Mobile Menu

  • Home
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Basics
    • Vegan Breakfast
    • Vegan Starters
    • Vegan Entrees
    • Vegan Sides
    • Vegan Desserts
    • Vegan Soups And Salads
    • Vegan Sandwiches & Burgers
    • Vegan Sauces And Dressings
  • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Vegetarian Entrees
    • Vegetarian Starters
    • Vegetarian Desserts
  • Drinks
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Wow, It's Veggie?!

Delicious food you won't believe is vegan and vegetarian!

  • Home
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Basics
    • Vegan Breakfast
    • Vegan Starters
    • Vegan Entrees
    • Vegan Sides
    • Vegan Desserts
    • Vegan Soups And Salads
    • Vegan Sandwiches & Burgers
    • Vegan Sauces And Dressings
  • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Vegetarian Entrees
    • Vegetarian Starters
    • Vegetarian Desserts
  • Drinks
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Search
close up of vegan bbq sauce on a spoon

Best-Ever Vegan BBQ Sauce Recipe

You are here: Home / Vegan Basics / Best-Ever Vegan BBQ Sauce Recipe

September 22, 2020 //  by Victoria Yore//  Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe
1shares

This is the best vegan BBQ sauce recipe you will ever taste! Just the smell of it alone will ensure you will never go back to buying the packaged kind from the store!

Homemade vegan barbecue sauce is so versatile and can be used in so many recipes. You are going to love it!

I created this recipe using all whole-food ingredients so that you can have the tastiest and best vegan BBQ sauce ever!

vegan bbq sauce in a storage jar with a spoon scooping it out

For example, instead of onion powder, we use real onions. Instead of garlic powder, we use real garlic. No slight against using powders, I use them all the time, but sometimes you just want the best flavor possible and nothing beats the real thing!

You can use this recipe for vegan BBQ sauce as a starting point to make your own sauce the way you want.

You know your tastes! You know if you like something sweeter, so add a little bit more sugar. You know if you like something spicier, so add some more spice to kick up the heat!

This healthy vegan barbecue sauce is way better than the stuff you buy at the stores because it doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup or any bad additives mean to make the sauce shelf stable.

You can eat this sauce and enjoy a guilt-free meal knowing that you are in charge of everything that goes into it!

jar of vegan bbq sauce from above on a cutting board

Is BBQ Sauce Vegan?

The short answer is no, the BBQ sauce you get from the store isn’t vegan.

Many people think that BBQ sauce is naturally vegan, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! This is why I developed this easy recipe so you can enjoy it on the cheap with no animal products.

Most store bought BBQ sauces use either honey, anchovies, or both. Don’t ask me why tiny fish are being used inside of a BBQ sauce but they are. Honey is obviously used for sweetening.

Some BBQ sauces contain other additives and ingredients made from ground animal bones used during processing of the additives as well. If you don’t know what to look for, you may totally miss this too.

The best and safest bet is to make your own homemade BBQ sauce that is 100% vegan and super tasty!

close up of vegan barbecue sauce in a spoon

How To Make Homemade Vegan BBQ Sauce

This recipe for vegan barbecue sauce is pretty quick and easy! The only thing that takes a little time is sauteing the veggies as you must cook them until soft.

First, you are going to heat oil over medium heat and add your onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chilies. If you don’t like hot peppers, leave the chilies off the recipe!

As I said above, making your own BBQ sauce is super easy to customize!

Saute and cook until softened which usually takes about 5 minutes.

Then, stir in the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt, and oregano and cook for about 5-7 minutes longer until all of the flavors are well combined!

close up of homemade vegan barbecue sauce in a jar with a tan towel

Now, simply transfer the vegan BBQ sauce mixture to a blender or food processor.

Puree until smooth, just like you would do a soup recipe.

Return the sauce to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.

Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and cook until thick which takes about 20 minutes.

After the vegan barbecue sauce has thickened, stir in the liquid smoke if you want to use it.

Serve warm if you are eating it immediately!

I know this sounds a little more labor intensive than all of the other quick and easy vegan BBQ sauce recipes out there, but it is well worth it to get that low and slow cooked flavor of goodness!

Making your own BBQ sauce without ketchup is incredibly easy and just takes a little bit of your time!

close up on a spoon scooping up vegan bbq sauce from a jar

What To Eat With Vegan Barbecue Sauce

There are so many ways to use BBQ sauce in vegan cooking! The options are truly endless!

To give you some ideas, here are a few suggestions on how you can use it!

  • Use it as a pasta sauce for a vegan pasta
  • Use it in place of ketchup for Veggie Burgers
  • Top your Vegan Meatloaf with it instead of ketchup
  • Dip your fries or Potato Wedges into it.
  • Use it to top a baked potato
  • Use it as a marinade for baked tofu
  • Grill your veggies in it

As you can see, these are just a few of the many ways you can incorporate BBQ sauce into a vegan diet! I promise you that making it yourself will change your vegan cooking forever!

spoon filled with vegan barbecue sauce on bread board with container in the back

How To Store Homemade BBQ Sauce

This vegan BBQ sauce can store well in the fridge for 4-6 days in an air-tight container.

Many people like to eat BBQ sauce cold, so if you like cold sauce, go ahead and take it straight from the fridge and eat it right away.

If you prefer your barbecue sauce to be warm, simply reheat the sauce in a small pan over low heat until warmed throughout for best results.

I have not frozen this sauce and don’t recommend it! I wouldn’t store the sauce for over 7 days though as it starts to get a little funky but it is amazing up until then!

spoon scooping up vegan barbecue sauce

Did You Try This Recipe?

If so, I would love to keep in touch! I enjoy seeing photos and comments about the recipes that you make! You can follow me on Instagram and I will repost your goodies in my stories and comment on it too! Just tag me at @wowitsveggie and hashtag #wowitsveggie. I can’t wait to see what you make!

Continue to Content
Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Best-Ever Vegan BBQ Sauce Recipe

vegan bbq sauce in a storage jar with a spoon scooping it out

Learning how to make your own vegan BBQ sauce will change your life! This recipe is filled with the good stuff and none of the bad that you find in traditional store-bought sauces.

Use this vegan barbecue sauce recipe as a starting point and customize it to your tastes. More sugar? More heat? Fix it just the way you like it!

Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1-2 fresh hot chilies, chopped [optional]
  • 1 14.5 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke [optional]
  • oil for cooking

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot, heat oil and saute your onion, garlic, bell pepper, and chiles until soft and cooked. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
  2. Next, add in your crushed tomatoes, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and oregano and saute for 5 more minutes until well combined.
  3. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth. There should be no lumps or bumps left.
  4. Return the vegan BBQ sauce to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
  5. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until the BBQ sauce thickens. If using, stir in the liquid smoke.
  6. Serve the barbecue sauce either hot or cold, depending on your preferences.

Nutrition Information

Yield

48

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 18Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 62mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 0gSugar 3gProtein 0g
© Victoria Yore
Category: Vegan Basics

Category: Vegan Basics, Vegan Recipes

Previous Post: «crackers topped with vegan caviar on a plate 5-Ingredient Vegan Caviar Recipe
Next Post: Easy Vegan Thousand Island Dressing vegan thousand island dressing in jar with salad in the background»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Me:

about me for Wow It's Veggie?!

Hello! I’m Victoria, a lifelong vegetarian and “sometimes” vegan. I live with my mom who has been vegan since the 80’s!

I’m going to be honest, I hate cooking but I love eating! These vegetarian and vegan recipes are created with people like me in mind. Who love to eat hearty and delicious food, but hate spending hours in the kitchen or searching for weird ingredients!

I hope you enjoy these recipes that are so good that you won’t believe they are vegan or vegetarian!

Search Wow, It’s Veggie?!

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Wow It’s Veggie Privacy Policy

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from Qualifying Purchases.

Copyright © 2021 Wow, It's Veggie?! ยท All Rights Reserved