The BEST Keto Sugar Free BBQ Sauce (2 Net Carbs!)
This homemade sugar free BBQ Sauce recipe is a low carb, keto barbecue sauce that’s ready in 5 minutes. All you need are 7 ingredients and a mason jar for easy storage! Smother this tangy sauce on meat, salads, dips, pizza, and more.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Great
You are going to LOVE how easy this Keto BBQ sauce is! It is ready to eat in 10 minutes. I’m serious. Now that I know how easy it is to make a healthy, sugar free BBQ sauce I’m never going to buy store-bought sauce again.
It is healthy, with just 7 simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Have you read the ingredients in traditional barbecue sauces bought at grocery stores? PACKED with added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sugar substitutes. Homemade BBQ sauce is for sure the way to go.
The best part? You can’t even tell it is sweetened naturally. It is still thick with a sweet and tangy flavor, with the added bonus of being much healthier for you.
I add all the ingredients to a pan to slowly warm so the flavors can marry. After it warms on the stove for 5 minutes, I add all the ingredients to my blender and blend on high for 2 minutes. When it’s done blending, it’s ready to start eating. It’s that easy!
Watch How to Make BBQ Sauce Recipe Video
Sugar Free BBQ Sauce Inspiration
I went to buy Tessemae’s at the store, and it was sold out!? I asked the Whole Foods manager, and he said Tessemae’s BBQ sauce was out of stock for the foreseeable future, even on their website and Amazon.
It is July! I need my BBQ sauce!
So, I set out to make my own. I read the ingredients on the label of my almost empty Tessemae bottle and tried to recreate it at home. After a few tries, I got it right! A perfect Tessemae’s BBQ sauce copycat recipe.
Ingredient Notes
The best keto BBQ sauce made with simple, keto-friendly ingredients you probably already have on hand! It’s super simple, absolutely delicious, and easy to make a double batch freeze for later use.
- balsamic vinegar: Some recipes call for apple cider vinegar, but I prefer the flavor of balsamic vinegar.
- tomato paste: Many recipes use ketchup, but tomato paste is a great way to ensure there’s no added sugar. I use paste, not tomato sauce since it’s a bit thicker, and I like my BBQ sauce to be thick.
- monk fruit sweetener (use dates for Whole30!): I use monk fruit sweetener, which is a 1:1 all-natural white sugar replacement. You can swap this for Swerve brown sugar substitute as well. You could also use coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup or date paste for a natural sweetener.
- Dijon mustard
- soy sauce: If you’re gluten-free, swap the soy sauce for Tamari or coconut aminos.
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
That’s it! All real ingredients to make it paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, vegan, and keto BBQ sauce.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Heat a saucepan over low-medium 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.
- (If using dates, transfer the BBQ sauce to a blender and blend on high speed for 2 minutes.)
- Store in an airtight container or wide-mouth pint mason jar. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months or frozen for 1 year.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Gluten-Free: Be sure to use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Consistency: I find that this BBQ sauce is best when it is thick, so when I brush it on meat and grill it, the BBQ sauce really stays on. I hate it when it’s too runny and drips off. But this is a personal preference. If you like your BBQ sauce thinner, just add water and blend again until it reaches the consistency you like.
- Flavor Variations: Depending on your flavor preferences, you can jazz up this keto BBQ sauce recipe in various ways. For a smoky flavor, add a few drops of liquid smoke. For a spicier sauce, add a bit of chili powder or cayenne pepper to taste.
Serving Tips
Use this delicious sugar free BBQ sauce for beef, chicken, pork chops, ribs, chicken wings, and more! It also works perfectly paired with my Keto Ranch dressing for salads. You can also use it for dressing and dipping sauce.
Storage Tips
I store my keto BBQ sauce in wide-mouth pint mason jars. This recipe makes about 2-1/2 cups. I use 1/2 cup right away on whatever protein I’m cooking, and the rest fits perfectly in the mason jar, which is an airtight container when the lid is on.
I also love using wide-mouth pint mason jars because they’re freezer-friendly! We make a double batch, freeze 2 pints, and leave the rest in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Most store-bought BBQ sauces are full of added sugars or artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose and then the caramel color and preservatives. It’s tricky to find a truly sugar free barbecue sauce that isn’t really expensive! So, making it at home with this simple recipe is really the way to go.
2 net carbs! You get that number by subtracting the dietary fiber from the total carbs. You can find more nutritional info in the recipe card below.
More Keto Recipes
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The BEST Keto Sugar Free 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.
- (If using dates, transfer the BBQ sauce to a blender, and blend on high speed for 2 minutes.)
- 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
Expert Tips & Variations
-
- Gluten-Free: Be sure to use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
-
- Consistency: I find that this BBQ sauce is best when it is thick, so when I brush it on meat and grill it, the BBQ sauce really stays on. I hate it when it’s too runny and drips off. But this is a personal preference. If you like your BBQ sauce thinner, just add water and blend again until it reaches the consistency you like.
-
- Flavor Variations: Depending on your flavor preferences, you can jazz up this keto BBQ sauce recipe in various ways. For a smoky flavor, add a few drops of liquid smoke. For a spicier sauce, add a bit of chili powder or cayenne pepper to taste.
Serving Tips
Use this delicious keto BBQ sauce for beef, chicken, pork chops, ribs, chicken wings, and more! It also works perfectly paired with my Keto Ranch dressing for salads. You can also use it for dressing and dipping sauce.Storage Tips
I store my BBQ sauce in wide-mouth pint mason jars. This recipe makes about 2-1/2 cups. I use 1/2 cup right away on whatever protein I’m cooking, and the rest fits perfectly in the mason jar, which is an airtight container when the lid is on. I also love using wide-mouth pint mason jars because they’re freezer-friendly! I like to make a double batch, freeze 2 pints, and leave the rest in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.This post contains affiliate links, thanks for the love!
135 Comments on “The BEST Keto Sugar Free 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!