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Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan BBQ Sauce Recipe | Smoky and Sweet Vegan Barbecue Sauce

5/26/20 by Nicole Stevens | Leave a Comment

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5 from 1 vote. Leave your review!

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

Vegan BBQ sauce recipe in a jar

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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.

Vegan barbecue sauce in jar with wooden spoon

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please rate and comment below so others benefit from your experience.

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Vegan BBQ Sauce in jar with wooden spoon

Smoky and Sweet Vegan Barbecue Sauce

This smoky and sweet vegan barbecue sauce recipe is a perfect blend of flavors. Making your own vegan condiments is a delicious way to flavor everything!
5 from 1 vote. Leave your review!
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 8 Servings (makes ~2 cups)
Calories 69 kcal
Cuisine American-inspired, Vegan

Equipment

  • Medium pot

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ⅓ cup ketchup (or tomato paste)
  • 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked salt (or liquid smoke)
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
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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.

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving (⅛ of recipe)Calories: 69 kcalCarbohydrates: 16 gProtein: 1 gSodium: 747 mgPotassium: 189 mgSugar: 13 gVitamin A: 172 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 65 mgIron: 1 mg
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Filed Under: Vegan and Gluten Free Recipes, Vegan Recipes Tagged With: Apple cider vinegar, Brown sugar, Cumin, Dijon mustard, Easy, Garlic powder, Hot sauce, Ketchup, Molasses, Onion powder, Paprika, Sauces, Soy sauce, Vegan Worcestershire sauce

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out. She provides vegans with balanced meals and easy-to-understand nutrition science. As a trusted source of nutrition information, she educates others about vegan diets and how to thrive as a vegan.

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Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

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