12-Minute Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe (Vegan Friendly!)

Ready to try your hand at making your own BBQ sauce? This quick and easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe will have you feeling like a pro saucier in no time!

Learn how to whip up BBQ sauce at home in less than 15 minutes! This recipe is made with 8 simple ingredients, including ketchup and brown sugar, and can be made completely vegan-friendly by using vegan versions of those ingredients.

Homemade sauce is such an easy way to elevate your meals, and this one is so simple and quick, that even as a time-strapped mom, I find myself making it often!

I love to prep it ahead of time and use it throughout the week for meals like these BBQ Jackfruit Quesadillas.

The condiment is a great accompaniment to many dishes, especially if you’re grilling up some veggies or a plant-based burger. With its perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, this do-it-yourself BBQ sauce tastes great on everything!

Homemade BBQ Sauce Ingredients

---

Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Vegan or Regular Ketchup. Ketchup adds a delicious sweet and vibrant tomato taste to this BBQ sauce. Keep in mind, ketchup is not always vegan! More on that later.
• Apple Cider Vinegar. This provides that classic tang that you want in any finger-licking BBQ sauce!
• Vegan or Regular Brown Sugar. Again, while sugar itself is a vegan product, depending on the way it’s manufactured, it may not be. Look for words like “raw” and “unrefined” to ensure it’s not processed with animal bone char.
• Paprika. To ramp up the sweetness, the color, and gives it a slightly peppery taste.
• Chili Powder. More peppery goodness! Note that chili powder is not generally spicy. If you want a little bit of spice in your sauce, I recommend adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Ground Cumin. For some earthiness and a mild citrus flavor.
• Salt & Pepper. For extra oomph.

How to Find Vegan Ketchup

Ketchup is not always vegan, depending on the sugar additive used. The easiest way to tell if ketchup is vegan is to look for vegan labels on the ketchup bottle.

Alternatively, you can check the ingredients and make sure the sugar in the ketchup is certified organic to ensure the ketchup is not from a plant that uses bone char to process their sugar or look for a sugar-free alternative (often, these ketchups will use corn syrup in place of sugar).

The ketchup I used in the plant-based BBQ sauce pictured is Annie’s Organic Ketchup. I love using Annie’s for this recipe because it is made from wholesome ingredients and strikes a great balance between savory and sweet.

Here is a list of ketchup that are safe for vegans for your convenience:

• Annie’s Organic Ketchup
• Primal Kitchen Unsweetened Ketchup
• Heinz Organic Ketchup
• True Made Foods Ketchup
• Hunt’s Classic Ketchup
• Del Monte Ketchup
• 365 Organic Ketchup (exclusive to Whole Foods)
• Trader Joe’s Organic Ketchup (exclusive to Trader Joe’s)
• Kroger Original Tomato Ketchup (exclusive to Kroger)
• Great Value Tomato Ketchup (exclusive to Walmart)
• Simply Nature Organic Tomato Ketchup (exclusive to Aldi)
• Greenwise Tomato Ketchup (exclusive to Publix)

Homemade BBQ Sauce Tips and Tricks

---

Cook Your BBQ Sauce Low and Slow

When it comes to DIY sauce and dressing recipes, it all comes down to technique. Start by adding all your ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to a small pot over low heat.

As the sauce thickens, it may start to spatter. Keep your heat low and monitor it closely.

If it starts to spatter, give it a stir. If you are unable to stand over your stove while it’s cooking, simply cover it with a lid, and keep it on the lowest heat.

We don’t want the sauce to stick to the bottom of the pot and burn or to get too thick and almost gluey, so make sure to stir it pretty frequently and monitor it closely.

Use a Whisk to Stir Your Homemade BBQ Sauce

We cook the sauce not just to thicken it, but also to dissolve all the spices and seasonings into the liquid to make a smooth, velvety sauce.

Using a whisk will aid in this process, and ensure you aren’t left with any lumps.

Serving Up Your BBQ Sauce

This homemade BBQ sauce is great on almost anything! Here are some of my favorite plant-based recipe ideas to serve up this BBQ sauce:

• Vegan BBQ Tofu Sandwich.
• Vegan BBQ Tempeh Sandwich.
• Baked Old Bay Fries.

How to Properly Store Homemade BBQ Sauce

The apple cider vinegar acts as a natural preservative in this plant-based BBQ sauce, so when stored correctly, it can last for about 2 weeks.

Just keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Check for signs of bacterial growth, texture change, or an “off” smell or taste if enjoying after 14 days.

You can also freeze individual servings for up to 3 months, and just allow the sauce to defrost before using it.