Best Canned San Marzano Tomatoes for Pizza Sauce
Updated How we research
Flora Foods Tomatoes San Marzano DOP, 28 oz (793g), 100% Italian Quality, Imported (12 Pack)
Flora Foods San Marzano DOP tomatoes, 28 oz (793g) imported cans in a 12 Pack, marketed as 100% Italian quality.
Cento Certified San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes, 28 Oz (Pack of 6), Canned Plum Tomatoes in Thick Puree with Basil
Cento Certified San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes in thick puree with basil, 28 Oz cans in a Pack of 6.
A great pizza sauce starts long before the blender comes out. It starts in the can. San Marzano tomatoes, grown in volcanic soil near Naples, are prized for their low acidity, sweet flesh, and thin skins that break down into a smooth, bright sauce with nothing more than a pinch of salt. The catch is that the label gets abused constantly, and plenty of cans trading on the name hold ordinary plum tomatoes packed in watery puree. This guide sorts the genuine article from the imposters. We compare certified DOP imports, reliable San Marzano-style alternatives, and value picks, looking at texture, sweetness, and how each one behaves once it hits a hot oven.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 7.3 to 8.6 out of 10.
- Best overall:Flora Foods Tomatoes San Marzano DOP, 28 oz (793g), 100% Italian Quality, Imported (12 Pack). Highest overall score in this guide at 8.6/10.
- Also great value:Cento Certified San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes, 28 Oz (Pack of 6), Canned Plum Tomatoes in Thick Puree with Basil. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.2/10.
- Solid build:La Valle San Marzano DOP Tomatoes, 1.75 Pound (Pack of 5). Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 8.1/10.
- Feature-rich:La Valle San Marzano D.O.P. Italian Peeled Tomatoes, 6-Pack of 28 oz Cans. Features score of 7/10, overall 8.1/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.Flora Foods Tomatoes San Marzano DOP, 28 oz (793g), 100% Italian Quality, Imported (12 Pack)8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Cento Certified San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes, 28 Oz (Pack of 6), Canned Plum Tomatoes in Thick Puree with Basil8.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.La Valle San Marzano DOP Tomatoes, 1.75 Pound (Pack of 5)8.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.La Valle San Marzano D.O.P. Italian Peeled Tomatoes, 6-Pack of 28 oz Cans8.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.San Marzano DOP Authentic Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes, 1.75 Pound (Pack of 6)7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Napoli Italian San Marzano D.O.P. Whole Tomatoes, 5-Pack of 28 oz Cans7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Cento Certified San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes with Basil, 28 oz, Grown & Processed in Italy7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Italbrand San Marzano Tomatoes D.O.P., 28 Ounce Can7.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Flora Foods San Marzano DOP tomatoes, 28 oz (793g) imported cans in a 12 Pack, marketed as 100% Italian quality.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 12 Pack of large cans suits families and frequent pizza bakers
- + Imported DOP tomatoes bring the classic sweet, low-acid profile to sauce
- + 28 oz cans make enough sauce for several pizzas per can
- - Twelve large cans take up a good chunk of pantry shelf space
- - Big upfront order if you only make pizza now and then
#2Cento Certified San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes in thick puree with basil, 28 Oz cans in a Pack of 6.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Pack of 6 lowers the cost per can for regular sauce makers
- + Thick puree gives body to sauce without long reduction
- + Widely stocked Cento brand is easy to reorder
- - Thick puree can make thin-crust sauce heavier than expected
- - Not DOP stamped, which matters to purists
#3La Valle San Marzano DOP tomatoes, 1.75 Pound cans in a Pack of 5 for sauce made the traditional way.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + La Valle is a recognized Italian tomato brand with DOP certification
- + Pack of 5 is a manageable pantry stock for home pizza makers
- + Whole San Marzano tomatoes give bright, simple pizza sauce
- - Fewer cans than some multi-packs for a similar outlay
- - Cans need draining of excess juice to avoid soggy pizzas
#4La Valle San Marzano D.O.P. Italian peeled tomatoes in a 6-Pack of 28 oz cans for sauce and cooking.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + D.O.P. certified tomatoes offer traceable Italian origin
- + 6-Pack of 28 oz cans covers pizza sauce plus pasta nights
- + Peeled tomatoes blend into a smooth or rustic sauce as you prefer
- - Large cans can be too much for a single pizza, so plan leftovers
- - Price per can is higher than non-DOP plum tomatoes
#5San Marzano DOP authentic whole peeled plum tomatoes, 1.75 Pound cans in a Pack of 6 for classic pizza sauce.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + DOP labeling means the tomatoes come from the protected San Marzano area
- + Whole peeled plums crush by hand into a fresh, uncooked pizza sauce
- + Pack of 6 keeps sauce on hand for many pizza nights
- - Brand name is not clear in the listing, which makes quality harder to trace
- - Whole tomatoes need crushing and draining before they suit thin pizzas
#6Napoli Italian San Marzano D.O.P. whole tomatoes in a 5-Pack of 28 oz cans for traditional pizza sauce.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + D.O.P. whole tomatoes suit a classic uncooked Neapolitan sauce
- + 5-Pack of 28 oz cans gives a good pantry supply
- + Whole tomatoes keep texture better than pre-crushed products
- - Lesser-known label compared with Cento or La Valle
- - Needs hand crushing and seasoning before use on pizza
#7Cento Certified San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes with basil, a 28 oz can grown and processed in Italy.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Basil leaf in the can adds herbal notes to simple pizza sauce
- + Cento is a widely available choice for San Marzano style tomatoes in the US
- + Grown and processed in Italy for authentic flavor
- - Certified label is not the same as the DOP stamp on some rivals
- - Basil flavor may not suit every sauce recipe
#8Italbrand San Marzano tomatoes D.O.P. in a single 28 Ounce can, an easy way to try certified San Marzanos.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Single 28 Ounce can lets you test the flavor before buying in bulk
- + D.O.P. certification signals authentic San Marzano origin
- + Enough tomatoes for several pizzas' worth of sauce
- - Single can is a pricier way to buy compared with multi-packs
- - Italbrand is less familiar to US shoppers than larger labels
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Twelve large cans take up a good chunk of pantry shelf space (Flora Foods Tomatoes San Marzano DOP, 28 oz...)
- Thick puree can make thin-crust sauce heavier than expected (Cento Certified San Marzano Whole Peeled...)
- Fewer cans than some multi-packs for a similar outlay (La Valle San Marzano DOP Tomatoes, 1.75 Pound...)
- Large cans can be too much for a single pizza, so plan leftovers (La Valle San Marzano D.O.P. Italian Peeled...)
- Brand name is not clear in the listing, which makes quality harder to trace (San Marzano DOP Authentic Whole Peeled Plum...)
- Lesser-known label compared with Cento or La Valle (Napoli Italian San Marzano D.O.P. Whole...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among canned san marzano tomatoes for pizza sauce?
Flora Foods Tomatoes San Marzano DOP, 28 oz (793g), 100% Italian Quality, Imported (12 Pack) is our top overall pick. Flora Foods San Marzano DOP tomatoes, 28 oz (793g) imported cans in a 12 Pack, marketed as 100% Italian quality. It earns our score of 8.6/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Cento Certified San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes, 28 Oz (Pack of 6), Canned Plum Tomatoes in Thick Puree with Basil is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Cento Certified San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes in thick puree with basil, 28 Oz cans in a Pack of 6.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Pizza Oven Craft independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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