Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Grain-Free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Vegan 56
Homemade Vegan BBQ Sauce- you’ll never buy storebought BBQ sauce again once you how easy it is to make your own!
I’ll be honest, I used to think homemade sauces were just for people who had too much extra time on their hands. Why would you go through all of that trouble when you can buy it at the store?
Well friends, it’s so much easier than I thought and it tastes a million times better. Plus you don’t have to worry about not being able to recognize what’s on the ingredient list. That’s always a plus in my book.
The ingredient list might seem lengthy but I promise you are likely to have almost everything already in your pantry. The main ingredient is ketchup so be sure that you are using a quality brand without any preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. I personally like Annie’s Organic, which happens to be the same brand of vegan worcestershire I use for this recipe.
Once you have all of your ingredients ready to go you just add them to a saucepan with water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sauce gets nice and thick.
Like I said, it’s super easy and so worth it to have a BBQ sauce you can feel good about eating. Feel free to tweak some of the ingredients if you prefer it sweeter, more spicy, or less acidic.
That’s the beauty of preparing it yourself. You can make it just how you like it!
Homemade Vegan BBQ Sauce
Yield: 25
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 20
Print Recipe
5
5 / 5(12 Reviews)
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review »
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup organic ketchup
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or organic brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon mustard (prepared, not dry mustard)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/3 cup water
Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all of the ingredients (starting with the ketchup and ending with water). Whisk together then bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and a thick sauce forms. Set aside to cool. Once BBQ sauce has fully cooled, transfer it to a glass jar and seal with a lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
by Sarah on August 1, 2017 // Recipes, Sauces
56 Comments »
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56 comments -
Casey the College Celiac — August 17, 2017 @ 9:57 pm Reply
This sounds scrumptious! I haven’t had BBQ sauce in forever, so this is perfect timing…
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Pingback: Recipes, Round-Ups and Q+A
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Heather — August 24, 2017 @ 5:10 pm Reply
How long will this sauce keep?
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Sarah — August 24, 2017 @ 5:42 pm Reply
It will definitely keep for 1 week, sealed in the refrigerator. It might last longer but we usually use it up before then. :)
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Sandrine — September 25, 2018 @ 12:45 pm
Is it normal that you state 3 weeks in the recipe? :)
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Sarah — September 25, 2018 @ 2:44 pm
Yes! So long as it’s sealed in the refrigerator it should hold up that long. This could vary depending on different circ*mstances so always be sure to do a smell test before eating. ;)
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sam — March 20, 2018 @ 6:05 pm Reply
As a kitchen manager, I can tell you it will keep for 28 days minimum in ambient conditions. (room temperature)
always label your sauces to make sure they don’t go out of date and set a reminder on your phone for when they do so you don’t forget, ;-)
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Sarah — March 20, 2018 @ 6:14 pm Reply
Thanks for the tip, Sam!
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Jade — May 25, 2018 @ 11:44 am Reply
Is this suitable for canning so that it will keep in my pantry?
-
Sarah — May 25, 2018 @ 7:16 pm Reply
Hi Jade! I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. I’m not an expert in canning though. :)
-
Pingback: Cauliflower Burger (Vegan & Super Crispy) - Vegan Heaven
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Barbara — June 25, 2018 @ 12:27 pm Reply
Does this call for prepared mustard or dry mustard?
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Sarah — June 25, 2018 @ 4:01 pm Reply
Prepared mustard! Sorry for the confusion.
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Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic – Chow Hub
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Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic | Sunlight Newswire
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Pingback: 25+ Vegan Condiments to Always Keep On Hand in 2018
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Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic - recipequicks
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Sandrine M. — September 25, 2018 @ 12:47 pm Reply
This recipe is amazing! Spicy, smokey and sweet! I’M IN LOVE!!
Rating: 5
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Ann — October 30, 2018 @ 9:09 pm Reply
Great recipe! I used maple syrup since I didn’t have either sugar suggested, then I made BBQ Jack sandwiches. It turned out good and hit just the right comfort food button on a snowy cold night.
This is a keeper.
Rating: 5
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Robert Johnson — November 30, 2018 @ 10:32 pm Reply
I have made and recommend this. Why not make your own vegan Worcestershire sauce?
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Sarah — December 1, 2018 @ 10:23 pm Reply
That’s a great idea! Thanks for the inspiration. :)
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Alice — January 4, 2019 @ 4:08 pm Reply
Thanks. Very good. I made a couple cups of and guesstimated amounts. I think you can eyeball everything as long as used to cooking. I used Mexican Piloncillo sugar (brown unrefined sugar). Next time I’m going to chop up some onion very, very fine to add. I like the little extra crunch. I’m using it for pull no-pork using green banana peels. I will be making this for my BBQ from now on. Thank you for such an easy delicious staple.
-
Pingback: Homemade Fries Recipe - Food + Drink - Living and Lifestyles
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Wendy — February 16, 2019 @ 2:22 pm Reply
Babrbeque sauce was excellent, I used lemon juice vs. white vinegar. Highly recommend. We used it in vegan pulled pork recipe by minalmist Baker. Terrific combo.
Rating: 5
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Sarah — February 17, 2019 @ 3:29 pm Reply
Awesome! So glad to hear that. Thank you!
-
Linda — March 19, 2019 @ 1:56 pm Reply
Could you freeze it?
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Carole joyce — September 9, 2020 @ 10:59 pm Reply
I do all the time , in fact the flavour is actually better after its been defrosted if that’s at all possible
-
Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic | Being Vegetarian
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janine Tacey — May 1, 2019 @ 1:41 pm Reply
Thank you so much for this simple recipe. It’s great to know what’s in my barbecue sauce.
I doubled the recipe and got one and a half cups. I added a drizzle of pure maple syrup to make it little bit sweeter and a few drops of liquid smoke. I will be using to make my pulled soy curls today. No More store bought for me! Five stars*****
Rating: 5
-
Pingback: 40 Plant Based Vegan BBQ Recipes for Every Summer Gathering -
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Happy — October 21, 2019 @ 7:15 pm Reply
Wow wow so delicious!!! Thank you!!!
Rating: 5
-
Sarette Fahey — January 1, 2020 @ 7:43 pm Reply
Was a bit too acidic for my tastebuds the first time around but the overall taste was fantastic. So this time I increased the coconut sugar and added that first to the pot to melt and caramelised. Absolute amazing keep recipe. Thank you
Rating: 5
-
Pingback: Best 22 Recipes with Bbq Sauce - Best Round Up Recipe Collections
-
Marc Lawrence — January 26, 2020 @ 6:10 pm Reply
This is better than any bbq sauce I’ve ever tasted! I’ll make this instead of any store bought sauce I’ve purchased in the past.
-
Sarah — January 28, 2020 @ 11:52 am Reply
So glad you like it! Thanks for the review!
-
sandy allen — February 29, 2020 @ 4:40 pm Reply
Hi, will definitely be trying this recipe as I need to make my own because I have never liked smoke flavour so will just use ordinary paprika, but when you include 1/2 t chilli powder do you mean US chilli seasoning or hot Indian chilli powder please?
-
Sarah — March 1, 2020 @ 11:23 am Reply
Just standard chili powder, not hot.
-
Alison — April 6, 2020 @ 4:16 pm Reply
Love this recipe!! Quick easy an delicious. I make it to mix with black beans for bbq bean wraps for lunch.
Thanks for sharing if.
Rating: 5
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Antoine — May 31, 2020 @ 4:07 pm Reply
Good recipe but proportions need adjustment. 1/2 teaspoon of pepper is just an insane amount in such a small quantity of sauce, even 1/4 is quite a bit! First batch was ruined because of that, pepper completely overpowers everything else. Second batch I added about 1/8 a teaspoon of pepper and it turned out great (as mentioned in the comments, be mindful of the type of chili powder you use, it is not specified in the recipe itself but if you add hot chili powder it will also make this recipe very HOT.
Bottom line is, watch the combination of pepper and chili and you should be fine! I found that what works best is to try as you go and adjust.
Finally, for the smoke lovers, a touch of liquid smoke goes a long way!
Rating: 3.5
-
Pingback: CAULIFLOWER BURGER (VEGAN & SUPER CRISPY) - Deneen Natural Health
-
Joan — December 18, 2020 @ 12:52 am Reply
We made your BBQ sauce. Initially I thought it’s flavor was going to be a little too intense. However we baked some Ikea veggieballs and tossed them into the sauce. We served them on a toasted bun with some creamy coleslaw. It was fantastic. Our new favorite. Thanks so much.
-
Joan — December 18, 2020 @ 12:57 am Reply
Oops. Forgot to rate your recipe
Rating: 5
-
Pingback: Vegan MoFo Day 14: Bon appetit, ding dongs – Emily N Cannon
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Pam — June 13, 2021 @ 5:07 pm Reply
I made this to as the BBQ sauce for Minimalist Baker’s BBQ Jackfruit sandwiches. This sauce was amazing! So much flavor depth. I will not buy another bottle of manufactured BBQ sauce. This is way better than anything on the shelf and does not have the extra garbage they add. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Rating: 5
-
Sarah — June 13, 2021 @ 8:44 pm Reply
Thank you so much for the review, Pam!
-
Angela — December 2, 2021 @ 2:55 pm Reply
All I can say is EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT!!! I am new to eating a plant based diet and so many of the premade sauces are “hot”. I don’t do hot at all so I left out the pepper and this was perfect for me. So happy!!! Thx.
Rating: 5
-
Janice — April 25, 2022 @ 7:18 pm Reply
The taste is on point. Great recipe and so easy to make!!! My husband loved it. I will not buy BBQ sauce again.
Thank you.
-
Melanie — November 7, 2022 @ 9:46 pm Reply
I made this tonight for my mushroom veggie burgers and it is AMAZING!!!! You’re right – I will NEVER buy bbq sauce again! The only thing missing was big fat potato Thank you!!!!!!! Does it freeze well?!?! I’ll go read the comments but in case that’s not addressed can you please let me know? Thanks!
Rating: 5
-
Sarah — November 9, 2022 @ 2:18 pm Reply
I’m so glad you enjoy it as much as I do! I haven’t tried it but it should freeze well!
-
Pingback: The Best Vegan Chicken Recipes
-
Karen Woodhead — January 6, 2024 @ 2:03 pm Reply
Is this English mustard or American please
-
Sarah — January 6, 2024 @ 3:32 pm Reply
I use Dijon mustard but any kind will work!
Leave a Reply
Casey the College Celiac — August 17, 2017 @ 9:57 pm Reply
This sounds scrumptious! I haven’t had BBQ sauce in forever, so this is perfect timing…
Pingback: Recipes, Round-Ups and Q+A
Heather — August 24, 2017 @ 5:10 pm Reply
How long will this sauce keep?
-
Sarah — August 24, 2017 @ 5:42 pm Reply
It will definitely keep for 1 week, sealed in the refrigerator. It might last longer but we usually use it up before then. :)
-
Sandrine — September 25, 2018 @ 12:45 pm
Is it normal that you state 3 weeks in the recipe? :)
-
Sarah — September 25, 2018 @ 2:44 pm
Yes! So long as it’s sealed in the refrigerator it should hold up that long. This could vary depending on different circ*mstances so always be sure to do a smell test before eating. ;)
-
sam — March 20, 2018 @ 6:05 pm Reply
As a kitchen manager, I can tell you it will keep for 28 days minimum in ambient conditions. (room temperature)
always label your sauces to make sure they don’t go out of date and set a reminder on your phone for when they do so you don’t forget, ;-)
-
Sarah — March 20, 2018 @ 6:14 pm Reply
Thanks for the tip, Sam!
Jade — May 25, 2018 @ 11:44 am Reply
Is this suitable for canning so that it will keep in my pantry?
-
Sarah — May 25, 2018 @ 7:16 pm Reply
Hi Jade! I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. I’m not an expert in canning though. :)
Pingback: Cauliflower Burger (Vegan & Super Crispy) - Vegan Heaven
Barbara — June 25, 2018 @ 12:27 pm Reply
Does this call for prepared mustard or dry mustard?
-
Sarah — June 25, 2018 @ 4:01 pm Reply
Prepared mustard! Sorry for the confusion.
Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic – Chow Hub
Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic | Sunlight Newswire
Pingback: 25+ Vegan Condiments to Always Keep On Hand in 2018
Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic - recipequicks
Sandrine M. — September 25, 2018 @ 12:47 pm Reply
This recipe is amazing! Spicy, smokey and sweet! I’M IN LOVE!!
Rating: 5
Ann — October 30, 2018 @ 9:09 pm Reply
Great recipe! I used maple syrup since I didn’t have either sugar suggested, then I made BBQ Jack sandwiches. It turned out good and hit just the right comfort food button on a snowy cold night.
This is a keeper.
Rating: 5
Robert Johnson — November 30, 2018 @ 10:32 pm Reply
I have made and recommend this. Why not make your own vegan Worcestershire sauce?
-
Sarah — December 1, 2018 @ 10:23 pm Reply
That’s a great idea! Thanks for the inspiration. :)
Alice — January 4, 2019 @ 4:08 pm Reply
Thanks. Very good. I made a couple cups of and guesstimated amounts. I think you can eyeball everything as long as used to cooking. I used Mexican Piloncillo sugar (brown unrefined sugar). Next time I’m going to chop up some onion very, very fine to add. I like the little extra crunch. I’m using it for pull no-pork using green banana peels. I will be making this for my BBQ from now on. Thank you for such an easy delicious staple.
Pingback: Homemade Fries Recipe - Food + Drink - Living and Lifestyles
Wendy — February 16, 2019 @ 2:22 pm Reply
Babrbeque sauce was excellent, I used lemon juice vs. white vinegar. Highly recommend. We used it in vegan pulled pork recipe by minalmist Baker. Terrific combo.
Rating: 5
-
Sarah — February 17, 2019 @ 3:29 pm Reply
Awesome! So glad to hear that. Thank you!
Linda — March 19, 2019 @ 1:56 pm Reply
Could you freeze it?
-
Carole joyce — September 9, 2020 @ 10:59 pm Reply
I do all the time , in fact the flavour is actually better after its been defrosted if that’s at all possible
Pingback: 10 Barbecue Sauce Recipes that are Beyond Basic | Being Vegetarian
janine Tacey — May 1, 2019 @ 1:41 pm Reply
Thank you so much for this simple recipe. It’s great to know what’s in my barbecue sauce.
I doubled the recipe and got one and a half cups. I added a drizzle of pure maple syrup to make it little bit sweeter and a few drops of liquid smoke. I will be using to make my pulled soy curls today. No More store bought for me! Five stars*****
Rating: 5
Pingback: 40 Plant Based Vegan BBQ Recipes for Every Summer Gathering -
Happy — October 21, 2019 @ 7:15 pm Reply
Wow wow so delicious!!! Thank you!!!
Rating: 5
Sarette Fahey — January 1, 2020 @ 7:43 pm Reply
Was a bit too acidic for my tastebuds the first time around but the overall taste was fantastic. So this time I increased the coconut sugar and added that first to the pot to melt and caramelised. Absolute amazing keep recipe. Thank you
Rating: 5
Pingback: Best 22 Recipes with Bbq Sauce - Best Round Up Recipe Collections
Marc Lawrence — January 26, 2020 @ 6:10 pm Reply
This is better than any bbq sauce I’ve ever tasted! I’ll make this instead of any store bought sauce I’ve purchased in the past.
-
Sarah — January 28, 2020 @ 11:52 am Reply
So glad you like it! Thanks for the review!
sandy allen — February 29, 2020 @ 4:40 pm Reply
Hi, will definitely be trying this recipe as I need to make my own because I have never liked smoke flavour so will just use ordinary paprika, but when you include 1/2 t chilli powder do you mean US chilli seasoning or hot Indian chilli powder please?
-
Sarah — March 1, 2020 @ 11:23 am Reply
Just standard chili powder, not hot.
Alison — April 6, 2020 @ 4:16 pm Reply
Love this recipe!! Quick easy an delicious. I make it to mix with black beans for bbq bean wraps for lunch.
Thanks for sharing if.
Rating: 5
Antoine — May 31, 2020 @ 4:07 pm Reply
Good recipe but proportions need adjustment. 1/2 teaspoon of pepper is just an insane amount in such a small quantity of sauce, even 1/4 is quite a bit! First batch was ruined because of that, pepper completely overpowers everything else. Second batch I added about 1/8 a teaspoon of pepper and it turned out great (as mentioned in the comments, be mindful of the type of chili powder you use, it is not specified in the recipe itself but if you add hot chili powder it will also make this recipe very HOT.
Bottom line is, watch the combination of pepper and chili and you should be fine! I found that what works best is to try as you go and adjust.
Finally, for the smoke lovers, a touch of liquid smoke goes a long way!
Rating: 3.5
Pingback: CAULIFLOWER BURGER (VEGAN & SUPER CRISPY) - Deneen Natural Health
Joan — December 18, 2020 @ 12:52 am Reply
We made your BBQ sauce. Initially I thought it’s flavor was going to be a little too intense. However we baked some Ikea veggieballs and tossed them into the sauce. We served them on a toasted bun with some creamy coleslaw. It was fantastic. Our new favorite. Thanks so much.
Joan — December 18, 2020 @ 12:57 am Reply
Oops. Forgot to rate your recipe
Rating: 5
Pingback: Vegan MoFo Day 14: Bon appetit, ding dongs – Emily N Cannon
Pam — June 13, 2021 @ 5:07 pm Reply
I made this to as the BBQ sauce for Minimalist Baker’s BBQ Jackfruit sandwiches. This sauce was amazing! So much flavor depth. I will not buy another bottle of manufactured BBQ sauce. This is way better than anything on the shelf and does not have the extra garbage they add. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Rating: 5
-
Sarah — June 13, 2021 @ 8:44 pm Reply
Thank you so much for the review, Pam!
Angela — December 2, 2021 @ 2:55 pm Reply
All I can say is EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT!!! I am new to eating a plant based diet and so many of the premade sauces are “hot”. I don’t do hot at all so I left out the pepper and this was perfect for me. So happy!!! Thx.
Rating: 5
Janice — April 25, 2022 @ 7:18 pm Reply
The taste is on point. Great recipe and so easy to make!!! My husband loved it. I will not buy BBQ sauce again.
Thank you.
Melanie — November 7, 2022 @ 9:46 pm Reply
I made this tonight for my mushroom veggie burgers and it is AMAZING!!!! You’re right – I will NEVER buy bbq sauce again! The only thing missing was big fat potato Thank you!!!!!!! Does it freeze well?!?! I’ll go read the comments but in case that’s not addressed can you please let me know? Thanks!
Rating: 5
-
Sarah — November 9, 2022 @ 2:18 pm Reply
I’m so glad you enjoy it as much as I do! I haven’t tried it but it should freeze well!
Pingback: The Best Vegan Chicken Recipes
Karen Woodhead — January 6, 2024 @ 2:03 pm Reply
Is this English mustard or American please
-
Sarah — January 6, 2024 @ 3:32 pm Reply
I use Dijon mustard but any kind will work!
Leave a Reply
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