This super easy no-cook BBQ sauce is here to replace your go-to store-bought barbecue sauce! It’s loaded with flavor, yet it’s made with just 8 simple ingredients. Better yet, this homemade vegan barbecue sauce doesn’t need to be cooked, so you can whip up a batch of it whenever you need it in just 30 seconds!
Barbecue sauce is one of those summer staple ingredients that no grilling season can go without. Using it is an easy way to instantly add great flavor to your favorite summer dishes.
However, if you look at the ingredients of most commercially made BBQ sauces in grocery stores, you’ll see that a lot of them either contain high-fructose corn syrup, or are made with weird, hard-to-pronounce ingredients that definitely don’t sound healthy.
Of course, there are fancier BBQ sauce brands made with organic ingredients and no high fructose corn syrup, but those are usually way more pricey.
Besides, if you’re vegan, you’ve got to watch out for animal-derived ingredients.
Case in point: Worcestershire sauce, a popular barbecue sauce ingredient that’s made with anchovies.
A while ago, I decided to develop my own homemade BBQ sauce recipe because I wasn’t a fan of the sauces I saw at grocery stores.
I wanted to create a simple no-cook vegan BBQ sauce with only a handful of vegan-friendly ingredients. My ideal sauce would have the classic, smoky-sweet barbecue sauce flavor, yet it should be easy enough to make on demand whenever I needed it.
After experimenting with various pantry staples and their proportions, I finally arrived at this recipe.
Today I’m excited to share my easy homemade BBQ sauce recipe with you!
Why You’ll Love My Easy No-Cook BBQ Sauce Recipe
- Its flavor is a perfect blend of savory, slightly sweet, slightly tangy, with just a touch of smokiness – exactly as your current favorite BBQ sauce.
- It’s made with just 8 pantry ingredients (no vinegar) that you probably already have at home.
- It’s made without Worcestershire sauce or honey, which makes it vegan.
- It doesn’t need to be cooked – perfect for hot summer days!
- It comes together in just 30 seconds: whisk all the ingredients together, and you’re good to go!
- It works well for marinating, cooking, grilling, as a dip for veggies or chicken nuggets (vegan or not), etc.
- You can adjust the flavor to your taste by playing with the ingredient proportions.
Want to see me make this barbeque sauce? Watch this video on my YouTube channel:
8-Ingredient BBQ Sauce Recipe Ingredients
For ingredient substitutions, please scroll to the next section below.
FROM THE FRIDGE:
Organic ketchup. Did you know that it’s super easy to make BBQ sauce from ketchup? It’s a no-brainer: ketchup has the right consistency, plus its flavor has a built-in tanginess that replaces the need to use some type of vinegar. If you can’t find organic ketchup, just make sure to use a brand with no high fructose corn syrup added.
Low sodium soy sauce. Adds saltiness that’s more complex in flavor than using regular table salt. Besides, regular salt may be tricky to dissolve without cooking the BBQ sauce.
Sriracha. Used here to enhance the flavor and add a spicy kick. Feel free to use more if you like a spicy BBQ sauce.
Dijon mustard. Compliments the spiciness of sriracha and rounds up the flavor of the BBQ sauce.
FROM THE PANTRY:
Blackstrap molasses. A must-have ingredient for achieving that complex, smoky-sweet flavor that the traditional barbecue sauce is famous for. There are a few types of molasses – light, dark, and blackstrap. While the first two will work in a pinch, I suggest using blackstrap molasses because they have the most robust flavor.
Onion powder and garlic powder. A great way to add onion and garlic flavor without the additional liquid and volume that comes with fresh garlic and onion. Heads up: By “powder” I mean the small granules that look like sand, NOT the super-finely ground stuff that looks like flour.
Liquid smoke. Just a few drops of liquid smoke will add LOTS of deliciously smoky flavor. An important enhancement for vegans like myself who aren’t planning to use this BBQ sauce on grilled meat.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you don’t want to use some of the ingredients I listed above (or don’t have them on hand), here are a few useful substitutions:
INSTEAD OF KETCHUP: Tomato sauce or tomato paste. Note that these haven’t been seasoned with spices commonly found in ketchup, so you’ll have to add a few more ingredients: distilled white or apple cider vinegar, a few drops of sweetener like maple syrup, a dash of onion and garlic powder, and a tiny pinch of allspice and cloves.
INSTEAD OF SOY SAUCE: Coconut aminos. As their name suggests, these are made from coconuts, which makes them perfect for soy-free diets.
INSTEAD OF SRIRACHA: your favorite hot sauce. Tabasco, Texas Pete, even Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo sauce – let your imagination run wild! Just make sure to start with a little, and add more if needed.
INSTEAD OF MOLASSES: Brown sugar. It isn’t a perfect replacement but will work in a pinch. On one hand, brown sugar does contain molasses (the darker, the better). But on the other hand, it will add a bit too much sweetness to the flavor of your homemade sauce. Besides, it might be challenging to get it to dissolve in the sauce completely unless you cook it.
INSTEAD OF GARLIC OR ONION POWDER: Finely minced fresh garlic or onion. While you can use fresh onion and garlic, I don’t recommend it because you’ll be adding too much liquid and volume. Besides, that will compromise the smooth texture since you can’t completely dissolve them in the sauce.
INSTEAD OF LIQUID SMOKE: Smoked salt or smoked paprika. These won’t replace the liquid smoke flavor completely, but will work if it isn’t available. Keep in mind that they’ll change the texture (in case of the salt) and flavor slightly.
How to Make No-Cook Vegan Barbecue Sauce
For a printable recipe card, please scroll below.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup ketchup (best if no high fructose corn syrup)
- 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos for soy-free)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 – 1 tsp sriracha (or more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 2 tsp granulated onion
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all of the ingredients, ketchup through liquid smoke, in a small bowl or a glass measuring cup.
Whisk the mixture thoroughly with a fork or a small whisk until all of the ingredients blend together. and the sauce becomes smooth and glossy.
Taste and adjust the flavor: add more soy sauce for a saltier flavor, molasses for sweetness and depth, liquid smoke for smokiness, etc.
How to Use Homemade BBQ Sauce
Both vegans and omnivores can use this homemade barbecue sauce in any of your favorite BBQ recipes.
It’s perfect for grilling or marinating your favorite proteins, mixing into beans and grains, dipping your favorite veggies, chicken wings (vegan or not), etc.
Use this sauce to make my baked BBQ tofu sandwich or homemade BBQ seitan.
Mix it with chickpeas and bake them in the oven to make my easy vegan BBQ chickpeas and rice.
Toss it with my baked tofu with no oil for an easy and flavorful plant-based protein component of grain bowls, burritos and wraps, BBQ tacos, sandwiches, etc.
How to Store No-Cook BBQ Sauce
Refrigerate this no-cook BBQ sauce in an airtight container for up to 1 week (or possibly longer – I’ve used it before 2-3 weeks after making, and it worked fine). Give it a good stir before using in your favorite dishes.
If you decide to freeze it: I recommend that you split the sauce into 1/2-cup or 1-cup servings, and use freezer safe containers or Ziploc bags. Write down the amount of the sauce on freezer labels or sticky notes, and put a label or a note on each container.
The sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. For defrosting, put a container or a bag with the frozen sauce into the fridge and let it defrost overnight.
30-Second No-Cook BBQ Sauce
This easy homemade no-cook BBQ sauce is made with simple plant-based pantry ingredients, and can be made in just 30 seconds! You'll love the robust, slightly smoky, slightly sweet flavor of my vegan BBQ sauce. Use it in your favorite BBQ recipes to grill, marinate, as a dip, etc.
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic ketchup (best if no high fructose corn syrup) (see notes* for ingredient substitutions)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (or coconut aminos for soy-free)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp sriracha (or more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 2 tsp granulated onion
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
Instructions
- In a small bowl or a glass measuring cup, combine ketchup, soy sauce (or coconut aminos for soy-free) Dijon mustard, sriracha, blackstrap molasses, granulated garlic and onion, and liquid smoke.
- Whisk the mixture thoroughly with a fork or a small whisk until all of the ingredients blend together. and the sauce becomes smooth and glossy.
- Taste and adjust the flavor: add more soy sauce for a saltier flavor, molasses to make it sweeter, liquid smoke to make it more smoky, etc.
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions:
INSTEAD OF KETCHUP: Tomato sauce or tomato paste (add distilled white or apple cider vinegar, a few drops of maple syrup, a dash of onion and garlic powder, and a pinch of allspice and cloves)
INSTEAD OF SOY SAUCE: Coconut aminos
INSTEAD OF SRIRACHA: Your favorite hot sauce.
INSTEAD OF MOLASSES: Brown sugar
INSTEAD OF GARLIC OR ONION POWDER: Finely minced fresh garlic or onion
INSTEAD OF LIQUID SMOKE: Smoked salt or smoked paprika.
See detailed explanations for substitutions in the blog post above.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
21Serving Size:
1 TbspAmount Per Serving: Calories: 45Total Fat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 462mgCarbohydrates: 9.7gFiber: 0.7gSugar: 5.1gProtein: 1.7g
I hope you enjoy my easy no-cook BBQ sauce recipe as much as we do in our family!
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