This 10-minute sugar free BBQ sauce requires no cooking and contains just a few ingredients and no added sugar. Simply drop the ingredients into a bowl, whisk them for two minutes, and your delicious sauce is ready!
Store-bought BBQ sauce often contains large amounts of sugar. This homemade version is just as good, and it's sugar-free. It's also incredibly easy to make - it requires no cooking and is ready in minutes. You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them for several months.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- Tomato paste: I use tomato paste that comes in a 7-ounce glass jar. After I empty out the tomato paste, I use it to measure the vinegar. It's fine to use a 6-ounce can of tomato paste if that's all you can find.
- Balsamic vinegar: Please use aged balsamic vinegar. Other types of vinegar will be too acidic.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Sweetener: You can use any sugar-free liquid sweetener or the equivalent in stevia.
Variations
- Sometimes, I use smoked salt instead of regular salt. It adds a lovely smoky flavor to the sauce.
- You can add 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter for a richer sauce.
- If you don't mind the carbs, use real maple syrup or honey instead of a sugar-free sweetener.
- To make it spicy, add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper.
- You can use two teaspoons of fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Place the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sweetener in a medium bowl or jar.
Use a hand whisk to mix the ingredients until well blended.
Use immediately in your favorite recipe, or refrigerate for up to a week.
Recipe Tip
While the only vinegar that works in this recipe is balsamic, and I do recommend using aged balsamic, there's a balance to strike. You want it aged, but not super-aged. Very aged balsamic is thick, syrupy, and extremely sweet. It can make the sauce sweeter than ideal, at least to my palate. It won't taste bad - it'll still be delicious - just noticeably sweet.
You can tell how aged it is by checking the nutrition label. The brand I usually use has 5 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Super-aged balsamic is highly viscous and can have 10 grams per tablespoon. When I tested it in this recipe, the sauce came out too sweet for my palate.
That said, the number one issue people have with this sauce is its acidity, and using a super-aged vinegar resolves this issue. So feel free to experiment and see what works best for you!
Recipe FAQs
This sauce is very similar to regular BBQ sauce, but it's not as sweet, and it's a bit more acidic.
This sauce is excellent for brushing on meats and then slow-cooking or grilling them. Cooking caramelizes the natural sugars in the sauce, bringing out its sweetness. Without cooking, this sauce is a bit acidic. So, I don't use it as a dipping sauce.
Unless you use super-aged balsamic vinegar with 10 grams of sugar per serving, please don't skip the sweetener. It balances out the acidity of the vinegar.
You can store this sauce in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. Remember to stir it again before using it. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to three months and thaw it overnight in the fridge. If you'd like to freeze small quantities, use an ice cube tray. Once the cubes are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag.
Serving Suggestions
As mentioned above, this sauce is best used in cooked recipes. I typically use it when making oven-baked ribs, pulled pork, BBQ beef, or pulled chicken, as shown in the photos below.
Recipe Card
Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup tomato paste - a 7-ounce jar
- ¾ cup aged balsamic vinegar - see notes below
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons liquid sugar-free sweetener - or the equivalent in stevia
Instructions
- Place the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sweetener in a medium bowl or jar.¾ cup tomato paste, ¾ cup aged balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons liquid sugar-free sweetener
- Use a hand whisk to whisk everything together until well-blended.
- Use immediately in your favorite recipe, or cover and refrigerate for up to a week.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of sauce.
- While it's important to use aged balsamic vinegar, stick with one with about 5 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Those with 10 grams of sugar per tablespoon are too sweet, at least to my palate.
- Saltiness and sweetness preferences are highly personal. Adjust to taste.
- While it's OK to use this sauce immediately after you mix it, it's even better to make it an hour or so ahead of time and let it rest at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld. Just make sure to give it another stir before using it.
- You can store this sauce in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. Remember to stir it again before using it.
- You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to three months and thaw it overnight in the fridge. If you'd like to freeze small quantities, use an ice cube tray. Once the cubes are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Georgia Vivino says
Delicious
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you so much, Georgia!