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    Home » Dressings & Sauces

    Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Easy homemade bbq sauce pinterest banner.

    This Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce is delicious as it is simple. Sweet, tangy, vegan, and ready in 5 minutes. And, it’s made with super simple ingredients you probably have right now. 

    Easy homemade bbq sauce in jar on table.

    BBQ Sauce should NEVER be bought! Why? Because it’s usually nothing more than a bottle of overpriced red high-fructose corn syrup. That is, unless you’re willing to spend 8-10 bucks on one of the so-called “higher quality” brands. Nope!

    This is one of the the easiest, simplest, and most cost-efficient sauces to make at home. It’s also very manly. So, save your money and strengthen your manhood by making this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce.

    bbq sauce ingredients on counter top with gray dish towel.
    White mixing bowl with whisk and bbq sauce ingredients combined.

    Table of Contents

    • BBQ Sauce Ingredients
    • How To Make Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce
    • Homemade BBQ Sauce
    • Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

    BBQ Sauce Ingredients

    You’re probably thinking there’s some big secret to making a decent homemade barbecue sauce. Nope. It can actually be made with very simple ingredients probably sitting in your fridge right now.

    Here’s what you’ll need:

    • Organic Ketchup: Why organic ketchup? Because it doesn’t have corn syrup in the ingredients. You could also use Simply Heinz as well. Just be sure and read the label. 
    • Maple Syrup: It’s completely optional. So, if you like a more robust bbq sauce just leave it out. I tend to like mine a little sweeter.
    • Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce: Be sure it’s vegetarian. Many brands of Worcestershire sauce use anchovy. A damn fish! In BBQ sauce! So, once again…make sure it’s vegetarian.
    • Low-sodium Soy Sauce or Tamari: If you want to make this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce gluten-free, use Tamari.
    • White Vinegar: It’s completely optional, but I like the “bite” the vinegar adds.
    • Smoked Paprika: Feel free to use regular paprika. It’s completely up to you. But, I LOVE smoky things. 
    • Liquid Smoke: Once again, this is optional. As I said, I love smoky things.
    • Yellow Mustard: Nothing fancy. Just plain, everyday yellow mustard. 
    Easy homemade bbq sauce in jar with spoon.

    How To Make Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

    • Put all your ingredients into a bowl and whisk.
    • Enjoy!

    Told you it was easy. 

    Top view of easy homemade bbq sauce in jar with spoon.

    Homemade BBQ Sauce

    Give this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce a try. I’m sure you’ll like it because it’s..

    • Easy & simple to make
    • Sweet
    • Tangy
    • Smoky
    • Completely customizable
    • Made with everyday ingredients
    • DELICIOUS!

    Use this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce for beans, jackfruit, soy curls, tofu or on top of baked potatoes. It also makes a delicious dipping sauce. Simply heat in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat after whisking. Perfect!

    Looking for more dip and sauce recipes? Try my Oil-Free 8-Minute Marinara Sauce, Game Day Cheese Dip, or Five-Minute Peanut Dipping Sauce. I’m sure you’ll find a use for all of them. 

    Easy homemade bbq sauce on table with spoon and ingredients.

    You know the drill. Like always. If you make this recipe, be sure and let me know! Leave a comment, RATE IT, and tag a photo #shaneandsimple on Instagram.

    Print
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    Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

    ★★★★★

    5 from 9 reviews

    Print Recipe

    Sweet, tangy, and super delicious homemade vegan barbecue sauce. Super easy to make and ready in less than 5 minutes.

    • Total Time: 2 minutes
    • Yield: 16 servings 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup organic ketchup
    • 1–2 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce 
    • 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
    • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
    • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp. liquid smoke
    • 1 tsp. yellow mustard

    Instructions

    1. Whisk all ingredients together in a small or medium-sized bowl. Store in a glass jar with a screw on top. Will keep in the fridge for about a week.
    • Author: Shane Martin
    • Prep Time: 2 mins.
    • Category: Sauces
    • Cuisine: Vegan
    • Diet: Vegan

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
    • Calories: 29
    • Sugar: 5.7 g
    • Sodium: 231.3 mg
    • Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 2 g
    • Fiber: 0 g
    • Protein: 0.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: vegan, barbecue sauce

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jan G.

      December 18, 2022 at 7:14 pm

      Hi Shane, Can I omit the liquid smoke? I have a thing against it.

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        December 20, 2022 at 11:31 am

        Sure thing. It’s not necessary for the recipe…it’s a personal indulgence for me:)

        Reply
    2. Karen Franks

      July 08, 2022 at 1:41 pm

      Delicious! I’ve never made a homemade bbq sauce before, and this is a keeper!

      Reply
    3. Susan Dorling

      May 21, 2022 at 12:19 pm

      Hey Shane,

      Love this BBQ sauce! Fabulous depth of flavor and it’s super easy to whip up. Better than any commercial sauce I’ve tried.
      I only discovered your blog a few months ago and every recipe I’ve tried so far exceeds all expectations. My vegan journey began in 2014, so I subscribe to at least 20 vegan food blogs — yours is my favorite by far! What can I say, Shane, you are “simply the best.” Really like your style. Thanks for all your great recipes.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        May 22, 2022 at 4:18 pm

        Wow, Susan! Thank you so much for the kind words. Congrats on your journey and for letting me be a part of it, I’m honored! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments.

        Blessings,
        shane

        Reply
    4. Bobbie

      December 18, 2021 at 6:21 pm

      I made this today to use for marinating some tempeh and it is delicious. So easy and quick and no cooking on the stovetop. Instant BBQ sauce!! Thank you for the tasty recipe.

      Reply
    5. Devonne Lopez

      August 29, 2021 at 2:38 pm

      Hello is it the mesquite liquid smoke or the natural Hickory liquid smoke that you used? Thank you

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        August 29, 2021 at 6:05 pm

        Either one. It’s all about preference really.

        Reply
        • Devonne Lopez

          August 29, 2021 at 10:57 pm

          Lol. Yes I know and thank you for responding so quickly. I was just wondering which one you used for this. Thank you again.

          Reply
    6. Greer Powell

      August 14, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      I plan to make your BBQ Sauce. I have read ad nauseam information on vegan maple syrup brands—many list sugar as an ingredient but fail to specify if it is organic, You mentioned Well Your World in a previous comment. Would that same company be your recommendation for maple syrup? I thank you in advance.

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        August 14, 2021 at 10:38 pm

        Greer, bottom line, any organic maple syrup will be fine.

        Reply
    7. Katrina White

      May 15, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      So good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Diane K

      March 25, 2021 at 7:30 pm

      So I had a “Bob Ross” happy little accident moment making the bbq sauce. I accidentally grabbed sesame oil instead of liquid smoke. Not wanting to dump out all the ingredients, I just also added the liquid smoke. Delicious, I may just make this mistake every time.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Cynthia

      March 20, 2021 at 10:28 am

      You nailed it Shane. Simple, quick and absolutely deelicious! I had some roasted garlic and onion on hand and threw that in the blender with all the other ingredients and it was better than my regular recipe I have been using for years!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Luci

      February 09, 2021 at 5:10 pm

      Can I make a double or triple batch of this yummy bbq sauce and freeze it?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        February 12, 2021 at 10:39 am

        Yes!

        Reply
    11. Carolyn Wheeler

      July 12, 2020 at 4:29 pm

      Sorry, forgot to give it a star rating.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        July 14, 2020 at 11:12 am

        Much appreciated:)

        Reply
    12. Amanda

      May 27, 2020 at 3:14 pm

      What brand of ketchup do you use?

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        May 27, 2020 at 5:46 pm

        I use any organic ketchup or one that does not use corn syrup. If you are looking for one that salt, oil, and sugar free you should look at the Well Your World brand. Excellent products! Here is a link: https://wellyourworld.com/collections/all-product/products/tomato-ketchup?variant=29168760684647

        Reply
    13. Patricia Kurschinski

      February 23, 2020 at 11:32 pm

      The best BBQ sauce ever! Yum

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        February 24, 2020 at 8:52 am

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    14. Cici

      October 29, 2019 at 11:02 am

      Great recipe but liquid smoke, smoked paprika have excitotoxins? Allergy trigger. Any suggestions? May try with sun dried tomatoes. Thanks for all you do to make it easy to cook.

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        October 29, 2019 at 12:57 pm

        Hi, CiCi. I would encourage you to read this article by Dr. Michael Greger and hopefully, it will answer your question. I would definitely encourage you to try and make it with sun-dried tomatoes as they are some of my favorite things to use. I hope this helps and thanks for your kind words. Blessings.

        https://nutritionfacts.org/2015/04/14/does-liquid-smoke-cause-cancer/

        Reply
    15. Madeline Reynolds

      September 23, 2019 at 11:08 am

      Thank you Shane for the BBQ sauce recipe. I am an Innkeeper/restaurant manager in Belize and new convert to WFPB living. We often get requests for BBQ Sauce. Since I hate the bottled stuff (so much high fructose!) your recipe is a quick and easy substitute. My staff is amazed on how great the BBQ sauce tastes

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        September 23, 2019 at 2:24 pm

        Wow, that’s great! I’ve always wanted to visit Belize. One day, hopefully. And, great to hear about your “conversion”. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments. I’m so honored you’re using my BBQ sauce. Thank you!!!

        Reply
    16. Todd

      April 03, 2019 at 2:45 am

      What could I substitute for the Worcestershire sauce? I have been unable to locate any vegan versions locally. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Shane Martin

        April 03, 2019 at 10:05 am

        Todd, try this: 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup and a dash of hot sauce for every tablespoon Worcestershire.

        Reply
      • Carolyn Wheeler

        July 12, 2020 at 4:28 pm

        This recipe is crazy good!! It’s even better than the standard recipe which I have made for years and loved. The only variation I did was that I did not use a store-bought Worcester sauce. I couldn’t find a vegan one either, so I searched online, found a recipe, made my own vegan Worcester sauce, and used that.

        This is a keeper for sure!! 🙂

        Reply
        • Shane Martin

          July 14, 2020 at 11:12 am

          Thank you, Carolyn!!!

          Reply
    17. Maureen Longlade

      February 17, 2019 at 10:21 am

      I made this BBQ sauce yesterday& we dipped our breaded tofu strips in it. It was delicious. The best I’ve tried yet & the easiest. It’s a keeper for sure. ?Thank you.

      Reply
    18. Shane Martin

      February 12, 2019 at 1:58 pm

      Simple, easy and delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Trica Stopowski

        January 09, 2023 at 4:59 pm

        So easy and tasty! I will make it again and again. Thanks!

        ★★★★★

        Reply

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