Paleo BBQ Sauce – 10 minutes to make!

This easy Paleo BBQ Sauce recipe is a tangy, sweet and smoky all-purpose sauce.

It goes with just about everything. It uses mostly pantry ingredients and takes just 10 minutes to prepare.

Brush it on chicken, ribs, shrimp or pork chops. Spoon it over brisket, pulled pork or chicken, or smoked sausage.

Plus it just happens to be naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free and soy-free.

This post and recipe were updated on 4/27/23.

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Why this recipe works

This Paleo homemade BBQ sauce is an all-purpose sauce.

It has a bit of vinegar but it’s not a vinegar-forward sauce. It’s not too spicy (although you can make it spicier) or too sweet (you can make it sweeter).

It’s thick but pourable and goes with just about anything you’d ever want to put BBQ sauce on.

And by making it yourself, you don’t get the tons of sugar and high fructose corn syrup that dominates so many store-bought brands.

You only need to make a few ingredient swaps to make it Paleo-friendly.

Out goes the sugar and brown sugar, in goes pure maple syrup or date syrup.

But we’re keeping a bit of molasses – just like some “regular” bbq sauces have – so it can add depth and complexity.

Out goes regular butter and in goes ghee or grass-fed butter.

And instead of Worcestershire sauce, we’re using coconut aminos so we get the same umami notes without the sugar and other unwanted ingredients some Worcestershire brands have.

And that’s it! Just a few changes make a bbq sauce Paleo and even pretty healthy!

What you need

Ingredients:

• tomato sauce
• tomato paste
• maple syrup or date syrup
  • the darker the maple syrup is, the richer and smokier its flavor will be
• apple cider vinegar
• grass-fed butter or ghee
• coconut aminos
• molasses (regular or blackstrap is fine)
• chili powder
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• ground chipotle powder (not absolutely necessary but adds a wonderfully deep smokiness)
• ground black pepper
• fine sea salt

Tools:

• a small saucepan
• measuring spoons (these are my favorite because they fit in spice jars)
• a spoon or spatula for stirring

Instructions

Get ready, there’s a lot to get through here:

• mix all the ingredients in the saucepan and heat until warm

And…that’s it! That’s all you have to do. In just minutes this Paleo barbecue sauce is ready to go.

FAQ

How do I use Paleo BBQ Sauce?

There’s so many great ways to use this sauce!

• Brush it on chicken (like on this Baked BBQ Chicken), pork chops (like on these Oven BBQ Pork Chops), shrimp, salmon or ribs for the last few minutes of cooking.
• Spoon it over brisket, pulled pork or chicken, or smoked sausages.
• Spread it on pizza crust and top it with chicken, diced red onion, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Can I make substitutions?

• If you want it spicier, add cayenne powder.
• If you want it sweeter, add more maple syrup or date syrup.
• If you want it tangier, add more apple cider vinegar.
• If you want it thinner, add water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
• If you want it thicker, simmer it until it reduces to your desired consistency.
• If you don’t have maple syrup or date syrup, you can also use the same amount of honey or coconut sugar.
• For a dairy-free barbecue sauce, use palm shortening instead of ghee or grass-fed butter

Can I make this Paleo BBQ sauce in advance?

The BBQ sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Can I freeze Paleo BBQ Sauce?

It can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.

Other homemade sauce recipes

If you’re looking for something different from traditional BBQ sauces, try my Tequila Pineapple BBQ Sauce. It’s a bright, tangy sauce that can also be alcohol-free and Whole30 friendly!

Or check out my list of 10 toppings you can make in 10 minutes. You’ll find a ton of great sauce recipes there, like pesto, chimichurri, yogurt curry sauce and, my favorite, a 2-ingredient balsamic aioli.

You also might like my Nut-Free “Peanut” Sauce that takes just minutes to make.

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Paleo BBQ Sauce

This easy homemade Paleo BBQ sauce takes just minutes to prepare from pantry ingredients. You can have all the smoky, tangy flavor without all the sugar and high fructose corn syrup of store-bought brands. Plus you can make it as spicy or sweet as you want!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bbq sauce, easy bbq sauce, healthy bbq sauce, homemade bbq sauce

Servings: 2 cups

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 6 tablespoons dark maple syrup or date syrup
• 4 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons unsulphured molasses (regular or blackstrap)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder (optional but recommended)

Instructions

• Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and whisk until blended. Heat over medium heat until warmed through.

Notes

This recipe was updated on 4/27/23 - it used to include Worcestershire sauce but that has been replaced by coconut aminos.

Substitutions

• If you want it spicier, add cayenne powder.
• If you want it sweeter, add more maple syrup or date syrup.
• If you want it tangier, add more apple cider vinegar.
• If you want it thinner, add water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
• If you want it thicker, simmer it until it reduces to your desired consistency.
• If you don't have maple syrup or date syrup, you can also use the same amount of honey or coconut sugar.
• For a dairy-free barbecue sauce, use palm shortening instead of ghee or grass-fed butter

Make ahead

The BBQ sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Freezing instructions

It can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.

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