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A healthy homemade BBQ sauce is exactly what you need to take your dinner from bland to outstanding. But where on earth do you find one? Getting high quality, low carb sauces on the shelf at your local grocery market isn’t easy… and when you do, sugar-free BBQ sauce is usually code for flavor-free, as well. And no one wants that.
No, what you need is a rich, tangy, smoky sugar-free barbecue sauce that will take your chicken, ribs, or whatever else you’re cooking up to the next level! That’s why making sugar-free barbecue sauce at home is a great idea.
And with this recipe, you’ll never lack for a flavorful, delicious low carb BBQ sauce again. So fire up that grill and get cooking!
Creating a Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce Recipe
Before making this low carb BBQ sauce recipe, this store bought sugar-free BBQ sauce was the only way we could have a keto BBQ sauce when we grilled out. It’s decent, and much better than any other sugar-free barbecue sauce I’ve tried. However, the balance of flavors is not as rich and smoky as I would like.
The other downside to a purchased low carb barbecue sauce is that they often sweeten with sucralose. You want to be healthier than that when you can. It still tastes pretty good and contains no added sugar, so if you’re not up to making your sugar-free barbecue sauce, it’s still a good option.
However, I wanted to give you a great low carb barbecue sauce. And, here it is!
You can make your own bbq sauce at home that has blue-ribbon flavor.
Ingredients for Keto Low Carb BBQ Sauce
I must admit, this challenge was a bit daunting. Making homemade barbecue sauce can be a Big Deal. People have competitions for barbecue sauce recipes! And, different parts of the country (and the world!) all have different interpretations of what makes an excellent BBQ sauce.
As if that weren’t enough, this low carb blog is also all about recipes with ten ingredients or less. If you’ve ever looked at the ingredient list for a barbecue sauce, or tried to make your own using just about any recipe, you probably know this isn’t the easiest promise to uphold. No matter how you like it, BBQ sauce has a ton of complex flavors!
It took a few experiments to get my low carb barbecue sauce recipe just right. Or at least good according to the family and friends I had as taste testers.
So what’s in a keto BBQ sauce recipe? Not as much as you’d think… and that’s the key.
There is no high fructose corn syrup, pointless chemicals, or crazy additives when you make this keto sauce at home. A healthy, low carb BBQ sauce can be made with only a dozen ingredients that you likely already have in your cabinets.
How cool is that?
(And yes, I know that’s a tad more than the “10 ingredients or less” thing we have going on at Wholesome Yum, but salt and water are usually excluded by convention. Because who doesn’t have those?)
This low carb barbecue sauce is made with the following ingredients:
- Tomato Paste
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Erythritol Blend
- Worcestshire Sauce
- Liquid Hickory Smoke
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Sea Salt
- Chili Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
- Water
As with any recipe, you can tweak it to your tastes. Want a low carb BBQ sauce with just a bit more heat? No problem! Increase the cayenne by a pinch.
Need it to be a bit sweeter to offset the other parts of the meal? Voila! Go ahead and a dash more sweetener.
This sugar-free BBQ sauce is delicious as is, but you can always tweak it to be even more perfect for the meal you’re serving it with. Or just to make your tastebuds happier. You do you!
How To Make BBQ Sauce Without Sugar
The perfect healthy barbecue sauce is a balance of sweet, smoky, spicy, tangy, and just the right thickness. This low carb BBQ sauce is all of the above. It’s got the perfect balance of flavors, smoky undertones, and consistency.
The liquid smoke really makes the biggest difference, so don’t skip that part. Even if you have to shop online to find it.
And because you are the master of this keto BBQ sauce recipe, you can make it “just right” for whatever you are planning to use it with. While most people think it’s just right, if you need to you can make it thinner for a dipping sauce, or nice and thick to stick to grilling meats.
Since BBQ sauce is a bit sweet, you’ll swap out the sugar and/or corn syrup used in traditional sauces and even the sucralose used in a store-bought keto BBQ sauce for powdered monk fruit erythritol blend (or your choice of another low carb sweetener). Take a peek at this Low Carb Sweetener Guide for a full explanation of your options when making a low carb keto recipe.
By the way, the wonderful thing about this particular sugar-free BBQ sauce is that it’s crazy easy to make! Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan, then let it simmer for twenty minutes.
Totally effortless. You’re welcome.
How To Store Sugar-Free Barbecue Sauce
One of the best things about this low carb barbecue sauce is how easy it is to make. But the other really great thing about it is how well your low carb BBQ sauce will keep for future use.
Go ahead and cook it up (just twenty minutes!), let it cool, and put it into a mason jar or two. Your low carb barbecue sauce will stay fresh in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
So simple!
You can even your mason jars (just below the fill line) and freeze it for a couple of months if you want to batch cook.
It keeps well for at least a week, but I’ve even kept it for a few weeks with no problem at all. Come grilling season, you’re going to want to always have some low carb BBQ sauce on hand for quick weeknight dinners or weekend parties with friends. You just can’t beat the sweet, smoky, tangy flavors in this keto BBQ sauce recipe.
The Best Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce Uses
So, what’s your favorite way to use a low carb barbecue sauce? Chicken? Ribs? Fish? Salad? Pizza? A spoon?
Now that you have this easy sugar-free barbecue sauce recipe that only takes twenty minutes to make, and you know how to store it, the possibilities are endless!
Use it to make a low carb BBQ chicken pizza or to make oven-baked chicken thighs BBQ style. Or dip these yummy keto chicken nuggets into this keto BBQ sauce for a delicious, homestyle treat that you and your kids will both enjoy!
You can also toss your shredded chicken in it and serve it over mashed cauliflower, baked radishes, or grilled cabbage steaks for a Southern-inspired BBQ dinner.
Your next sauce recipe to try: low carb enchilada sauce!
This easy keto BBQ sauce recipe is going to make grill season (and really, all year long) more delicious than ever. Bon Appetit, friends!
Tools To Make Sugar-Free Barbecue Sauce:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Saucepan – This one is a good size. Not too big or too small.
- Liquid smoke – My secret ingredient for the best, super smoky, sugar-free BBQ sauce!
- Basting brush – For brushing your sauce on whatever you like. This one is silicone and doesn’t retain odors.
Reader Fave Keto Recipes
The recipe card is below! Readers also made these similar recipes after making this one.
RECIPE CARD
Low Carb Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce Recipe - Keto & Gluten-Free
This keto low carb BBQ sauce recipe is sweet, smoky, spicy & tangy in one. If you want a super easy, sugar-free barbecue sauce that tastes delicious, this is it. Only 5 minutes prep time!
Recipe Video
Click or tap on the image below to play the video. It's the easiest way to learn how to make this recipe!
PrintIngredients
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Instructions
RECIPE TIPS + VIDEO in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
- Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan, adding the water last. Start with a cup of water, then whisk in a bit more at a time, until it reaches a consistency *slightly thinner* than barbecue sauce. I ended up using about 1 1/2 cups of water, but it will vary depending on how thick your tomato paste is.
Bring to a gentle boil at medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Taste and adjust sweetener or cayenne pepper if you prefer the sauce to be sweeter or spicier. If it's still thicker than you like, you can stir in additional water, a tablespoon at a time, until reaching desired consistency.
Readers Also Made These Keto Low Carb Recipes
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Recipe Notes
The Worcestershire sauce linked in the ingredients list is gluten-free. Technically it contains a little sugar, but with 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce used for the entire recipe, each serving would contain only 1/20 tablespoon of it (like a drop). This is factored into the nutrition info and net carbs below. If you prefer, you could even omit it or use a dash of molasses with a little water instead, but it would affect the flavor.
Serving size: 2 tbsp
Entire recipe makes 2 1/2 cups.
This low carb recipe was featured in the June 2020 Wholesome Yum Challenge! Learn more and join the challenge to enter this month's giveaway.
Video Showing How To Make Low Carb Barbecue Sauce:
Don't miss the VIDEO above - it's the easiest way to learn how to make Low Carb Barbecue Sauce!
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. (Learn about net carbs here.) We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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207 Comments
JAN LEDUC
This is a delicious recipe!
Thank you. This is so good I plan on using it as a base for other recipes.
Kimberly Shepherd
It was so good and easy! I’ve been missing bbq sauce at family gatherings..Thank you so much for the recipe!
Brejohnna Castorina
This is a very good recipe and definitely lays a good foundation for a good keto BBQ Sauce. I ended up modifying it by adding a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and dicing 3 chipotle peppers out of a can, and using about tsp of the adobo sauce it was it for a little sweet heat and it came out amazing! Definitely ready to grill this Labor Day weekend
Andrew
It’s edible but it’s like a weird tasting tomato paste. Read the other comments. Everyone is modifying it for taste till it finally resembles a BBQ sauce.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Andrew, I am sorry the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. BBQ sauce looks and tastes very different according to region, so what you are accustomed to may be different from my recipe. Feel free to make any changes you see fit to suit your tastes.
A sutton
Can you substitute the apple cider vinger for another vinegar?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi A Sutton, Yes, you can use white vinegar if you wish. Apple Cider Vinegar lends a nice flavor to the sauce.
Nancy
This recipe is perfect! It made a lot, more than what I needed so I will cut it in half next time, but it kept in the fridge beautifully. My family didn’t even know that it was sugar free and that is saying something when they love their barbecue sauce. Thank you so much for a great recipe!
Chadwick Holland
Awesome recipe taste incredible. My question is I doubled the recipe to make extra, is it shelf stable to where I can can it and it stay good without being frozen or refrigerated?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Chadwick, I am not sure if this recipe can be canned, I have not tested that method of preservation. The BBQ sauce is great in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks. If you have extra, it can be frozen and reheated when ready for use.
Michael Demmons
I made this recipe and bottled it in sterile Mason jars. I used it a couple of months later and it was just as delicious as the day I made it.
Luke
Thanks for sharing!! Will be my go to recipe! Very good sauce!
Diane Powell
Thank you, Susan for making a delicious barbecue sauce we can enjoy! We appreciate you and your recipes!!!
John L
This recipe yields BBQ sauce that is spot on for my tastes. I’ve made it several times remaining true to the instructions. The leftovers are frozen in zip lock bags and they keep very well. I find this does not have a strong tomato taste mentioned by some other reviewers. My non-keto family members don’t know this is low carb and they all like it. This is my go to BBQ sauce recipe and I highly recommend giving this a try.
rick
John, I thought it was spot on too – We’ve been using this recipe since it was first posted and it is so tasty. We also freeze batches, but it doesn’t last long! We use it on just about everything we bbq! Not sure where the negative comments are coming from but to each their own! 🙂
Don
Didn’t have all the tomato paste on hand. So I used 1 can of tomatoes with hot peppers and one can of tomato paste. I left out the chili and cayenne peppers and only used about a half cup of water. Very Good.
Bernice Humphrey
Like others found, the recipe (as is) tasted too much like tomato paste. I just love how folks will rate a recipe 5 stars then share all the adaptations they made to get it to their taste! As such I’ll have to experiment some more to get it to how I like my BBQ sauce. Still, it’s a good starter.
Susan rubino
I thought it had too much tomato paste flavor. Wasn’t sure how to get it to that true BBQ flavor.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Susan, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. BBQ sauce can be subjective depending on where you live and the type of BBQ you enjoy. Feel free to use this as a starting point and add some of the BBQ flavors you look for in a sauce.
Sherry Knowles
I had a lot of hope for this bbq recipe and I made it. I even added some brown splinda but it did not come out well..Sorry… I guess I was hoping for that bold flavor but what I got, even before adding brown splinda was something near ketchup… Sorry not even a good ketchup..I will admit I’m not a cook but I try..
I will tell you I followed the recipe.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sherry, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. BBQ sauce has many different varieties and flavors depending on tastes or style of BBQ. Feel free to use what you have as a starting point and add some of the flavors you prefer in a BBQ sauce. Best wishes!
K.C.
I think this is a good base recipe. I grew up in TN, so we don’t really use vinegar in our BBQ sauce. I made this with my dad yesterday and he helped me get more of the flavor we wanted. We added twice the amount of water, maybe another teaspoon of monkfruit, a good sprinkle of hot chili powder and smoked paprika and another good splash of liquid smoke.
Ginger Snapped
Jay is right – tomato pastes are different and many contain sugar. One name brand has 50g of carbs per can. You should definitely advise in recipe to be cautious when choosing a store bought paste. But yes compared to other bbq sauces, this recipe is much improved.
Sharon
Good recipe! Easy and all common ingredients. We like our BBQ sauce spicy and smite tart so I added more vinegar and hot sauce. Added a little brown mustard as well. Will make again.
Carolina
Hi. Im from Mexico and I would like if you can update the links to the ingredients on Amazon at least to know which brand you recommend. Just by name is hard to figure it out. Thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Carolina, Ingredients in the recipe card highlighted in pink are preferred brands. I hope this helps.
Gerri
Question:
Do you think the recipe could have psyllium husk powder to the recipe to add fiber. If so would there be any benefit to doing so – such as lower the Net carbs? Thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Gerri, No. Psyllium husk will not work in this recipe.
Marianne
Just finished making this on the stovetop. I tasted it and thought it was a bit flat. I added more salt and that helped. But, it still seemed to be missing something. I added a dash of garlic oil and red pepper oil. However, it was adding about half a tsp of ginger that satisfied me. I think the pungent warmth are just what is missing.
So, good foundation but lacking the complexity I was looking for.
Jay
Your BBQ sauce is not sugar free! Tomato based sauces have sugar due to the sugar content in the tomato paste. Reduced sugar yes, totally sugar free, nope! sorry
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jay, This recipe does not contain any sugar, but it does contain tomatoes. Most BBQ sauce includes brown sugar and molasses. If you are interested in making a keto version of BBQ sauce, then this recipe is a great fit.
Annette
I was wondering can you can it for canning?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Annette, I have not personally tried this, but as long as you can get a proper seal through the canning process it should work fine.
TERRY L SNEAD
Hi, I’m sorta confused about how much tomato paste – it says 2 1/2 6 oz cans – do you mean 15 oz total? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Terry, Yes, 15 ounces. Thank you for clarifying!
Roger
I love this recipe, made it a few times now and it’s great. I’ve made 1 edit for myself. I add 1tbs of yellow mustard for a bit more flavour. ( we are huge mustard fans in this house ).
Sara
I have made so many Bar-B-Que Sauce recipes for the Keto journey, and haven’t liked a one of them. I really liked this recipe and it is the most like regular sauce than any other I have tried. Thank you. I will use this often.
Sharon
This was awesome. I didn’t have 2 1/2 cans of tomato paste so I used one 6 oz can of tomato paste and one 6 oz can of tomato sauce. Cut back on the sweetener and water a little, but otherwise made it as the recipe called for. I simmered the sauce for 45 minutes (as I was on the phone) and I think it helped meld the flavors.
My tomato sauce said it had 3.5 servings at 3 carbs per serving, that’s 10.5 carbs.
My tomato paste said it had 5 servings at 6 carbs per serving, that’s equal to 30 carbs. A total of 40.5 carbs for the whole recipe.
My recipe made 4 1/2 cups, that’s 72 Tablespoons at less than 1 gram of carbs per Tablespoon. What am I missing?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sharon, Your version of the recipe made almost twice the volume mine does (2.5 cups), I suspect that will make a big difference in the final carb count for the recipe. I am thrilled that you enjoyed it!
Jann
4.5 carbs for 1 T of sauce is A LOT! What makes this sauce so high in carbs?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jan, Tomatoes are higher in carbs and greatly contributes to the carb count of this recipe.
Carol Burba
How long does this sauce last in the fridge$
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Carol, Your sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
Philip T.
I wanted to let everyone know that I just made this recipe. I only made two subs, one out of necessity and one out of personal taste. I didn’t have any tomato paste on hand so instead I used a 14 oz can of Diced Tomatoes, that I pureed in my blender. I also added a tsp of fresh ground black pepper as I think all BBQ sauce needs black pepper in it. The result was great, I will be trying these on some baby back ribs tonight, but I have already tasted the sauce and it is amazing.
Jillian Stewart
Personally, I despise liquid smoke. So much so, that I searched how to cook without it, but still get the smoky flavor. You smoke an onion. I’m not sure based on the size of your recipe how much it would increase the carb count, but trust me when I tell you, it’s lip smacking good in BBQ.
Sue
I added some Worcestershire sauce to it and a bit more salt….it was delicious, will definetly make it again
LadyJ1225
Oh yeah I can have BBQ sauce! When I made some pulled pork I was feeling sad because I used to eat a side of BBQ sauce with my pork – yes I LOVE LOVE LOVE BBQ sauce. So when I found this keto recipe I had to try it and I was not disappointed. It is so easy to throw this together and I love that it can be customized easily depending on taste. This is a really good sauce and I will be making this often. Now I’m thinking of other ways I can use this. Thank you = )
Drew
Very very sour! I’ve never experienced BBQ sauce with any hint of sourness before so this was not palatable for me at all sorry.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Drew, That’s very unusual, it should not be sour. Did you add the sweetener? Did you change any of the other ingredients?
Desirae
Tastes mostly like tomato paste…and I only used one can as others had recommended. 🙁
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Desirae, Most likely adding more water was necessary. Did you add more at the end?
David F.
This will be my second time making this BBQ sauce. My wife and I loved it and I was easy to make. Thank you for this recipe.
Beverly
How long does it last? Expiration date?
Wholesome Yum A
Hi Beverly, see my storage tips in the post above.
John L
A definite keeper. Followed the recipe exactly and would not change a thing. Very easy prep with common ingredients. Just have a glass of your favorite wine while stirring. Keep the burner temp low enough while simmering and no splatter. Made Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork available on allrecipes.com with excellent results. This sauce make the pulled pork low carb. Feeds a crowd. Thanks for posting this excellent sauce recipe.
Leigh
Not a big fan. This was completely bland. Too much vinegar and acid, it tasted like tomato paste with vinegar. I dressed it up, added brown sugar swerve, and a TON more seasonings, cocoa powder AND baking soda to kill some of the acidity before it finally became palatable. Not sure I would try this again, I’ll look for another recipe with a better base.
Having said all this- I’m from the South, and picky about my BBQ!!!
D. Wanberb
This barbecue sauce is delicious! So glad I doubled the recipe.
Michelle Olson
Great recipe. Tastes even better when cumin and dry mustard are added!
Rebecca
This title of sugar free BBQ sauce is misleading. Worcestershire sauce has molasses, corn syrup and sugar in it. And liquid smoke has molasses. Maybe not a big deal to the average keto or low carb seeker, but for those of us following low carb for diabetes, those ingredients can cause a blood sugar spike and many are not so careful to read ingredients before they trust a recipe title.
P Thomas
This is not true, Worcestershire sauce does have those ingredients but there is only 1.7 gram of sugar per tablespoon. This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons which means a total of 3.4 grams in the batch. This makes 20 servings so therefore the total sugar would be 0.17 per serving. The term SUGAR-FREE can be used to describe anything that contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving. Therefore this is Sugar-Free.
Source – https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=101.60
(i) The food contains less than 0.5 g of sugars, as defined in 101.9(c)(6)(ii), per reference amount customarily consumed and per labeled serving or, in the case of a meal product or main dish product, less than 0.5 g of sugars per labeled serving
Judy
Good BBQ sauce flavor. I used monk fruit sweetener and added 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder to help cut the tomato paste flavor and added 1 Tbsp of liquid smoke. Very good sauce and will use the remainder for sloppy joes. I am not following a low carb diet but trying to cut out sugars when I can. Thanks for the recipe!
Callie
This recipe looks like the one I have been looking for. I can’t wait to use it on my chicken and pork steaks.
Thank you so very much for your recipe.
Laura
I loved it! As other reviewers suggested I added unsweetened cocoa powder and baking soda to neutralize the acidity and it was perfect! Added 1 tbsp more of liquid smoke too. Thank you!
Cynthia Caldwell
Has anybody tried canning this in pint jars to extend the shelf life?? Thinking of trying a small batch to see how it holds up ☺
Gwen
I was wondering the same thing?
Sara
Since I’m doing Whole30, and have been trying to avoid added sugar or sweetener altogether, I subbed the erythritol for 6 dates, put it through the food processor first and then cooked it – it turned out great! thanks so much.
Tater
If you’re eating sugar free, replacing non glycemic sweeteners with dried fruit wil add a lot of natural sugar to this recipe. If it ends with “…ose” it’s sugar. #fructose
Connie
Love this sauce
Sylviane Teter-Manning
Great recipe even my husband gives it a thumbs up. The taste is amazing planning a few tweaks on this recipe to give it a little something extra.
Jeanette M
I made this recipe and love it. It was exactly what I was looking for. A bbq sauce low in sugar and salt and still taste great. Thank you so much.
Bob
Great recipe thank you!
I do have a cooking question as I am no master chef. I couldn’t get it to a simmer it popped too much before I could get it there. I tried a splatter screen but it came through that so I had to put a lid on it and all I could get was popping. Since I couldn’t stir it I shook it around like Jiffy Pop then later reduced the heat but it still just popped no simmer.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Bob, You could thin it out a bit more to simmer (and it will thicken again as it simmers) or you can cover as it simmers.
antbeebee
This is great thanks for the recipe. always avoided bbq sauce because of the sugar. So glad I tried this, made sloppy joes– yum yum 🙂
Betty Avery
Trying this on the grill with chicken breast. Will let you know how it flavored the meat!
Kelly
This sauce is amazing! Thank you!
Darcy
Where does the * for the worcestershire sauce refer to?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Darcy, The note about it is in the Recipe Notes section on the recipe card.
Gwendolyn W Mathews
Can this sauce be canned?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Gwendolyn, I’m not a canning expert, but it should work for canning.
Laurel
How long will the left over sauce be good if kept refrigerated?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Laurel, At least a week, but I’ve kept it for a few weeks with no problem.
Stephanie
Just cooked BBQ chicken with this and it was amazing! Thanks for sharing. I added a bit of oregano and it was a hit with the family.
Steph
I wish I could have rated this a zero and still left a comment. This tastes nothing like bbq sauce. It tastes like tomato paste and that’s it. I tried doctoring it up a ton and nothing helped.
Selina
I just made this sauce. And I have to say. It really wasnt to my liking. In fact I had to throw it away it was that bad. I dont usually give my opinion and would rather be encouraging. But I cant be on this one. I guess though there would be people out there that would like it.
Wholesome Yum A
Hi Selina, I’m sorry to hear that. I linked all the ingredients I used in the recipe card — did you make any substitutions? I hope you give this one another try soon!
Jules Shepard
Always up for nudging sugar out of my diet! Great recipe!
Deb
I’ve used sugar free maple extract instead of Worcestershire sauce too.
Sam Kay
Play this by ear a little bit, so didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I used a combination of swerve confectioner’s sweetener and Lakanto maple flavored syrup as my sweeteners. Unfortunately, I found the acidity of the tomato paste a little too strong. I added about 3 tablespoons of cacao powder (chili makers trick, cacao powder processed with alkali is, as you might guess, alkaline) and then ended up adding some baking soda to further neutralize some acid. I also skip the liquid smoke and use chipotle chili pepper powder (smoked jalapenos) instead. I’m pretty happy with it, and glad to have a big batch of BBQ sauce to put on stuff. :-).
Angie
So How do I make it less tomato tasting? Use less tomato paste? Otherwise, loved the sweet and spice to it.
Maggie Ryan
Thanks Sam, I too thought it was very acidic so added the cacao powder and baking soda. Made a huge difference. I’ll have to try the cacao in chilli. Thanks again for the tips.
Sherry
This is really nice. I added some DaVinci sugar free cherry syrup and it really took it to the next level for me. Can’t wait to try it on some ribs I picked up this week. It does have a strong tomato flavor which I love but it might not be for everyone.
Sherry
I also wanted to mention that I added Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar Substitute when I made it. I have since tried this bbq sauce on chicken thighs, ribs, franks, and dabbed a little on some homemade cheese chips. All turned out great, even my husband likes this sauce and he is a hardcore sugar/carb addict.
Gritty lil Fremont
My sister and I put together all the ingredients and did a quick taste test before heating up the sauce. The recipe calls for 1/3 cup sweetener (we used Stevia), and it was way to much. We had to throw it all away. We recommend starting with a teaspoon and adjusting it from there.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
The recipe calls for 1/3 cup powdered erythritol, not stevia. 🙂 I definitely don’t recommend using anywhere near that much stevia, which is way more concentrated. Please check the sweetener conversion calculator to see how much to use if you’re changing the sweetener.
Joanne M Pinette
I made the BBQ sauce tonight and it was great! Used 15 oz can of tomato sauce and followed the recipe after that. Used about 1 cup of water and it was perfect. The comments helped a lot.
Dave
Easy to make, and super delicious! I’m a bbq sauce fanatic, it’s my favorite condiment. Which makes low carb bbq tough. This sauce on its own feels light without the syrupy thickness, but on meat, it’s just delicious. Thank you!
Suzie Danielson
I made the recipe. I used only 1/4 cup Xylitol as the sweetener. I doubled the liquid smoke and smoked paprika. It was great!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
Mart
Could you freeze this sauce? Or how long would it last in the fridge thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Mart, Yes, you can freeze it. But, it keeps a really long time anyway. I’ve stored it for weeks without a problem.
Chris
I love your BBQ sauce, is there any ways to keep it from splattering out on every thing. You call for it to simmer uncovered.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Chris, A splatter screen should work.
Bernadette
I sub’d the sweetener for sugar-free maple syrup – it’s a Canadian thing 😉 Also, added extra hickory smoke, and more smoked paprika. Got some in the slow cooker right now with pork back ribs – something I thought I’d have to give up on Keto. Thx for the awesome recipes!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Bernadette! Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica
Should we be using sugar free tomato paste?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jessica, I’m not aware of any tomato paste that has sugar added, but yes, make sure it has no sugar added. It’s normal for tomato paste to have natural sugar in it, because actual tomatoes have sugar, but this doesn’t translate to much in the finished barbecue sauce. The nutrition info is on the recipe card above.
Dale C Meech
Great recipe a little sweet a little tangy a little spicy. My new favorite. Don’t like hot sauces can’t taste the meat flavor. Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am happy you liked it, Dale! Thanks for stopping by!
Braden McGuire
Soooooo good! I subbed erythritol for stevia leaf powder and it was absolutely incredible! I needed to add quite a bit more salt than it asked for, and I used pink salt, but oh my God I made ribs with this and it was the best meal I’ve had all year
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Braden! Thank you!
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Vanessa, Yes, it keeps for a while, up to a couple weeks.
Chad
Hello there. Made a batch today and it came out more like marinara than Bbq sauce. What should I change to correct this?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Chad, Sorry to hear that – it was likely too thick? You can thin it out with more water if needed. Many people also enjoy adding more of the hickory smoke.
Roberta
This recipe is actually easy to make, but in my opinion, there’s too much tomato paste, which is already concentrated. So at the end you’ll have a sort of smokey tomato sauce that is not the same as a BBQ sauce in balance of flavors. Just to share my considerations…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you for sharing, Roberta. It could be that it was cooked for too long and got too concentrated, but otherwise sorry to hear it wasn’t for you. It should be pretty easy to adjust the spices if you’d like. A few readers have said they added more hickory smoke.
Darlene
I will definitely be trying this but I wanted to comment on freezing in mason jars. I’ve had the bottom of 2 mason jars crack in the freezer. The contents were chilled when added to the jar and there was plenty of headroom.
KTGreen
Everyone seems to be on a Keto diet! I need to cut down on sugar. So was having a 60th celebration for a bestie and made your bbq sauce for pulled chicken in my crock pot. Big hit! Even my thin husband who doesn’t worry about that stuff loved it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked it! Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah
Such a great quick and easy bbq sauce!! I save my old squeeze bottles so I filled one up with this. I have been using it on everything.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yay, so glad to hear that, Sarah! Good idea to store it in a squeeze bottle.
Anja
This was absolutely delicious as is. Thank you for providing a healthier alternative to BBQ sauce. 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so glad you liked the BBQ sauce, Anja! Thanks for stopping by!
Charlee
Are those nutrition facts for the whole recipe or just for the 2 tbsp serving size?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Charlee, The nutrition info is per serving.
Caroline Brunet
2 1/2 cup of tomato paste or 6 oz ??
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Caroline, It’s 2 1/2 6-oz cans. So, 15 oz total.
Karen
Too much tomato paste! I tried to weaken/thin it out and it didn’t help. I will use one tomato paste or sauce!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Karen, Thanks for sharing. It does sound like it needed to thin out a lot more.
Tracy
I was so happy to find this recipe! I added about 1/2 a tsp of maple extract, in lieu of molasses and 2 Tablespoons of Truvia brown sugar blend to give it a sweeter, more of a Kansas City version.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Tracy! Those sound like delicious updates to the recipe.
Krista
Made this yesterday. Pretty good. Needed more salt and a lot more liquid smoke.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Krista, Thank you for the feedback! I’m glad you liked it overall. Definitely feel free to adjust the salt and liquid smoke if you want more.
Eleanor
Oh my God this barbecue sauce is the bomb! And the fact that it’s low in carbs and sugar is even better! I want to bottle this stuff up and give it to all my friends as a happy summer gift. I definitely will make again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked it, Eleanor!
Rodriguez Deborah
The sauce came out very good. I didn’t have tomato paste, so I used a can of tomato and simmered it for a long time, then puréed it with a submersion blender. It was a hit!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Rodriguez!
Andre
The sauce came out great but I did tweak it a bit. Only one can of paste and about 1 cup of Heinz sugar free ketchup. Also to kick up the flavor a bit I put in one tablespoon of Korean GOCHUJANG PASTE. If you have never tried it before I highly recommend it. Gives a lot of spicy, sweet umami body to the sauce. It does add a little bit extra carbs but it is well worth it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thanks for sharing with us, Andre! Have a great day!
Lora Ball
Can you use honey as your sweetener? If you can would you still use the listed 1/3 cup?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lora, Yes, you can, but it would not be sugar-free or low carb. The amount would probably be similar, but I recommend starting with a bit less and adjusting to taste just in case.
DeeD
Love this sauce!!! Didn’t have tomato paste but did have 1gram sugar ketchup…turned out great!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi DeeD! I am so happy you liked the BBQ sauce! Have a great day!
Claudia
Hi there,
What would you use to substitute evaporated milk for a more keto friendly ingredient list?
Thanks for your help with this. I get so much value from your blog!!
Claudia
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Claudia, There is no evaporated milk in this. Are you looking at a different recipe?
Julie a Carlson
Great try, but it’s not that good. Too much tomato paste, and is lacking real onion, real garlic, and carb free things that might make it a lot better. Sorry…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Julie, Thank you for the feedback. I wanted to make it as quick/easy as possible, and keep the carb count down, so opted for garlic powder and onion powder, but you can use the actual veggies if you prefer. If you feel it’s missing other ingredients, I’d love to hear what you would add.
Lisa Cowan
I was so happy to find a low carb sugar free barbeque sauce – Thank You! After adding the 1 and 1/2 cups water, it was still quite thick for us. So, I add beef broth to thin, and it is really good. The recipe fills a glass quart jar and that’s an easy way to store it in the fridge.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lisa! I am so happy you liked it! Thanks for stopping by!
Rick Cann
This is some VERY good tasting bbq sauce!!! I did add the molasses (couple tablespoons) and ended up adding close to 3 cups of water to get the right consistency. The finished product was quite tangy, which concerned me a bit, but once it was cooked on the chicken, it was the best bbq’d chicken my wife and I have ever eaten!!! (we used thighs with bones in).
Thanks for this great sauce….you can bet we’ll be using it frequently – btw………I did a double batch of it………so good!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you like it, Rick! Thank you for stopping by!
Brittani
Has anyone tried this without any sweetener? I am trying to stay away from all sweeteners.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Brittani, I haven’t tried since BBQ sauce is generally sweet. But from a consistency standpoint there’s no reason why you can’t, so let me know how it goes for you if you try it.
Rick Cann
I could definitely understand the no sweeteners – I even added 2 tsp of molasses, BUT….I’m betting the sauce would still be very good with no sweeteners at all. Most people like it sweet, even put honey in it (which isn’t as bad for you as sugar or even any fake sweeteners). I do like mine somewhat sweet for sure.
Lisa
How long can you store it in the fridge?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lisa, It stores for a while! At least a week, but even a few weeks has worked out fine for me. Give it a stir or shake if it sits for a while.
Anna Jalovec
Maya,
I’m thinking of using Heinz Reduced Sugar ketchup instead of tomato paste. You haven’t by chance tried it have you? Any thoughts on how this would work? I like all the ingredients you out together for this sauce.
Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Anna, Sorry, I haven’t tried. Let me know how it goes if you do!
Connie
Very tomato tasting. Had to add many spices and tweak it to taste like a bbq sauce. Thank you though. I love all the keto recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Connie, Sorry that it wasn’t for you. I’m glad you were able to tweak it to your liking.
Charity
Made this today (had to use Splenda as my Swerve isn’t arriving until next week) and it’s good, but very heavy on the tomato flavor (obviously due to the paste). I added about a tbsp of liquid smoke which helped the flavor. Like I said it’s good and going on my ribs later, but I think next time I’ll cut back on the tomato paste and try some other minor tweaks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Charity, Thank you for the feedback! The recipe does have liquid smoke already but you can always add more. Let me know how it goes if you make some other tweaks!
Victoria
how long can I store this BBQ sauce in the frig.?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Victoria! I don’t have an exact duration for how long it would last in the fridge, but it should be the same as any other BBQ sauce (which is a while). I’ve had mine for a couple of weeks and it’s still good. There’s a fair amount of vinegar in it, so that helps it stay fresh. Have a great day!
Jackie
I didn’t realize that tomato paste can be loaded with sugar. The 12 oz can I got has 30 grams of sugar and 60 carbs. Need to look for a low sugar or sugar free type for this recipe to work
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jackie, Tomato paste does not usually have any added sugar, it is just very concentrated tomato puree. When divided among multiple servings, this barbecue sauce comes out to 3.5g net carbs per serving (2 tablespoons).
Jen in ND
I made this for the Superbowl last weekend. It was super thick due to the 15 oz. of tomato paste, and I even doubled the water! Next time I’ll take the extra carbs and use tomato sauce, with maybe a half can of tomato paste, and some water. My mother is dead convinced you meant sauce instead of paste, but I scrolled through the comments. Otherwise, I really liked the flavor, and nobody complained, I’ll make it again for sure, just with the changes I mentioned.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you for the feedback, Jen. The recipe was with tomato paste but the sauce thickens depending on how long you simmer and even the simmer temperature, so the amount of water is variable. If it was thick, you would need even more water. It might work fine with tomato sauce, too, but the paste has more intense flavor.
Tobler William
Hi Maya. Excellent BBQ sauce. A little sweet for me, and I will fix that next time I make it. “Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes” is not possible. Your whole kitchen will be red with BBQ sauce. Next time I’ll put less water in and simmer “covered” for 10 minutes and call it good. Thanks for all your hard work, I think you nailed it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Tobler, Thank you so much, I’m glad you liked it! If it splatters, I’m thinking either the heat was too high or it wasn’t enough water. But, you can probably cover it if you want to.
Jessica
If using tomato sauce, instead of paste, would you recommend omitting the water, or still add water and reduce liquid until it’s the consistency of a bbq sauce?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jessica, You will still need water, but less of it. You can add more until it reaches about the consistency of barbecue sauce. It will reduce more as it cooks, but you can always add a bit more water if needed to thin it out.
Barb
Started low carb, just made this. It’s fantastic! I used xylitol and there is no aftertaste. It’s tangy smoky goodness! Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Barb!
Frank
Tried it today, found it way too sweet. I’d suggest cutting the sweetener in half and then adding to taste. Otherwise very flavourful, I’ll be trying it again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Frank, I’m glad you liked it otherwise. The sweetener can definitely be adjusted to your taste. 🙂
Brian
What is the serving size for the nutrition facts?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Brian, the serving size is two tablespoons of BBQ sauce.
Jim Hallmark
You list the net carbs as 3.5 but shouldn’t it actually be .5 instead? My understanding is that you also subtract the sugars to get the net carbs.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jim, No, 3.5 is correct. You should not subtract sugar when calculating net carbs. Sugar definitely counts as carbs.
Healthy World Cuisine
Loving this sauce- all the main components, spicy, slightly sweet, savory and tangy! Can’t wait to try it! Just pinned!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you!
Patrick Manley
I used this with pulled pork at our church lunch, and everybody loved it. Tasted others in the family on it, and they couldn’t get over how good it was. For the sweetener I used 1/2 honey and 1/2 pure maple syrup, and I doubled the cayenne and chili powder. It wasn’t too hot at all.
Great Recipe. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Patrick! Happy to hear everyone enjoyed it!
Sherie
I made this today and used 1/2 cup of Splenda and it’s AWESOME! Sweet and then you get the fabulous smoked spicy from the paprika for a great finish! I love it and will keep it on hand at all times!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Sherie! I like to always keep it on hand, too.
Linda Carter
I was thinking it will freeze well – kind of like spaghetti sauce will. I think I will try freezing it in ice cube trays, then when frozen putting the cubes in a freezer tight bag. I am single so I do this with spaghetti sauce and it is awesome. Just take out what you need.
This is a GREAT recipe. Thanks for all the work that went into it AND how patiently you answer people.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Linda! I love the idea of freezing this in ice cube trays. I’ll need to try that next time I make it!
Gene Olvera
You poor thing, having to repeat yourself over and over. I tried this recipe and it is awesome.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Gene! I’m glad you liked it.
Jack Tripper
I made this tonight to go on some ribs and I have to say it was quite crackin’ good. I didn’t have worcestershire or onion powder but I added a couple tablespoons of this Pepper Plant Chipotle sauce in instead, and a LOT more cayenne pepper and some black pepper. I mean, wow. That’s proper sauce and thanks to the smoked paprika and liquid smoke its pretty amazing. I still can’t get over the weird artificial flavor of the stevia/erythritol, it gives you that “diet soda taste” but all in all I really like the recipe. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jack, I’m glad you enjoyed the barbecue sauce and that your modifications worked for you. There is no stevia in the recipe (though it could be used if desired). You could definitely try a different sweetener if you’d like, if you’re detecting a flavor from the powdered erythritol. I chose powdered erythritol, because the powdered consistency keeps the sauce smooth and to me it doesn’t have an aftertaste, but everyone’s taste buds are a bit different when it comes to sweeteners.
Karen
Can you use honey?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Karen, Honey might work, but it would not be low carb or sugar-free.
Lauren
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to notice this! Worcestershire sauce contains a LOT of sugar and, unless you’re specifically buying a gluten free variety, it also has soy sauce. I guess Maya isn’t reading her labels very carefully!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lauren,
This should have had more clarification. I do always read labels. 🙂 The Worcestershire sauce linked in the recipe has no soy sauce in it and is gluten-free. I added some notes to the recipe card about it as well.
The amount of Worcestershire sauce per serving comes out to 1/20 of a tablespoon. A teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce has 1g of sugar according to the label, and 1/20 of a tablespoon is about 1/7 of a teaspoon. So that’s about 0.14g sugar per serving from the Worcestershire sauce, which I thought was low enough to call it sugar-free. (The rest of the carbs in the BBQ sauce come from the tomato paste, with no sugar added). The nutrition facts do reflect all of this. Hope that helps!
Monika
So 15 ounces of tomato paste? And Worcestershire sauce isn’t typically gluten-free, so is the one you link to gluten-free? It contains mostly sugar.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Monika, Yes, the recipe uses 15 ounces of tomato paste – either tomato sauce or paste is an integral part of BBQ sauce. The Worcestershire sauce used in the recipe is gluten-free (there’s a link in the ingredients list). It does technically contain sugar, but the amount of Worcestershire sauce per serving ends up being only 1/20 tablespoon. I added some notes to the recipe card about this.
Kim | Low Carb Maven
I love making my own BBQ sauce for the exact reason you list above. Store bought is good, but aspartame is something I try to avoid and sucralose is something I try not to have too much of. I bet your version is good with the chili powder in it. I agree, you can’t skip the liquid smoke – it’s like liquid gold. I like this recipe very much Maya! Thanks for sharing.
Taryn Scarfone
Yum! I really need to make bbq sauce. I don’t use it very often so I normally just cave and use a tiny bit of the bad for you store bought ones.
Georgina
I love anything that contains liquid smoke – yum!!
Michelle
I am going to try this recipe this weekend. I like to use BBQ sauce to make my version of sloppy joes. The low carb sauces in the store just don’t work because they are way too thin.
Katrin
I am so trying this recipe – my kids go crazy for BBQ ribs, I am sure they would love this sauce
Rhiannon Taylor
How long would it last in the fridge? And could you freeze it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Rhiannon, I don’t have an exact duration for how long it would last in the fridge, but it should be the same as any other BBQ sauce (which is a while). I’ve had mine for a couple of weeks and it’s still good. There’s a fair amount of vinegar in it, so that helps it stay fresh. You should be able to freeze it without a problem too, but I haven’t tried it. If you do, keep air away to prevent freezer burn, and just thaw it in the fridge or in water before use.
Abby
I’m eager to try this recipe…. GUY’S BBQ SAUCE is the one I use also. this recipe sounds so easy & looks yummy ! Thanks
Sarah
Oh, I can’t wait to make this! I love to grill chicken, slather it with barbecue sauce, and top it with bacon and cheese – Smokey mountain chicken!
Stacey Crawford
I love making my own suace & trying out new BBQ sauce recipes. You’re right , the ones in the store are not so great.