s not as bold as Classico.
- Dell’Amore Traditional Pizza Sauce: Made with San Marzano tomatoes, Dell’Amore has a heavier texture and brighter acidity than Classico but still less depth of flavor since it’s not fire roasted.
- Pastorelli Pizza Sauce: Pastorelli adds some seasonings for flavor but the base tomato taste is fairly plain. Classico has natural sweetness and smokiness that gives it more character.
- Francesco Rinaldi Pizza Sauce: Made with olive oil and fresh garlic, Francesco Rinaldi has a quality sauce. However, without fire roasting the depth just isn’t there. It tastes lighter and one-note compared to Classico.
- Don Pepino Pizza Sauce: With a blend of tomato puree and tomato paste, Don Pepino has a thick consistency. But it tends to be overly sweet and lacks smoky depth that’s found in fire roasted sauce.
- Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce: For those looking for healthier options, Muir Glen uses organic tomatoes and olive oil. However, the flavor is muted — not much caramelized sweetness or charred smokiness going on here.
- O Organics Pizza Sauce: As an affordable Safeway brand pizza sauce made with organic tomatoes, it does what you need it to do. The flavor is relatively flat compared to bold Classico.
With all these brands laid out above, I still believe Classico Fire Roasted simply can’t be beat by any other leading jarred pizza sauce brands when it comes to rich, authentic Italian flavor.
So put down that ordinary jar and pick up one of Classico Fire Roasted instead. Your pizza night awaits!
Enjoying Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce in so many more ways
Now that we’ve covered why Classico’s fire roasted sauce is the best thing for pizza, let’s discuss some pretty solid alternative uses.
- Pasta sauce – Mix the pizza sauce with your favorite pasta shapes, like penne, rotini or farfalle. And if you want extra pizza flavor – sprinkle on some shredded mozzarella.
- Lasagna – For a bigger lasagna taste, use the fire roasted sauce instead of traditional marinara. The bolder flavor stands up well against meaty lasagnas.
- Soup – Make minestrone or Italian wedding soup even better by adding a spoonful of the fire roasted sauce. It’ll add sweetness, richness and an herbal flavor.
- Bruschetta – Toast up baguette slices then top them with pizza sauce and diced tomatoes. Sprinkle on shredded basil afterward and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
- Quesadillas – Spread the sauce over a tortilla and top with mozzarella and pepperoni. Then grill to enjoy this Mexican-Italian fusion snack.
- Meatballs – Instead of regular marinara, coat your meatballs with the fire roasted pizza sauce for a fuller taste.
- Panini – Spread the schmear over focaccia or ciabatta bread then fill it up with deli meats and fried eggplant or peppers.
- Vegetable dip – Thin out some of the sauce using olive oil to make veggie dip. It’s delicious when paired with grilled eggplant and zucchini too!
Using this flavorful pizza sauce extends way beyond just pizza night! Classico Fire Roasted Sauce will spice up weeknight dinners, snacks, appetizers and more.
Quick n’ Easy Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce Recipes
Looking for something quick? Look no further than these recipes:
Fire Roasted Tomato Soup
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (24 oz) jar Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pour olive oil into a large soup pot. Heat it on medium heat then add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
- Afterward, pour in the pizza sauce, broth, bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Bring it to a boil then let it simmer for 20 minutes after reducing heat.
- Eliminate the bay leaf then use an immersion blender to puree soup to desired consistency.
- Add heavy cream if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish bowls with parmesan cheese if desired also.
Sausage & Red Pepper Pizza Pasta
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 jar (24 oz) Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce
- 1 lb Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- Crushed red pepper flakes, for serving
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Next up is cooking the sausage over medium-high heat in a large skillet. As it cooks, break it apart with a wooden spoon until browned, which should be around 6 minutes.
- Adding bell peppers comes next which you have to cook for another 4-5 minutes or until they’re tender. Then stir in pizza sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
- Finally you can add cooked pasta along with Parmesan and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until the entire thing is coated in sauce.
- Before finishing remove from heat then stir in fresh basil. Garnish with extra basil as well as red pepper flakes when it’s time to serve.
These recipes only provide a small idea of how versatile and flavorful Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce can be. Get creative and try it for yourself!
Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce Frequently Asked Questions
Have some questions about this bold and delicious pizza sauce? We’ve got answers to some commonly asked questions below:
Q1: Is the sauce spicy?
No, Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce is not spicy. It does have a little warmth from red pepper flakes and black pepper but nothing that overpowers any other flavors. If you like an extra kick, feel free to add more red pepper flakes.
Q2: Does the sauce need refrigeration after opening?
Once it’s open then yes, always refrigerate the sauce unless stated otherwise on the label. An unopened jar will last 18 months in the pantry.
Q3: Can I freeze leftover sauce?
Yes! Just put it in an airtight container or freezer bag. The sauce will keep frozen for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to use it again, thaw it in the refrigerator.
Q4: Is the sauce vegetarian/vegan?
It is vegetarian but not vegan. The Romano cheese used is made from sheep’s milk so no meat or meat by-products are present.
Q5: What type of tomatoes are used?
A mixture of vine-ripened tomatoes and Italian plum tomatoes are used to create a balanced sweet and acidic flavor profile.
Q6: Where is the sauce produced?
All Classico sauces are produced using tomatoes grown in Escalon, California—right in our country’s largest tomato-growing region.
Why I Recommend Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce
That wraps up our detailed look at Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce. Hopefully now you understand what makes this product so great — and why you should use it every time you make homemade pizza!
Here’s why I love and recommend Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce:
- A fire roasted process delivers flavor you won’t find in other sauces
- It has a rustic personality with notes of sweetness, smoke and herbs
- Homemade pizza will taste like it came from your favorite pizzeria
- The thick texture means it pairs perfectly with hearty toppings
- Savory and acidic flavors are perfectly balanced
- Use this sauce in many dishes beyond pizza for versatility
- Classico is a top brand known for quality, consistency and taste.
Wrapping Up
If you want to drastically improve the taste of homemade pizzas, then use Classico Fire Roasted Pizza Sauce. After the very first bite — rich, sweet and smoky — you’ll immediately notice what makes a fire roasted sauce so special.
