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The BEST Vegan BBQ Sauce: sweet, tomato-y, tangy, and smoky! Save yourself the hassle of finding a good bottled vegan sauce and make it yourself. This sauce is ready in a few simple steps and is perfect for topping, drizzling, and dipping!
Growing up in and spending a good part of my adult life the South, I’ve eaten my share of delicious BBQ sauces. The perfect ones are sweet, tangy, jammy, smoky, and thick enough to slather. Great for topping everything from grilled proteins, brushing on sandwiches, drizzling on fries, and dipping everything in-between.
Though many barbecues sauces are vegan, not all are (more on that below!). So, when I became vegan, I quickly added barbecue sauce to my list of recipes to veganize.
After much experimentation and testing, I landed on this recipe. It’s dimensional (smoky, tangy, and so much rich tomato), sweet, saucy, and dippable. In short, checking all the boxes! I adored and made it so much that it quickly earned a spot in my first cookbook, Sweet Potato Soul.
Today I am sharing that recipe with you here on the blog. In the 7 years since publishing, I’ve perfected a few optional flavor enhancements, shared a few vegan serving suggestions, and have additional tried-and-true pro-tips. Let’s get cookin’!
Is BBQ Sauce Vegan?
Though some store-bought brands and homemade barbecue sauce recipes are vegan, not all are. Those that contain animal or animal-derived ingredients, such as honey, Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies), or gelatin, are not vegan. Super strict vegans may also want to be cautious of brands that use white sugar, which is often processed on animal bone char. Look for organic cane sugar instead.
This recipe has vegan Worcestershire sauce and no honey, white sugar, or gelatin, making it a delicious vegan BBQ sauce option you can trust!
Ingredients
Aromatics: Onion and garlic turn sweet and nutty when lightly caramelized, creating a dimensional flavor base to this vegan barbecue sauce recipe.
Avocado Oil: For sautéeing the aromatics. Don’t have it? Substitute another neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed. Even olive oil works fine.
Tomato Paste: Rich, jammy, and full of tomato flavor, no BBQ sauce is complete without it! You will need 1/4 cup.
Ketchup: For sweetness, tang, and texture! To keep this BBQ sauce vegan, use vegan ketchup, or one made with organic pure cane sugar. I buy mine from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s (which is a little more acidic).
Apple Cider Vinegar: Enhances that mouth-watering tang, providing a light fruitiness. If needed, substitute distilled white vinegar. For extra dimension, you can also use red wine vinegar.
Molasses: Adds a deep caramel flavor to the vegan barbecue sauce. Use dark (also called medium) molasses.
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: Traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so it’s important to use a vegan version (whether store-bought or homemade) to keep the recipe plant-based. Look for it at Kroger, health food stores, or online.
Smooth Dijon Mustard: For some light pepper and spice!
Liquid Smoke: No barbecue sauce is complete without some smoky dimension! We can achieve this easily by using 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke.
Soy Sauce: For savory, salty undertones. If needed, use low-sodium or tamari soy sauce.
How to Make Vegan BBQ Sauce
Your next favorite plant-based condiment is ready in just a few simple steps:
- Sauté Aromatics. Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 4-6 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent.
- Add Remaining Ingredients. Add the Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, molasses, soy sauce, ketchup, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook the sauce for 20 minutes, or until thickened and a dark red color.
- Blend. Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture until it becomes a thick sauce. You can also add the mixture to a high-speed blender. Remove the steam vent from the lid (covering it with a towel) to prevent splattering.
- Enjoy. Use the BBQ sauce immediately as directed or store it covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Jenné’s Recipe Tips
- Keep an eye on the pan. Don’t step away from it for too long while sauteing and simmering. Stir the onions and garlic periodically to prevent burning and check the sauce as it simmers to gauge its progress or adjust the heat if needed.
- How to know the sauce is ready. It will be ready after simmering for 20 minutes or when it has thickened and turned a deep red.
- Blending options: Ensure smooth vegan barbecue sauce by blending it in the saucepan with an immersion blender. Don’t have one? Carefully transfer the sauce to a high-speed blender. Vent the lid, then drape it with a clean cloth before blending to prevent messy and dangerous hot splatters.
Flavor Enhancements
Add your own spin to this vegan BBQ sauce recipe by trying any of the following tasty variations:
- Bourbon BBQ: For rich caramel and oak undertones, add 1/3 cup of your favorite bourbon with the other ingredients.
- Peach: One of my favorite late summer variations, when peaches are the freshest! Replace the tomato paste with 4 ripe, pitted and chopped peaches. Also add 4 large pitted and chopped medjool dates, plus 2 tsp of smoked paprika. Bring to a simmer as directed.
- Chipotle: For a spicy, smoky kick, stir 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers) into the BBQ sauce before simmering.
- Sweet Maple: If you’re a fan of the finger-licking sweet style, BBQ sauce, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup in with the vegan Worcestershire and other liquids.
- Gluten-Free: Swap liquid coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari soy sauce for traditional to make this recipe without gluten.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this vegan and vegetarian BBQ sauce anywhere you would the traditional, such as as a dip with your favorite veganized BBQ meals (Vegan Chicken Nuggets, Vegan Fried Chicken, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, or loaded Sweet Potato Waffle Fries) or slathered on Mushroom Veggie Sliders, BBQ Tempeh Sandwich, and other plant-based sandwiches and wraps.
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the plant-based BBQ sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the cooled BBQ sauce. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container or silicone tray and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the sauce overnight in the refrigerator or on the stovetop over low heat.
More Vegan Sauce and Dressing Recipes
- Everything Stir Fry Sauce
- Vegan Tzatziki Sauce
- Avocado Dressing
- Creamy Miso Tahini Dressing
- Vegan Caesar Dressing
- Vegan Sour Cream
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Vegan BBQ Sauce
Video
Equipment
- immersion blender or high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil, or other neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow or Vidalia onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 1/2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp soy sauce, or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 4-6 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, molasses, soy sauce, ketchup, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar. Stir well to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook the sauce for 20 minutes, or until thickened and a dark red color.
- Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture until it becomes a thick sauce. You can also add the mixture to a high-speed blender. Remove the steam vent from the lid (covering it with a towel) to prevent splattering.
- Use the BBQ sauce immediately as directed, or cool it to room temperature before refrigerating it in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing: You can also freeze the cooled BBQ sauce. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container or silicone tray and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the sauce overnight in the refrigerator or on the stovetop over low heat.
- Keep an eye on the pan. Don’t step away from it for too long while sauteing and simmering. Stir the onions and garlic periodically to prevent burning and check the sauce as it simmers to gauge its progress or adjust the heat if needed.
- How to know the sauce is ready. It will be ready after simmering for 20 minutes or when it has thickened and turned a deep red.
- Blending options: Ensure smooth vegan barbecue sauce by blending it in the saucepan with an immersion blender. Don’t have one? Carefully transfer the sauce to a high-speed blender to blend and vent, and then drape the lid with a clean cloth before blending to prevent messy and dangerous hot splatters.
