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    Home >> Recipes >> Vegan Sauces and Garnish Recipes

    Healthy BBQ Sauce (No Ketchup)

    Updated May 29, 2021 by Lori · This post contains affiliate links.

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    Healthy barbecue sauce you can actually feel good about slathering on all your favorite foods! It's thick, tangy, and sweet, with a hint of smoke and spice. Made from whole food ingredients, this easy BBQ sauce recipe is vegan, refined sugar-free, and gluten-free, with half the calories of store-bought.

    homemade BBQ sauce in a glass jar.

    I love barbecue sauce. You love barbecue sauce. I mean, who doesn't? And you can't blame us. It hits all of our favorite tastes - sweet, acidic, salty, umami.

    But what gets me down is reading the labels on the bottles of BBQ sauce at the grocery store. It's definitely convenient to just grab a bottle, but when I do, there's always that nagging voice in the back of my mind saying, "Dang, I might as well just slather my meal in frosting." 

    First, there's the challenge of finding one that's vegan. Once you rule out the brands that contain worcestershire or honey, you're left guessing which one will taste best, which company uses the best quality ingredients, how to balance quality with cost.... and they all contain loads of sugar. 

    Call me strange, but if I'm going to eat sugar, it's going to be in the form of dessert, not coating my dinner. Know what I mean?  

    sautéing onion and garlic in a pan .

    The great news is that it's remarkably easy to make your own barbecue sauce. It also costs less than springing for those better quality store-bought ones, AND you'll know it's free from oil, refined sugar, and any sketchy ingredients like artificial colors and preservatives.

    Another awesome thing about making your own barbecue sauce is that you can tweak the sweetness, acidity, and spiciness until it's just how you like it! 

    How to Make Healthy BBQ Sauce

    TIP: I like to begin by sautéing onion and garlic, but if you're in the mood for a shortcut you can always substitute 1 teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder.

    Here's a summary to show you how easy it is; be sure to scroll down for the full recipe.

    1. Preheat a saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Go for a bit of color and caramelization in the pan. We'll deglaze with water and other ingredients in a few minutes.
    2. Once the onion is golden, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Now add ¼ cup of water to the pan, and stir to coat (photo above was taken at this stage).
    3. Add the remaining ingredients: 
      • tomato sauce (to clarify, since "tomato sauce" means different things in different parts of the world, this is just cooked, pureed tomatoes, usually with salt added)
      • water
      • apple cider vinegar
      • balsamic vinegar
      • maple syrup
      • molasses
      • smoked paprika
      • chile powder
      • cayenne pepper, optional
      • black pepper
      • salt
      • tamari (or soy sauce if not GF)
      • liquid smoke, optional
    4. Stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly reduced (photo below).
    5. Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender, and blend until smooth.
    6. Pour into a jar and let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
    simmering the sauce until slightly reduced.
    It takes just a few minutes to simmer the BBQ sauce and deepen the flavors.

    Voila! Now, you're ready to make BBQ sandwiches, tacos, loaded nachos, pizza, burgers, and whatever your healthy heart desires. 

    Storage Notes

    Stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, homemade barbecue sauce will keep for up to one week. So if you know you plan to use it more than once, and/or depending on the number of people you're feeding, why not go ahead and double the recipe?

    If you double it you'll have enough barbecue sauce on hand to use some right away and some for dinner later in the week.

    Tips and Substitutions

    Opinions vary a lot about what makes the best BBQ sauce. So whether you prefer a sweeter, stickier sauce or maybe a more vinegary or spicy version, feel free to tweak the ingredients to suit your preference. Here are some ideas...

    To adjust sweetness: 

    • Reduce the maple syrup to ¼ cup for a less sweet sauce (or even down to 3 Tbsp if you're very anti-sweet).
    • Want it on the sweeter side? Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut or brown sugar in addition to the maple syrup. Another option is to add 1 or 2 pitted medjool dates to the blender.

    To adjust smokiness:

    • Reduce or omit the smoked paprika for a less smoky flavor, and/or omit the liquid smoke.
    • For a smoky barbecue sauce, increase the smoked paprika to 1 ½ teaspoons, add a pinch of dried chipotle flakes, and/or increase the liquid smoke to ⅛ or ¼ teaspoon (it doesn't take much; add carefully!).

    To adjust spiciness: 

    • Omit the cayenne and black pepper for a non-spicy sauce.
    • Add a bit more cayenne plus a pinch of dried chipotle flakes for more heat.

    To adjust acidity:

    • Make the BBQ sauce less tangy by reducing the total tablespoons of vinegar from 3 to 2.
    • Kick up the acidity by adding a tablespoon of either apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar (I probably wouldn't increase the balsamic because of its distinct flavor).
    homemade healthy (WFPB) barbecue sauce.

    Nutrition Information

    We all know how much our taste buds love sugar, right? So, I get it. I understand why brands load up their BBQ sauces with refined sugar. They just want to sell sauce.

    But with the use of maple syrup, we can have a sauce that's just sweet enough, and has about half the calories (none of them "empty calories").

    The labels on most store-bought sauces indicate 2 tablespoons as one serving. Like salad dressing, who uses just 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce? 

    For this recipe, I'm calling ¼ cup a serving (that's 4 tablespoons), with the same number of calories in 2 tablespoons of the store-bought stuff. Just a little perk I wanted to point out for those of you watching your caloric intake.

    I didn't skimp on saltiness in this recipe, but again, that's one of the great things about making our own sauce! If you prefer a sauce with less sodium, feel free to reduce the salt and/or tamari.

    pin to save on Pinterest.

    I hope you enjoy this Healthy BBQ Sauce! Stay tuned for some delicious vegan recipes that will put it to good use. 

    If you try this recipe be sure to leave a comment below and give it a star rating. Let us know about any tweaks you make to the flavors and your favorite ways to use barbecue sauce. 

    You might like:

    • Blueberry BBQ Sauce
    • Slow Cooker Vegan BBQ
    • BBQ Seitan Ribs
    • Loaded BBQ Tempeh Nachos
    • Korean BBQ Sauce
    • Creamy Harissa Dressing/Sauce
    • Nut-Free Vegan Ranch Dressing

    📖 Recipe

    homemade healthy barbecue sauce

    Healthy BBQ Sauce (Vegan; Refined Sugar-Free)

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    It's easier than you might think to make thick, tangy, irresistible barbecue sauce at home from whole-food ingredients. Zero refined sugar, oil, or artificial colors! This is BBQ sauce you can actually feel good about eating.
    Yield: makes 2 cups
    Adapted from Del's Basic Barbecue Sauce on forksoverknives.com.
    Servings: 8 servings
    4.98 from 42 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins

    Ingredients 

    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 cup tomato sauce - (Cooked, pureed tomatoes + salt; can usually be found in 8 oz. cans.)
    • ¾ cup water, divided
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup
    • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon molasses
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoon tamari (GF) or soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • pinch of black pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
    • 3 or 4 drops liquid smoke, optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat a saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow some color and caramelization to develop in the pan. You'll deglaze with water and other ingredients in a few minutes.
    • Once the onion is golden, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn. Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of water.
    • Add the remaining ingredients - tomato sauce, ½ cup water, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, molasses, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, black pepper, salt, tamari, and liquid smoke, if using. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly reduced.
    • Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour into a jar, and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

    Notes

    Homemade BBQ sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    *Refer to post for help with adjusting sweetness, smokiness, saltiness, and spicy heat.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 52kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 505mgPotassium: 181mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 245IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Tried the recipe?I love hearing from you! Share your feedback below.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sandra

      June 17, 2023 at 8:06 pm

      Hi, wondering if I can omit the molasses? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lori

        June 18, 2023 at 7:03 am

        Yes, thats fine.

        Reply
    2. Belinda

      May 27, 2023 at 3:08 am

      Can I use blackstrap molasses?

      Reply
      • Lori

        May 27, 2023 at 8:23 am

        Hi Belinda,
        Yes, blackstrap is fine, but you may want to reduce the amount since it has a stronger flavor.

        Reply
    3. Kathleen

      March 17, 2023 at 5:49 pm

      I just made this and it tastes and smells wonderful. I didn't have all the ingredients called for, so I substituted Kirkland marinara sauce for the tomato sauce, and ancho chile powder for the cayenne and chile powder. I'm grilling for dinner tonight, and this sauce will be perfect. Thanks!

      Reply
    4. Jordan

      May 20, 2022 at 11:53 am

      Do you think this would be freezer friendly?

      Reply
      • Lori

        May 20, 2022 at 12:08 pm

        Hi Jordan, yes it freezes well.

        Reply
    5. Patricia

      September 15, 2021 at 11:08 pm

      Can I leave the tomatoes out and still have a great barbecue sauce?

      Reply
      • Lori

        September 16, 2021 at 7:44 am

        Hi Patricia,
        I would replace the tomato sauce with something since it makes up the bulk of this particular recipe. Without testing it I'm not sure about the results, but potential substitutes that come to mind are pureed pumpkin and/or applesauce. If you experiment with it definitely let us know how it turns out!

        Reply
    6. Jessie

      June 16, 2021 at 1:22 am

      How much bbq sauce does this produce? 16 ounces like the mason jar in the pic? 🤔

      Reply
      • Lori

        June 16, 2021 at 6:30 am

        Hi Jessie,
        You can find yield and serving size information in the intro section of the recipe card. It makes about 2 cups/16 fl ounces of sauce. Hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    7. Melissa

      January 30, 2021 at 4:42 pm

      This sounds amazing. Is it possible to make in larger batches and can it?

      Reply
      • Lori

        January 30, 2021 at 4:43 pm

        Hi Melissa, I haven’t tried that myself, but I don’t see why not!

        Reply
    8. Cyndie

      November 25, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      I’m going to try lentil bbq sandwiches with this recipe. Cooking it now and it smells fantastic!

      Reply
    9. susan

      December 27, 2019 at 4:08 pm

      wow...that looks good enough to soon eat right out of the jar. I look forward to the recipes to match it with.

      Reply

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    author Lori Rasmussen in her kitchen

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

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