This flavorful, instant homemade barbecue sauce is a beloved easy recipe that was buried in our news section. So I’ve given the post a refresh and am moving it to a permanent home in our recipes!
A few summers back, Tony and I were on a mission to find our holy grail of natural barbecue sauces. We wanted something that we could pick up whenever needed, so we scoured our local stores. But I kid you not, we found only one brand in our area that didn’t have high fructose corn syrup (and usually in the first three ingredients no less!). It was Annie’s. I love Annie’s Homegrown. They are a great natural food company. But, I’m sorry, their barbecue sauce is the pits. It’s a spiced up tomato-y concoction with flavors that do not meld.
So when I reviewed American Vegan Kitchen and saw the Smokin’ BBQ Portobello Sandwiches recipe with homemade barbecue sauce, I thought, “Why not? What have I got to lose?” The entire recipe, as I wrote about prior, is delicious. But the barbecue sauce itself (a component of the recipe) is awesome, even on its own. In fact, I have made it at least a dozen times since, with a few modifications …
For starters, the author’s version of this homemade barbecue sauce is way, way, WAY too hot for our taste buds, so I have toned it down a lot. I’ve also simplified the recipe a little and included two versions: a truly instant non-fat version (we use this when we don’t have fresh onion or garlic on hand or when the sauce will be simmering in a recipe regardless) and a slightly richer simmered version (still takes just 15 minutes and is low in fat).
Special Diet Notes: Instant Homemade Barbecue Sauce
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally vegan / plant-based, and optionally vegetarian.
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅔ cup natural or organic ketchup
- 1 to 3 teaspoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce*
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ¾ teaspoon worcestershire sauce (vegan, if desired)
- Whisk all ingredients together or add to a blender and puree. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- For best flavor, add to a dish that is still cooking or in the crockpot to help the flavors meld, or you can simmer it as described in the notes below. But in a pinch, you can use it as is.
Fresh Simmered Option: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup minced onion and saute for a few minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic cloves and sate for 1 minute more. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, omitting the onion powder, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer, and let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. If it thickens to much for your desires, add a little water, as needed.
8 Comments
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This looks awesome! I love, love, love your addition of chipotle! For my hubby and I, the spicier the better 🙂
Chipolte is totally my jam. I just love the smoky flavor!!! This looks wonderful.
Yum! My husband loves anything BBQ and lately he’s been making BBQ chicken pizza ! He’ll have to try this recipe for his pizza next week!
Oh, I haven’t made barbecue chicken pizza in so long! Thanks for the reminder Natalie, definitely putting that one on the list to make!
Ok bravo for making your own BBQ sauce!! I soooo would rather do that than the preservative-packed stuff in the plastic bottle!! I have ALL of these ingredients on hand (it must be fate). I bet I could make a batch of this and even freeze it for later?! Thanks for this recipe!
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I bet that would work well!
I love making my own BBQ sauce. I have yet to try it with chipotle, so this looks great!