I’ve been perfecting this smoky and sweet vegan BBQ sauce recipe for quite some time now! Lately I’ve been more interested in making my own sauces and condiments at home. This is mostly because I like to control the flavor of my sauces, especially BBQ sauce!
Skill: Easy | Time: 40 min | Yield: 2 cups
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Homemade Vegan BBQ Sauce
Many store-bought barbecue sauces are vegan however making a homemade BBQ sauce ensures that you don’t get any ingredients you don’t want!
The main non-vegan ingredient I see in BBQ sauce is anchovies and/ or Worcestershire sauce (which traditionally contains anchovies). Definitely be on the lookout for this or other non-vegan ingredients like bacon that can easily crop up in a BBQ sauce.
This homemade vegan barbecue sauce recipe is simple to make but does take a bit of time to thicken up. Luckily it makes quite a lot so if you have a lot of grilling to do, this is great to make once and enjoy all week! It should last up to two weeks refrigerated in a sealed jar!
Just get the sauce started before any other components of the recipe, or make in advance.
Smoky and Sweet Vegan Barbecue Sauce
I’m not a huge fan of spicy heat, but I love lots of flavor. This vegan barbecue sauce is smoky and sweet, which is perfect to serve to a wide range of people, especially those who don’t like the heat.
It’s packed with flavor (just look at the list of spices!) but won’t burn your mouth. If you prefer a spicy BBQ sauce, add extra hot sauce or some cayenne pepper to taste.
How to Use Vegan BBQ Sauce
I often use this vegan BBQ sauce recipe to make pulled jackfruit sandwiches. It’s also great when grilling up burgers or seitan!
This vegan barbecue sauce is also ideal to use for baked cauliflower bites! This is an amazingly delicious recipe that makes for a tasty appetizer and is easy to serve to a crowd (just have some napkins handy).
Another great idea for barbecue sauce is to use it as the base for a pizza! I love spreading this smoky and sweet vegan BBQ sauce onto some fresh, homemade pizza crust or a pita bread pizza! I love the combo of pineapple with barbecue sauce on a pizza. Maybe it sounds weird, but if you like pineapple on pizza, give this a try, trust me!
One of the most common ways I use BBQ sauce is to make chickpeas. Simply rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, toss in vegan barbecue sauce and cook in a pan or the oven until the sauce is sticking to the chickpeas. This is a quick and simple topping for Caesar salad (to create a “BBQ chicken” Caesar salad) or to make a vegan BBQ pizza with some extra protein.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please rate and comment below so others benefit from your experience.
More Deliciously Vegan Sauce Recipes
Smoky and Sweet Vegan Barbecue Sauce
Equipment
- Medium-sized Pot
Ingredients
- ½ C brown sugar
- ½ C water
- ⅓ C ketchup (can substitute for tomato paste)
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp smoked salt (can substitute for liquid smoke)
- 1 tsp hot sauce (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized sauce pot.
- Bring the barbecue sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the barbecue sauce has thickened. Your barbecue sauce should coat a spoon but still be runny enough to pour. It will thicken as it cools.
- Use in your favorite vegan barbecue recipes! This sauce will last in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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