Homemade No-Cook BBQ Sauce is made with just a handful of healthy pantry ingredients and ready in under 5-minutes. Seriously quick and easy recipe for bbq sauce that’s perfect for everything from beans and tofu, to pizza and burritos, or any protein you’re putting on the grill.
I love this recipe for homemade bbq sauce. It’s quick and easy to make…I’m talking less than 5-minutes total time…and incredibly delicious. Even store bought bbq sauce isn’t as convenient as grabbing a bowl and stirring a few simple ingredients together for a homemade sauce that’s better in every way.
- less expensive than store bought bbq sauce
- customizable….make it sweeter, spicier, tangier to suit your taste buds
- convenient: stir up a batch with pantry ingredients you already have in under 5-minutes
- delicious: mixed up with the perfect ratio of tangy to sweet.
- versatile: brush it onto all your favorite grilled proteins, including beans, tofu and black bean burgers. Dip your sweet potato fries into this incredible homemade bbq sauce.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tomato paste: no thickeners needed in this sauce when you use pure tomato paste. Look for a brand with just one ingredient: tomatoes!
- Cacao powder: Substitute with cocoa powder…the chocolate adds a depth of flavor and subtle sweetness to this rich bbq sauce.
- Date syrup: Naturally sweetens this sauce without the need for molasses or brown sugar. Substitute with maple syrup and add an extra teaspoon cacao powder. Plus, it mixes right in without the need to cook on the stove for the sugar to dissolve.
- Spices: a combination of smoked paprika, chili powder, onion and garlic powder gives this recipe for bbq sauce an authentic bbq sauce flavor…no liquid smoke needed.
- Worcestershire sauce: Sub with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a splash of soy sauce.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is the best choice, but you can also use white vinegar. White wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar can be used in a pinch.
How to make it
This homemade bbq sauce couldn’t be any easier to make! One bowl, 5-minutes and a few pantry ingredients is all you need…oh, grab a spoon too!
Gather the tomato paste, mustard, worcestershire, vinegar, date syrup, cacao powder and spices in a bowl.
Keep stirring until everything is well incorporated and a thick paste is formed.
Start to thin bbq sauce out by adding water in small increments, stirring well after each addition.
Continue until desired consistency is achieved. Taste for flavor. Add more salt or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you’d like some heat.
Pour bbq sauce into a clean jar. Seal tightly and store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Serving and Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
- Freeze in freezer safe containers, with a bit of extra space to allow for expansion, for 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.
- There is no need to boil or cook this homemade bbq sauce. However, if you do use to marinate on any raw animal products, then do put any remaining marinade on the stovetop and boil before using that sauce again.
- Use homemade bbq sauce in baked beans recipes, to cook jackfruit, slather on all your favorite proteins like tofu, tempeh, seitan. Grilled portobello mushrooms are delicious brushed with bbq sauce. BBQ sauce on flatbread pizza? You bet….throw on some pineapple too!
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce (no-cook)
Ingredients
- ½ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoon date syrup sub maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon raw cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients, except water in a bowl.
- Stir vigorously, until a thick, uniform in consistency, paste is achieved.
- Pour in ¼ cup water and stir well to incorporate. Pour in remaining ¼ cup water and mix until well incorporated.
- If bbq sauce is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
- Store in an airtight container for 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Lori
I have a question regarding the Worcestershire sauce. The one that i am familiar with has anchovies in it. Is there a vegan Worcestershire?
Debra Klein
Yes, there are several brands of worcestershire sauce that don’t have anchovies. THis is the vegan worcestershire sauce that I usually buy.