• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Evergreen Kitchen

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Cookbook
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Cookbook
    • Recipes
    • Resources
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Extras

    Published: Jan 27, 2018 · Modified: Feb 5, 2022 by bri · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Healthier Homemade BBQ Sauce

    A healthier version of homemade barbecue sauce, made in 20 minutes. No ketchup or refined sugar. This quick and easy sauce uses dates for natural sweetness. Use this BBQ sauce in pulled mushroom sandwiches, nachos, or brush over grilled tofu.
    Jump to Recipe
    Close up of homemade barbecue sauce showing smooth texture in a bowl

    When it comes to store-bought barbecue sauce, I’ve never been able to find the one. Most bottles contain plenty of liquid smoke and other unpronounceables. And then, there’s the sugar. The average barbecue sauce contains a shocking amount of sugar. For mainstream grocery store brands, that’s typically in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. And while homemade recipes fare a bit better, almost all of them ask you to essentially empty your ketchup bottle (which by the way, contains some version of sugar as ingredient #2). On top of that, you’ll still need to pull out your sugar bag to add more! I knew there had to be a better way.

    Turns out, this BBQ sauce is it. It’s the answer to my barbecue sauce woes - and hopefully it solves yours too. This healthier homemade BBQ sauce packs a punch of flavor, and is totally vegan-friendly. It’s also really easy to make, coming together in 20 minutes or less, rather than hours bubbling away on the stove.

    Close up of dates sitting in a plate before cooking process starts

    But perhaps the best part of this recipe is that there’s no need to use ketchup or refined sugar. That’s right: a delicious barbecue sauce is totally possible without them! Tomato paste provides the color and hint of tomato flavor; while the medjool dates provide a natural source of sugar.  Every good barbecue sauce has some element of sweetness, so it’s important not to skip the sweetness altogether. Rather, dates provide a healthier option without adding so much sugar that your teeth hurt.

    Vegan pulled pork being cooked down in a cast iron pan with barbecue sauce

    Since making your own barbecue sauce from scratch can seem like a big hassle, I tried to keep the ingredients list as streamlined as possible. The beauty of barbecue sauce is that it has many layers of flavor, so trust that each of these elements are truly essential to a well balanced sauce. To spare you from searching for specialty chili powders (of which there are many), I found that a hefty amount of freshly ground black pepper delivers a (surprisingly) ample amount of heat. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar provide the perfect amount of tang. Most homemade recipes will call for apple cider vinegar only, but keep in mind, that’s because white vinegar is already a key ingredient in ketchup. Since we’re skipping the ketchup, you’ll want to add the white vinegar separately.

    It goes without saying that you should always tweak a recipe to suit your tastes. BBQ sauce happens to be one of those things where everyone has a different opinion on how sweet or tangy their sauce should be. Treat this recipe as a base, and explore from there. Like it more sweet? Add extra dates. More tangy? Increase the amount of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Extra heat? Use more black pepper, or add in a chili powder of your choice (chipotle powder would be great). Either way, you’re going to love how delicious and versatile this healthier homemade BBQ sauce is. We highly recommend you make extras and store in the fridge for the next time that barbecue craving hits.

    Single pulled pork nacho with vegan pulled pork that was cooked in homemade barbecue sauce
    Close up on bowl of homemade barbecue sauce after it has been used

    📖 Recipe

    Healthier Homemade BBQ Sauce

    A healthier version of homemade barbecue sauce, made in 20 minutes. No ketchup or refined sugar. This quick and easy sauce uses dates for natural sweetness. Use this BBQ sauce in pulled mushroom sandwiches, nachos, or brush over grilled tofu.
    Prep Time 3 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 17 minutes minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes minutes
    Servings 8
    Author: Bri
    Pin Recipe
    Close up of homemade barbecue sauce showing final texture in a bowl
    Print

    Ingredients

    • 1¼ cup water
    • ½ cup firmly packed pitted Medjool dates (about 6 to 8 dates)
    • ¼ cup tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons tamari
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • ¾ teaspoons black pepper (see note 1)
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Cook sauce: Add water, dates, tomato paste, tamari, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, onion powder, dijon mustard, and pepper to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld, stirring occasionally.
    • Blend sauce: Transfer mixture to a blender. Add lemon juice. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Refrigerate extras.

    Notes

    1. Black pepper: We always recommend freshly ground black pepper, but in this recipe it's especially important that it's freshly ground for the best flavor.
    2. Yield: One batch (1x) makes 2 cups of sauce. Nutritional estimate assumes ¼ cup per serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 38kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a rating below and tag us @evergreenkitchen on instagram!

    More Sauces & Extras Recipes

    • Red Chimichurri (Chimichurri Rojo) in a bowl with a spoon.
      Best Red Chimichurri Sauce
    • Strawberry Rhubarb Compote in a glass jar with a spoon.
      Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
    • A plate of celery and Greek Yogurt Buffalo Dip in a bowl.
      Creamy Greek Yogurt Buffalo Sauce
    • Easy brown sugar simple syrup in a glass jar with a spoon.
      Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

    Reader Interactions

    LEAVE A COMMENT Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Evergreen Kitchen! We're all about delicious vegetarian food you actually want to eat. Here you'll find craveable dinner recipes, meal prep ideas, healthy-ish desserts, and everyday cooking resources.

    More about us →

    Get the Cookbook!

    Evergreen Kitchen Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone Cookbook Cover
    Learn more about Evergreen Kitchen:
    Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone

    Summer Features

    • Whipped ricotta dip with honey, thyme, and pepper in a bowl.
      Whipped Ricotta Dip with Honey
    • Lemon swiss chard pasta served on a blue plate with lemon and pepper peeking in
      Lemon Swiss Chard Pasta
    • Air fryer cabbage wedges on a white serving plate.
      Air Fryer Cabbage Wedges
    • Halloumi Couscous Salad with Lemon on a green plate with a fork.
      Halloumi Couscous Salad with Lemon
    • Lemon Spinach Orzo in a bowl topped with feta and dill.
      One Pan Lemon Spinach Orzo with Feta
    • Spicy Mango Margarita with jalapeno peppers.
      Spicy Mango Margarita

    Fan Favorites

    • Close up of crispy breaded air fryer tofu with panko breadcrumb crust
      Crispy Breaded Air Fryer Tofu
    • Lemon dill and chickpea sandwich cut in half
      Vegan Smashed Chickpea Sandwich
    • Mushroom stroganoff in a white plate with fresh thyme and parmasen
      Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff (One Pot)
    • 12 peanut butter coconut power balls on a marble background
      Best Peanut Butter Coconut Balls
    • Close up of crispy air fryer breakfast potatoes (home fries)
      Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes (Home Fries)
    • A bowl of Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup with a piece of bread sitting on the edge of the bowl, with a white spoon and sliced lemon
      Instant Pot Bean Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Contact

    Contact us

    Recipes

    Jump to Recipes

    As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Evergreen Kitchen!