Easy Keto BBQ Sauce (2 Net Carbs)
This keto BBQ sauce is your go-to low carb condiment that’s ready in just 10 minutes and packed with sweet, smoky flavor. It’s naturally sweetened, Whole30-compatible, and perfect for brushing on meats, drizzling over salads, or dipping everything from wings to veggies.
This easy homemade sauce is a summertime staple in my kitchen. And once you try it, I think you’ll feel the same!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You are going to LOVE how easy this keto BBQ sauce is! It comes together with just a few pantry staples, warms on the stove in 5 minutes, and blends up thick and velvety. You don’t even need to turn on the grill to make it. It’s fast, flavorful, and healthy.
Most store bought barbecue sauces are loaded with added sugars, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners. But this version? It’s completely refined sugar-free and made with wholesome, real food ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
The best part? You’d never know it’s sweetened naturally. This sauce still delivers that classic thick and tangy BBQ flavor you crave with only 2 net carbs per serving. This recipe makes about 2½ cups total, or 16 servings (2 tablespoons each).
Try it on Instant Pot BBQ Ribs or serve it with your favorite grilled chicken for a sugar-free summer hit.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This sugar-free BBQ sauce is made with simple ingredients and no ketchup in sight. Every one of them plays an important role:
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a rich, slightly sweet tang and deep color. I prefer it over apple cider vinegar for its boldness.
- Tomato paste: A thick, no-sugar alternative to ketchup. It gives this sauce body and a concentrated tomato flavor.
- Monk fruit sweetener: A zero-calorie, keto-approved sweetener that mimics sugar beautifully. For Whole30, you can swap in medjool dates.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a punch of sharpness and ties the acidity and sweetness together.
- Soy sauce: Balances everything with salty, umami depth. Sub tamari or coconut aminos to make it gluten-free.
- Spices: A simple blend of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper rounds out the flavor.
All real ingredients. All clean. And all ready to go into your favorite mason jar!
How to Make Keto BBQ Sauce
Step 1: Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add all the ingredients and stir to combine.
Step 2: Bring the mixture to a low simmer for about 5 minutes. Don’t let it boil, just enough to warm and let the flavors marry.
Step 3: If using dates as a sweetener, transfer the warm mixture to a high-speed blender and blend for 2 minutes until completely smooth.
Step 4: Pour into a wide-mouth pint mason jar or airtight container. Let cool and refrigerate.
That’s it! You just made your own keto BBQ sauce from scratch, no store run required.
Watch How to Make BBQ Sauce Recipe Video
Flavor Variations + Tips
This low carb grilling sauce is versatile and forgiving. Here are a few ideas to make it your own:
- Make it smoky: Add a few drops of liquid smoke or a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Spice it up: Stir in chili powder, cayenne, or a splash of hot sauce for heat.
- Adjust thickness: Prefer a thinner sauce? Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Gluten-free swaps: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
I personally love keeping it thick so it clings to meat on the grill. No drip-offs here!
Storage Tips
This keto BBQ sauce stores beautifully. I like to keep it in a wide-mouth pint mason jar, it stays fresh in the fridge for up to 3 months, or you can freeze it for up to a year. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight before using.
Recipe FAQs
Tomato paste is best for a thick, concentrated sauce. If you only have tomato sauce, simmer longer to reduce and thicken.
Use 8 pitted medjool dates instead of monk fruit. Blend after simmering to fully incorporate.
Yes! Store in a wide mouth mason jar and freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Slather it on Dr Pepper Baby Back Ribs, or serve it as a dip alongside Keto BBQ Pulled Pork Bowls!
I hope this keto BBQ sauce becomes a summer essential in your kitchen like it has in mine. Whether you’re grilling ribs, meal prepping burgers, or just need a clean, low-carb dip, this one’s a winner.
For another versatile staple, try my Homemade Paleo Whole30 Ranch Dressing next!
More Delicious Recipes
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Easy Keto BBQ Sauce (2 Net Carbs)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup water, or more to desired consistency
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1/4 cup or more to taste of monk fruit (for Whole30 substitute 8 pitted medjool dates
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Heat a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add all ingredients, stir to combine, and bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes. You don't want it to boil, just get warmed through. Heating will allow the flavors to marry.
- Store in an airtight container or wide mouth pint mason jar. Will keep in the fridge for at least 3 months, or frozen for 1 year.
Notes
Flavor Variations + Tips
This low carb grilling sauce is versatile and forgiving. Here are a few ideas to make it your own:- Make it smoky: Add a few drops of liquid smoke or a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Spice it up: Stir in chili powder, cayenne, or a splash of hot sauce for heat.
- Adjust thickness: Prefer a thinner sauce? Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Gluten-free swaps: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
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145 Comments on “Easy Keto BBQ Sauce (2 Net Carbs)”
This is fantastic BBQ sauce and immediately became a staple in our house.
Because we like our sauce nice and tangy/tart i leave out the sweetener.
Give this recipe a go. It is super easy to make and yummy on wings, ribs, chicken – everything!!
I love that you leave out the sweetener to make it more tangy Sue. That’s brilliant!
I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever left a comment, but I am about to make this for the like 100th time because my husband and I absolute LOVE It! I add a little bit of red pepper flakes for a kick and it’s the best bbq sauce we could ever have. My husband literally complains when I use a store bought sauce now. :)
I am so happy you and your husband like my BBQ sauce. I love that you have made it 100 times. Yeah! :)
It was good but the balsamic vinegar was a little too strong. I had to add some maple sugar with the 8 dates to tone it down. Next time I’ll cut back on the vinegar – other than that it was so easy to make.
I love that you were able to adapt the recipe to your liking. That is what cooking is all about! :)
Not my first whole 30 but my first time trying this recipe AND IT IS THE BEST!!! I am a saucy loving girl and this recipe DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I couldn’t even contemplate my instant pot pulled pork without bbq sauce and have just started the September Whole30. No feeling left out at supper tonight! Thank you so much for this! I may have bought my last bottle of KC Masterpiece!
Yeah! I too am a saucy loving girl so I am thrilled you like the BBQ sauce Darlene. It’s so wonderful to have a healthy, tasty alternative. So glad you enjoyed it. I really appreciate the feedback.
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!! Even my friends who are BBQ snobs cannot believe this is PALEO!!! Just made a double batch because i love it so much. A perfect balance of sweet, and a bit of a natural spicy kick. I generally do not add any water, because I like the bbq sauce to stick to meats for grilling. Smoked some pork ribs in the Traeger…..A-MA-ZING!!!
It is fantastic that your friends can’t believe it is Paleo Britney. Just proves eating nutritiously can still be tasty!
Wow…yum! Never knew I could make homemade bbq sauce this easily and it legit tastes better than the store bought kind!
I used brown sugar instead of monk fruit since that’s all I had. I whisked the ingredients on the stovetop and didn’t need to use a blender at all! You’ve done it again.
Isn’t it amazing how easy it is to make Caitlin? I think it is tastier too! Glad to know it turned out well without a blender.
Hi Natalie, I have made this many times with the dates and it turns out perfectly. Today, I tried the monk fruit instead of the dates and it is too thin and liquid-y. I added some arrowroot to thicken it which worked but I think the results (taste and texture) are much better with the dates. I use in for your instant pot ribs recipe which also turns out perfectly. Thank you.
I am so glad you liked my BBQ sauce LauDow. That is a bummer that your version with the monk fruit turned out too thin. I am so glad the arrowroot powder thickened it up nicely. So glad the sauce pairs well with the ribs in the Instant Pot. I couldn’t agree more! Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
I made this yesterday. Was light on tomato paste, so I added a little of my homemade, sugar-free ketchup, and that worked just fine. Actually, I’m obsessed. I love this stuff. I made the keto instant pot ribs, ate them, went to the store and bought more ribs (and of course more tomato paste). We’re going to shred for salads and tacos and more. Such a good sauce. I just can’t get over it.
So glad you liked it Joelle!
Hi! Do you think this could be made with white vinegar? Balsamic can be a migraine trigger, so I would like to avoid it if I could. Please let me know what you think! Thanks!
I haven’t recipe tested this with white vinegar, but I am sure that would work just fine Alyson. I would make it with the vinegar of your choice. I sure hope you like it!
Added minced caramelized red onion and grainy mustard. So good.
I am so happy you liked my BBQ sauce Jessica. The addition of caramelized red onion and grainy mustard sounds fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing.
I gave up on bbq sauce years ago, because of he amount of sugar in it! I was constantly scraping it off my ribs.. or chops, or meatloaf…. I’m starting another round of Whole 30 on Monday… and its almost summer.. I bookmarked your bbq sauce recipe a few months ago, and this morning decided to make it up in preparation of my start. OMG!!!! So good!!! Thank you, thank you THANK YOU!!!
Yeah! I am so happy you liked my BBQ sauce Donna. Even better that you can now enjoy a healthy version of it. I wish you so much success on your Whole30 program you are starting Monday. You’ve got this friend!
Doesn’t work, way too much vinegar, ick
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it Monique.
Awful recipe that doesn’t work. It has about 10x as much vinegar as it should, wasted good ingredients on something inedible.
Sorry it wasn’t to your liking Lola.
I made a date paste so there are no chunks. So do I still need to blend it after simmering sauce?
I would go ahead and check the consistency after you simmer the sauce and see if you like it Caroline. I like my BBQ sauce very smooth so I like it blended. I think it is just personal taste. I sure hope you like it!
Hi Natalie, thanks for the recipe! I’m really excited to try it with the ribs I plan on making tonight but realized I don’t have tomatoes paste. :( Is there a substitute?
If you don’t have tomato paste you could substitute any tomato product like fresh, canned or even ketchup Kim. I think we are all having to make do with what we have on hand these days. You can also just omit it from the recipe and it should be just fine. I sure hope you like it and your ribs turn out delicious!
Hi Natalie,
Thank you so much for this recipe!! My fiancé can’t stand mustard of any kind, and can detect it from a mile away. Would it be possible to leave out the mustard without sacrificing that solid BBQ flavor that I know and love?
Thank you so much! I love how responsive you are on your blog. I’ll be referring to your delicious recipes during and post Whole30!!
I haven’t recipe tested it without the mustard, but I would think you could omit it easily Caroline. Especially if your fiance is not a fan. The mustard does add some thickness to the sauce. I would make it without mustard and taste test. If it doesn’t taste right you could try adding some mayo or horseradish to see it that helps any. Dry mustard might work, but I don’t know if it would be offensive to your fiance.
I sure hope it turns out well for you!
Hello!
So excited for this recipe…making it as I type! lol Can you use an immersion blender?
I haven’t recipe tested the BBQ sauce in an immersion blender, but I think it would work just fine Barbara. I sure hope it turned out great for you!
Never knew it was so easy!!! You make everything approachable!! I love a thick sticky sweet BBQ sauce and haven’t found any bottled keto sauce I loved! This was perfect!
I am so glad you liked my BBQ sauce Jenn! I love hearing that it was sticky and sweet. What a great description! Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
This is awesome to be paired with my wild game Whole30 meatloaf that I make of the grill! Thanks so much! I am always looking for cleaner options of regular foods!
I am so happy you liked my BBQ sauce Joanne! I love that you paired it with your wild game Whole30 meatloaf on the grill. My goodness that sounds fantastic!
Made this to put on ribs and it was really tasty! I was a bit hesitant about the large amount of vinegar but it really complemented the recipe. This is my go-to recipe for Paleo BBQ sauce!
Also forgot to mention that I didnt have dates or monkfruit so I sweetened to taste with maple syrup.
Great addition Lindsey!
I am so happy you liked my BBQ sauce Lindsey. It really does seem like a lot of vinegar, but I think the acid really helps balance the flavors. Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
This recipe was easy and delicious. I’m going to make more and give it away as gifts. I did make a couple of small changes. I added a 1/4 tsp. of pepperflakes and a 1/4 tsp. of liquid smoke. This recipe is also a great use for those dried out dates. They moistened up when cooked and blended well.
I am so glad you like my BBQ sauce Cyndi. That is fantastic that you are giving it out as gifts. I love that! Those are great tweaks to the recipe adding red pepper flakes and liquid smoke. Thanks so much for sharing that!