Vegan BBQ Sauce (Refined Sugar Free)

by Monica on Feb 2, 2023 (updated Apr 9, 2025) 0 comments

5 from 2 rating

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

This homemade vegan BBQ sauce is quick and easy to make with a few simple ingredients. It’s not overly sweet like some barbeque sauces, yet full of a classic smoky flavor. Use it for BBQ tofu, tempeh or as a dipping sauce for vegan chicken nuggets just about anything that you want.

Vegan bbq sauce in a glass jar with a spoon scooping up some sauce.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get more amazing vegan recipes that will satisfy your cravings!

I must confess that I was never a big fan of barbecue sauce. It was just too sweet, and so many store-bought brands seem more like a smoky flavored syrup. I decided that I could probably make my own and use less sugar.

I tried swapping out the sugar for maple syrup, hoping that it would still be good, and it was even better! It makes the most delicious vegan BBQ chicken sandwiches, BBQ tempeh, and vegan BBQ seitan wings.

Why make this recipe

It’s quick and easy to make in about 5 minutes.
You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry.
It has a fraction of the sugar of store-bought barbeque sauces and no high fructose corn syrup.
It jazzes up all your favorite plant-based meals.

Is BBQ sauce vegan?

Most store-bought bbq sauces like Sweet Baby Rays and others are vegan-friendly. They don’t contain any animal ingredients, but the sugar that they use to sweeten them could be filtered with bone char so some strict vegans may not consume them. For a complete list of vegan and non-vegan BBQ sauces see my post about vegan BBQ sauce brands.

Organic brands of BBQ sauce like Annie’s are vegan, but they can be expensive, and when it’s so easy to make your own, why buy expensive sauces?

Vegan barbeque sauce being scooped up with a wooden spoon over a red saucepan.

Ingredients and substitutions

Tomato Paste – This is the tomatoey base of your barbecue sauce. (If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use 1/2 cup of ketchup and omit the vinegar, and only use 1/2 the sugar.)
Vinegar – to give your barbecue sauce some tangy acidity. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Liquid Smoke – This will give your sauce that smokey barbecue flavor. (I use the Colgin brand hickory smoke flavor.) If you don’t have any, you can use 1 tsp of smoked paprika instead.
Steak Seasoning – to spice up your sauce. I like the smoky Montreal steak seasoning. (This has black and red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, hickory smoke, salt, and paprika.)
Salt – for flavor. You can also swap this out with soy sauce or tamari.
Sweetener – Maple syrup works great, but you can also use organic brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses, coconut sugar, agave nectar, stevia, vegan honey, or even applesauce.

How to make sugar-free BBQ sauce

You can omit the sweetener completely, but it will be a strongly acidic-flavored sauce. I recommend that you add small amounts of the sweetener of your choice until the sauce tastes good to you. (People who don’t eat sugar will be more sensitive to the taste and need less than others who eat more sugary foods.)

Tip – Use organic tomato paste and make it organic barbecue sauce too!

Helpful tools

A small saucepan – to cook the sauce in.
A whisk – to blend the sauce into a smooth consistency.

How to make vegan BBQ sauce

Step 1 – Put all the ingredients into a saucepan with about 1 tablespoon of sweetener.

All of the ingredients for homemade vegan BBQ sauce in a saucepan.

Step 2 – Stir frequently, heat over medium-high heat until it starts to boil.

Step 3 – Taste the sauce and add more sweetener 1 tablespoon at a time until it has reached the desired sweetness. (I like about 2-3 tablespoons of sweetener; my kids like about 4-5 tablespoons of sweetener total.)

Vegan BBQ sauce in a saucepan being stirred with a whisk.

Step 4 – Let the barbecue sauce simmer slowly over medium-low heat for about 1 minute to allow the flavors to mix, and then turn off the heat.

Use the homemade barbeque sauce on veggie burgers, vegan hot dogs, BBQ jackfruit sandwiches, or anything you like.

Pro Tips

Add a small amount of sweetener at first, and then add more to taste to ensure that it’s not overly sweet.
I use Colgin brand liquid smoke. Other brands are thicker and can be stronger, so add to the taste if using another brand.
Feel free to adjust the spice and liquid smoke to suit your taste. You can also swap it out for 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika.

Vegan meatballs being brushed with bbq sauce. — BBQ vegan meatballs

How to use vegan BBQ sauce

Use this as a dipping sauce for …

Use this vegan barbeque sauce to make …

Vegan BBQ ribs with BBQ sauce being brushed on them. — Vegan BBQ Ribs

Storage

Store your homemade vegan barbeque sauce in the fridge in a glass jar or air-tight container for up to 1 week. Since it doesn’t have preservatives, it will not last as long as other store-bought BBQ sauces.