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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… much like keto teriyaki sauce.
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 Allulose 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 allulose 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
Tap 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.
Low Carb Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce Recipe
Reader Favorite Recipes
The recipe card is below! Readers that made this also viewed these recipes:
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!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Get Keto Sweetener For This Recipe
GET BESTIInstructions
Tap 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.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Readers Who Liked This Easy Recipe Also Made:
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.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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248 Comments
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 sweetener, and a TON more seasonings, cocoa powder AND baking soda to remove 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 hardcore sugar/carb obsessed.
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.