This Healthy BBQ Sauce is thick, sweet and tangy, with a hint of smoke and contains 3 times less sugar than a store-bought BBQ sauce. It’s amazing to slather on grilled BBQ chicken, ribs or pulled pork!
After making slow cooker pulled pork I realized I created a healthy BBQ sauce.
I’m not saying you can’t buy organic or natural barbecue sauce. I realize turning your fridge and freezer into “from scratch” oasis is time consuming.
But if you have time and more likely all ingredients in the pantry (I did), then you should make your own homemade BBQ sauce for about 6 times cheaper than store-bought. It’s really easy, too!
Why You Will Love This BBQ Sauce
- Easy: All you have to do is just throw a few simple ingredients and simmer them on the stove for 20 minutes. That’s it!
- Flavorful: This healthy BBQ sauce recipe has the sweetness and spice but most importantly it does taste smoky like store-bought BBQ sauce.
- Healthier: Compared to popular Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce which has 14 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons, mine contains only 5 grams of sugar. Also 2.5 times less sodium and no high fructose corn syrup.
- Budget friendly: It’s no secret that healthier barbecue sauce costs more, save some money and make this!
- Customizable: Need more heat? Add more cayenne. Want it sweeter? Add a pinch more honey.
Reader’s Review
Love this BBQ sauce recipe. I usually do a double batch then freeze so I can just pull out when needed. We use this all the time for Pulled Jack Burgers. Because of this recipe I don’t buy BBQ sauce anymore.
Stephanie
Ingredients for Healthy BBQ Sauce
To make a flavorful BBQ sauce from scratch, you need just a few pantry and fridge staples. No ketchup is required!
- Tomato paste: Thick and flavorful, paste adds a concentrated tomato taste that can’t be matched if you were to use a tomato sauce.
- Applesauce: Adds a sweet taste from natural fructose.
- Molasses: Bittersweet taste that really boosts the flavor in the barbecue sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar and mustard: Sweet ACV and tangy mustard is like yin and yang, you need both for the perfect sauce pairing.
- Honey or maple syrup: Liquid sweetener dissolves well and just a touch adds the right amount of sweet taste.
- Liquid smoke: Gives it a caramel smoky flavor without ever touching the grill or smoker!
- Pantry spices: Onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne for maximum flavor.
Add-ins and Variations
While we love it as is, there are a few ways you can change or add to the flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds additional burst of flavor. Use coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
- Chili powder or hot sauce: Gives additional layer of heat for a spicy BBQ sauce.
- Lemon juice: Use instead of apple cider vinegar. Remember lemon is a bit more tart and well, lemon-y!
- Smoked paprika: For additional smoky flavor or as a substitute for liquid smoke, although the result will not be as smoky as the liquid concentrate.
- Brown sugar: Substitute for molasses plus maple syrup. Only recommended as a substitute if you are out of the recipe ingredients though.
- Chipotle in adobo: If you really want to ramp up that Southwest flavor. I would use only 1 finely chopped chipotle pepper and a tiny bit of its sauce as the heat can really intensify quickly!
- Black pepper: Instead of cayenne pepper for a mild, peppery flavor.
- Splash of bourbon: Boozy BBQ, why not?!
- Orange juice or orange marmalade: Adds a sweeter orange taste. If you love citrus, this could be your new favorite.
- Sweetened applesauce: If all you have on hand is sweetened applesauce, your BBQ sauce will be sweeter or you can reduce the amount of maple syrup used.
How to Make Healthy Barbecue Sauce
It is easy to make in only 2 steps!
- In a small saucepan, add all ingredients and whisk until well combined.
- Bring to a boil, cover half way with a lid to prevent splashing and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir a few times to prevent burning on the bottom. Let cool and transfer to a glass jar.
Recipe Tip
Make once, eat twice: Double the recipe and store it in small batches in the freezer, that way you will always have healthy BBQ sauce on hand!
Ways to Use It
While a spoonful of bold and tangy BBQ sauce is delicious, it’s even better when slathered on your favorite foods!
- Chicken: I like to use it to make BBQ chicken like Instant Pot BBQ chicken breast, baked BBQ chicken breast or even BBQ chicken salad.
- With other meats: Make crockpot BBQ chicken or cranberry turkey meatballs with it during colder months.
- For dipping: Try it with fried tofu or healthy chicken nuggets.
- Burgers: Jazz up chicken burgers or turkey burgers with a BBQ sauce drizzle.
- Potatoes: Skip the butter and sour cream on baked potatoes and add some BBQ sauce! Especially great when making a stuffed potato with shredded chicken and green onions.
- Pizza: Use it along with pineapple to top oatmeal pizza crust, Greek yogurt pizza crust or cottage cheese pizza crust.
How to Store
Make ahead and store: Cook, cool completely (to avoid condensation and thus spoilage) and refrigerate BBQ sauce in an airtight glass jar or any airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
To make it last longer, make sure to use clean utensils each time when serving. If BBQ sauce starts to smell sour, separates oddly or has mold in it, it’s better to discard it.
Freeze: In an airtight freezer safe glass jar or container, leaving some room for expansion, up to 3-4 months.
More Healthy Condiments Recipes
- Hawaiian BBQ sauce
- Healthy honey mustard dressing
- Chimichurri sauce
- Thai sweet chili sauce
- Basil pesto
- Spicy mustard
Be sure to check out all of my healthy sauce and seasonings.
Homemade Healthy BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 6 ounces can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 3 tablespoons molasses, unsulphured
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add water, tomato paste, applesauce, molasses, apple cider vinegar, honey, onion and garlic powders, mustard, liquid smoke, salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- Bring to a boil, cover half way with a lid to prevent splashing and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir a few times to prevent burning on the bottom.
- Let cool and transfer to a glass jar. Makes about 2.5 cups.
- Use as you would use a store bought BBQ sauce or when making Instant Pot ribs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I added arrowroot powder to make it thicker, it really works without changing the flavor. Added a little black pepper & tumeric for medicinal purposes. Just added 1tbsp of Honey to keep sugar, carb content down, no molasses. It taste delicious.
Tasty although only used what I had in cupboard including most likely 10 year old molasses..lol. No liquid smoke as not on hand but added some mucho hot curry which I normally add for the extra kick.. Great base for a much healthier sauce than I throw together so thanks. Plan on freezing what I don’t use for tonight’s not so heart healthy ribs….once a month something not so heart healthy!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Haha, do molasses go bad? Liquid sugar. I would do the same. Yes, we eat not so heart healthy beef 1-2 times a month too.
Oh my, this healthy BBQ sauce was way more delicious than store-bought. Good job!
Is the molasses essential? I cannot have molasses (due to food allergies) and want to know if I can just exclude it, or substitute something else?
Substitute with maple syrup or honey, do not exclude.
Where do you find unsulphured molasses, and is it nonprocessed? They put some awful stuff in that processed stuff.
Depends where you live. You can find Wholesome brand of unsulphured molasses pretty much in any grocery store that has Natural Foods section or on Amazon.
Thanks! I’m planning to use this as a base recipe for Hawaiian style BBQ chicken Pizza for potluck at church next week, I’ll let you know how it turns out! 🙂
Oh, maybe you will share a recipe too?! Did you see this Hawaiian BBQ Sauce recipe I have? Good luck!:)
Sure, I’ll write it down the ingredients when I add them so I don’t forget. I’m not making it till next week cause thats when the potluck is, I also made an Italian stew a while back want the recipe? should I just leave it as a comment?
Sure, no pressure. Yes, in a comment is great!:)
Excellent recipe! I added one tablespoon of natural Worcestershire and a pinch of pepper and was very happy with the the results.
Yay. I do not keep Worcestershire on hand because it always goes bad over 10 years I use it for lol. But definitely proper BBQ sauce has it.
Would you be able to just use more honey rather than molasses? I don’t use it much.
You could, yes. Won’t be exactly the same but close enough.
Thank you for this YUMMY BBQ sauce recipe. I made this and put it on meatloaf my family went crazy. Would it be ok to freeze? Thanks
Yay. I think so.
Hi!! Can’t wait to try this. Where do you get liquid smoke from?
Langley Farm Market. Most grocery stores have it in sauce/condiments aisles. I think Roots has it. I wonder if Pomme does too.
Wow what a clean recipe for BBQ sauce. We regularly consume this stuff, except not the clean versions! Do you think this sauce would be able to be canned?
Yes, I’m sure. It has enough sugar, in a form of molasses and honey. You must love BBQ sauce if you wanna can it LOL.