Homemade BBQ Sauce

April 13, 2022

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This homemade BBQ sauce is full of tangy, smoky and fruity flavours with a hint of spice. It’s quick and easy to make and is perfect for sticky barbecue jackfruit or drizzled generously over a vegan bean burger.

There is an on-going debate between my dad and me over whether a ‘chip-butty’ (the British Friday-night staple of a chunky chip sandwich) should be accompanied by ketchup or BBQ sauce. My Pops is Team BBQ Sauce and I have to admit he is starting to convince me. There is something about the spicy, fruity flavours that goes so well in a chip butty.

This easy homemade BBQ sauce is packed full of flavour from a gentle simmer on the hob which creates a deliciously thick and sticky sauce to slather generously on your dinner. It makes the perfect accompaniment to a burger and is also great for making pulled jackfruit and coating vegan chicken.

Quick links:

Why you’ll love this Homemade BBQ Sauce

Easy to make and minimal prep. There is very little prep involved in making this barbecue sauce. Once you’ve diced the onion and minced the garlic it’s just a case of frying everything together and then leaving the sauce to simmer gently until thickened. Easy peasy!

Full of flavour. This BBQ sauce is PACKED with flavour – it’s tangy and smoky with sweet, fruity undertones and a hint of spiciness.

It’s so versatile. You’ll want to double or triple this recipe because it can be used in so many recipes! Stir it into shredded jackfruit and simmer to create a vegan sticky BBQ pulled pork or use it to create a vegan BBQ chicken pizza. It’s also fab on burgers, with fries or stirred into baked beans to create spicy BBQ beans. Why not try it in these delicious BBQ Bean Burgers?

How to make this Homemade BBQ Sauce

Gather together your ingredients. The recipe calls for passata but you can use tinned chopped tomatoes as a substitute because the sauce will be blended. You’ll also need vegan Worcestershire Sauce – the Biona one is a beauty.

Fry the onion and garlic gently for 7 minutes until soft. Add the dried spices and fry for a further 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 25-30 minutes until thickened.

Blend until smooth.

Top tips

Recommended ingredients: The only ‘specialist’ ingredient is vegan Worcestershire Sauce – I love using this brand and it can be used in so many other dishes such as risotto and chilli to intensify the flavours, or these delicious Welsh Rarebit Muffins.
Equipment: You’ll need a blender to blend the mixture into a smooth sauce. You can use pretty much any blender such as a Vitamix, Nutribullet or stick blender.
Substitutions: You can substitute the passata for 200g tinned chopped tomatoes but I wouldn’t recommend substituting any of the other ingredients as they all add to the flavour profile of the sauce.
Increasing the recipe: You can double or triple the recipe if you want to make a larger batch, you may just need to simmer for a little longer to get the sauce thick. I’d also recommend going easy on the salt – don’t double or triple this without tasting the sauce first to make sure it needs it.
Storing: This easy homemade bbq sauce stores well in the fridge in an airtight container or jar for a week. Alternatively you can freeze it in batches, just defrost fully before use.

FAQs

Can I make this gluten free? This recipe should already be gluten free if you are using a gluten free Worcesteshire Sauce. At our last check, Biona were marketing their sauce as gluten free but of course, always double check your ingredients before using them.
How long does this sauce last? We’ve stored this sauce for up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container.
Can I freeze this sauce? Yes absolutely. Just portion it up and then when you are ready to use it, defrost it fully.
Can I substitute the vegan Worcestershire Sauce for anything else? Sadly not, it’s such a unique flavour with a lot of depth that we don’t recommend substituting it for anything else in this recipe.

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Loved this Homemade BBQ Sauce? Here are some more delicious vegan condiments and savoury treats to try

This Muhammara Red Pepper Dip has such beautiful, deep flavours with roasted red peppers, sweet pomegranate and a hint of spice. Serve it with salads, in sandwiches or with chunks of pitta bread and crisp fresh vegetables as a dinner time dip.
Looking for a versatile chilli sauce that goes with almost any savoury dish? Try this Peruvian Aji Chilli Sauce with it’s fresh and punchy flavours similar to a Thousand Island Dressing.
Looking for a quick and easy lunchbox snack? Try these Vegan Welsh Rarebit Muffins! They’re full of cheesy, savoury flavour with a soft and squishy texture. They’re incredibly moreish!
This nutty, savoury, tangy 2 Minute Vegan Parmesan is incredibly popular and for good reason! Once you’ve tried it you won’t be without it in your fridge.
Pre-warning, these Mexican Pizza Pinwheels are addictive! With punchy flavours, these naughty but nice pinwheels make a great snack or party food and are just as delicious cold as they are warm.

I hope you LOVE this recipe for Homemade BBQ Sauce! Share this recipe with someone you think will love it and don’t forget to tag @aveganvisit on social media when you try out the recipe – I absolutely love seeing your re-creations! Enjoy 🙂 x

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