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My Sugar Free BBQ Sauce Recipe Actually Tastes Like BBQ Sauce
My sugar free BBQ sauce is here to take your grilled meals from bland to outstanding! I developed this recipe after years of being frustrated with the options at the store. Getting high quality, healthy, or keto BBQ sauce (that actually tastes good) on the shelf is near impossible… and when you do, “sugar free barbecue sauce” is usually code for flavorless and full of artificial ingredients. Not anymore.
This homemade version has the classic sweet, tangy, smoky flavor you expect from BBQ sauce, with a thick and smooth texture — no gritty sweetener, fake aftertaste, or watery bottled-sauce vibes. Here’s why my healthier version makes all the difference:
- Classic BBQ taste – It’s rich, tangy, smoky, and just sweet enough. The tomato paste gives it body, the apple cider vinegar adds brightness, and the liquid smoke gives it that backyard BBQ flavor. Everything a great BBQ sauce should be!
- Quick and easy – Just mix all the ingredients together and let them cook away. And you can make a big batch to have ready in your fridge.
- Low carb, gluten free, and no added sugar – Before this recipe, I thought store-bought sauces with sucralose and processed additives were the only way to enjoy that sweet and smoky flavor — but there’s a better way! Now you can whip up your own homemade sugar free barbecue sauce, without the fake stuff. And it’s just 3.5g net carbs per serving.
Some of my readers have even won contests with this sauce, so I can actually say it’s award winning! Maybe you’re next? Make it with me and see!
“Such a great, simple and TASTY recipe that is so much healthier than anything storebought. LOVE this recipe for our family! Some of us are keto and some are not, but this doesn’t taste keto at all. Thank you!”
-Sam
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free BBQ sauce recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Tomato Paste – A.k.a. the base that gives my sugar free BBQ sauce a thick, rich texture, natural sweetness, and deep tomato flavor. If you don’t have any, you can use triple the amount of tomato sauce instead, but you’ll need to simmer for much longer to thicken.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Adds tang. You can also use white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I recommend only this sweetener, because it dissolves completely, unlike other sugar substitutes that can leave your keto BBQ sauce gritty or crystallize when you store it. (I use it to make sugar free ketchup, too!) I’ve got some alternatives in my variations below to change up the flavor of your sauce. If you still want to use something else, make sure it’s powdered and use my sweetener conversion chart to get the correct quantity.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds umami flavor. I like this one, which is gluten-free. Technically it contains a trivial amount of sugar, but each serving of my sauce has only 1/20 tablespoon of it (like a drop). You could omit it or use a dash of blackstrap molasses with a little water instead.
- Liquid Hickory Smoke – My secret ingredient for that smoky taste! My local grocery store has it near other seasonings or condiments, but I prefer this clean-ingredient brand.
- Spices – To get that classic BBQ sauce flavor, I used smoked paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper (feel free to use more or less depending how spicy you like it), and chili powder.
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How To Make Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Combine the ingredients. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the tomato paste, vinegar, powdered Besti, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, spices, and salt. Add water last. (See my notes on this below.)
- Cook to reduce. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened to your liking.
- Adjust sweetness and heat. Taste and add more Besti if you want your sauce sweeter, or more cayenne pepper if you want it spicier.
My Recipe Tips
- The amount of water you need can vary. Start with a cup, then whisk in a bit more at a time, until it reaches a consistency slightly thinner than you’re going for. (It will reduce as it cooks.) I ended up using about 1 1/2 cups of water, but it depends on how thick your tomato paste is.
- Make sure your saucepan is large enough, and keep an eye on it. The sauce can splatter depending on how intensely it simmers, but if you cover it, it will take longer to reduce.
- This sugar free BBQ sauce gets thicker as it cools. So, keep that in mind when deciding how much to cook it down. If it gets too thick, I just add a splash of water to thin it out again.
- Want it extra smooth? Puree in a high-power blender or food processor at the end. I use my twister jar when I do this, but usually skip it because it’s not worth the extra cleanup to me.
- Make this a no-cook recipe: You can just mix the ingredients together, and add less water to get the consistency you want. However, I find this sugar free BBQ sauce tastes so much better if I let it simmer to let the flavors develop. If you don’t want this step, the next-best would be to let it sit in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
Sugar Free BBQ Sauce (Sweet & Smoky)
By
You'll love my award-winning sugar free BBQ sauce, made with simple real food ingredients. It's sweet, smoky, tangy, and so easy to make!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium 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.
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Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
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Taste and adjust sweetener or cayenne pepper if you prefer the sauce to be sweeter or spicier. If it's thicker than you like, you can stir in additional water, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you want.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best consistency and texture, plus an option to make this a no-cook recipe. If you want to adjust the flavor, see my flavor variations below.
- Storage: Keep this sugar free barbecue sauce in a mason jar, airtight container, or condiment bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freeze: Stash in the freezer for up to 3-6 months. You can freeze the whole batch and thaw in the fridge overnight, but I like to portion this low carb BBQ sauce into a silicone tray like this. Then I can pop out individual portions and microwave to thaw.
- Canning: I haven’t done it, but don’t see any reason that you couldn’t can this sauce in a water bath. (The PH of this recipe is very low.) Let me know how it goes if you try it!
- Recipe yield: The entire recipe makes 2 1/2 cups.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Sugar Free BBQ Sauce
How To Adjust The Flavor
People are passionate about their BBQ sauce, and this is how I make mine, but you can easily customize it to how you like it:
- Sweeter – Add more powdered Besti, 1 tablespoon at a time. You can do this before simmering, but I usually do it after then the flavor is more concentrated.
- Brown sugar flavor – Replace half of the Besti powdered sweetener with Besti Brown! It dissolves just as easily and tastes like brown sugar, without the sugar spike.
- Honey BBQ – Replace the sweetener with my natural sugar-free honey. This is my favorite variation of all.
- Smokier – Add a little more liquid smoke, but go slowly because it’s strong.
- Spicier – Increase the cayenne, or add chipotle powder or hot sauce.
- More tangy – Add an extra splash of apple cider vinegar.
Ways To Use It
There are so many ways I use this sugar free BBQ sauce! Try these to add a kick of flavor to your dishes:
- Chicken – You’ve got lots of options! Make my saucy BBQ chicken legs in the summer or Crock Pot chicken legs in the winter. Dunk keto chicken nuggets or keto chicken tenders. Brush it on grilled chicken, ribs, or bacon wrapped chicken.
- Pizza – Try this keto BBQ sauce instead of marinara on keto pizza or cauliflower pizza. It works particularly well with chicken, red onions, cheddar cheese, and a drizzle of ranch as toppings, which is why I particularly love it on chicken crust pizza.
- Shredded Meats – Mix it into my shredded Instant Pot chicken, or use it for pulled pork sandwiches. Try them on my low carb hamburger buns.
- Ground Beef – This sugar free BBQ sauce is amazing on burgers! Just add cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and maybe even caramelized onions and bacon if you want to get fancy. Sometimes I also use it as a glaze for keto meatloaf, too.
- Salad – It’s my fave for making BBQ chicken salad.
More Sugar Free Sauce Recipes
If you like this sugar free barbecue sauce, you’ll love my other sweet sauces with no sugar added:
310 Comments
Big Matty
0I made this recipe for the first time this evening. I am impressed! They want so much money at the store or off of Amazon for low carb zero sugar BBQ sauce, and this tastes so very good and is inexpensive to make. I had everything on hand. I used a liquid monk-fruit sweetener instead of powdered or granulated, and it turned out great. Thanks for this recipe. It is a keeper! 🙂
AMY
0SUGAR FREE BBQ SAUCE IF FAB!
Bridgette
0Hi! I love this recipe, it’s quick, delicious and easy! I used a few drops of liquid stevia and about a tablespoon of coconut sugar to sweeten it. It was pretty thick already after using one cup of water so I let it simmer. Perfect! I really appreciate being able to find clean and easy recipes, so thanks for this recipe.Using it for pulled chicken. today It’s definitely a keeper!
Mike
0Will this work well basted and cooked on a meat? Will it caramelize? Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mike, Yes, my sugar free BBQ sauce is great for basting and brushing on meats, and it does caramelize if you use the sweetener listed above. Hope you love it!
Sharina
0Used this to our pork BBQ last night and it was a huge hit! It made my pork BBQ more delicious and flavorful!
Katie
0I love that it’s possible to make delicious bbq sauce from home! I’m going to have to try this on ribs.
Ted
0After all of the great reviews, it’s odd that mine ended up tasting like spaghetti sauce. I followed the recipe minus the monk fruit (don’t like sweetness in my sauce) and liquid smoke (never liked the taste of it). I did add some smoked ancho chili powder. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
1Hi Ted, My suggestion would be to add the liquid smoke and the sweetener because without it you are missing key components that make BBQ sauce.
Ted
0Thank you very much for the reply. I’ll try your suggestion.
Cindy Creek
0Hello! What a the soybeans in it not a good thing. Have you found any other brands without that ingredient?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cindy, Which ingredient are you referring to?
Jennifer
0This is going in my recipe book. Third time making it. We had a family BBQ and my 10 year old grandaughter was like “I don’t like keto or sugar free stuff.” As she is dipping her food in the sauce. 😉
My favorite way to use this recipe is on my burgers and my lil smokies. Yum yum!!!!
Patti
0I made this and added extra cayenne, I like the heat ?. I didn’t have liquid smoke I’ll try get some and try that next time. This is so good. I like the vinegar taste. Thank you.
Country Roads
0This was a delicious recipe. I ended up using a 28-ounce can of tomato puree in place of paste to make a double batch. It worked out fine, since I decreased the water amount and then simmered to the desired thickness. Hubby and son loved it on their pulled pork! I imagine the sauce will be even better after having a chance to sit in the fridge for 24 hours. (If the menfolk don’t use it all up, first.) Thank you for sharing!
Jenny
0I made this tonight to have with pulled lamb in tacos. It was delicious. I was wondering how long the rest of it will last in the fridge? Do you think it could be made in bulk and canned? I’d like to have it on hand all the time as a healthier option for my sauce loving family. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jenny, It keeps well for about 2 weeks in the fridge. I haven’t tried canning it, but please let me know how that goes for you if you try it!
Kim
0Delicious. I just made bbq salad. 100 times better than store bought sugar free. Of course I used the Besti sweetener! Thank you so much!
Nancy M.
0Thank you so much for the BBQ sauce recipe. It’s a delicious replacement for commercial sauces. My non-low carb husband said he would never need store bought sauces again. I halved the recipe because there are only two of us. I don’t have the brand name products that you use, so it may taste and act slightly different, but the sauce is delicious, nonetheless. I highly recommend it.
Karen
0Why are sodium nutritional values not shown?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, Sodium can vary widely depending on the brands of ingredients used, so that’s one of the reasons I don’t calculate it. You can do that with the specific ingredients you use. You can see my nutrition policy here.
Thecla
0Hello,
the Lazy Kettle Brand All Natural Liquid hickory Smoke cannot be bought in the Netherlands, with what I can sub this? I cannot order it on amazon.com and amazon.nl does not sell it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Thecla, You can use another brand of liquid smoke. I’m not familiar with stores in the Netherlands, but here in the U.S. grocery stores have it as well.
Joni
0This was delicious BBQ sauce on chicken. The next day, we mixed it in to a pot of seasoned ground beef and at it as “Sloppy Joe’s”. That was the best we’d ever had! Kids ate it on a bun and hubby and I ate it in a zuchinni boat baked in the oven.
Allen Burt
0As with almost all your Keto (life saving) recipies, the BBQ sauce has rave reviews from freinds and family. Tonight we are haveing it on pulled Pork slow cooked Yum! 🙂
Heather G.
0This is one of the best BBQ sauces I have ever made- but #1 for me, being sugar free! Easy, fast to make and tastes great! I did not have liquid smoke(and Sunday night) so subbed smoked paprika that I had on hand instead. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Crissie
0This BBQ sauce is divine! Not only delicious but easy to make! I made enough to jar for the future too. Ended up using a full cup of water added to get the consistency I like (slightly on the thicker side). Family loves it too. Winner!