This homemade BBQ sauce recipe is easy (as in, it requires no heat or cooking!), absolutely delicious, and rivals any store-bought BBQ sauce you can find!

a labeled mason jar of classic bbq sauce

Best Homemade BBQ Sauce

We’re Texans, y’all, and if we know anything, we know BBQ. BBQ sauce, brisket, classic BBQ sides, you name it — if it relates to BBQ, we feel pretty darn confident about it! This BBQ sauce recipe is no exception. We designed it to be very similar in flavor to Stubb’s BBQ sauce (if you know, you know), and we’re very happy to report that we nailed it!

Homemade BBQ Sauce Ingredients

The ingredients here are pretty standard (with a few additions to really up the wow-factor).  Here’s everything you’ll need:

all of the ingredients for a classic bbq sauce in different sized bowls on a marble surface
  • Molasses – a ½ cup of molasses lends a sweet, robust flavor to the sauce.
  • Tomato Paste – 1 (6-ounce) can of tomato paste acts as the tomato base of our sauce.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – a ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar counters the sweetness in the sauce + adds a little bit of brightness.
  • Tamari (or Soy Sauce) – a ¼ cup of tamari adds depth, saltiness, and umami to the sweet BBQ sauce.
  • Honey – a ¼ cup of honey really takes the sauce up a notch!
  • Ancho Chili Powder – to add a nice smokiness to the finished sauce, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of ancho chili powder (don’t worry — it’s not spicy!).
  • Ground Black Pepper – finally, you’ll need a ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper!

Ancho Chili Powder vs. Regular Chili Powder

In this recipe, we call for ancho chili powder, which is a bit spicier and has a smokier, more concentrated flavor than your average chili powder. The plain chili powder you find in most stores is actually a blend of dried chilis, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano. While you can substitute plain chili powder here, we think you’ll get the best results with ancho chili powder!

How do you make BBQ sauce from scratch without ketchup?

Ketchup is a common base for BBQ sauce, but we find it’s easier to control the sweetness using tomato paste + sweeteners like molasses and honey, so this recipe is already free of ketchup!

How to make Homemade BBQ Sauce

Are you ready for this? Making this BBQ sauce is going to be the easiest (and most delicious) thing you do all week. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Whisk the ingredients – add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk them together until fully combined.
  2. Serve or store – once fully combined, serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
all of the ingredients for classic BBQ sauce in a large glass bowl
a large glass bowl of whisked classic bbq sauce

Tips, tricks, and substitutions for this Homemade BBQ Sauce Easy Recipe

  1. Give the sauce a really good whisk. You’ll need a little bit of elbow grease to get this sauce completely smooth and blend the tomato paste fully. If you are having trouble getting the sauce thinned, you can blend it instead!
  2. Substitute ancho chili for regular chili. The ancho chili gives this sauce a great depth and smokiness, but if you can’t find ancho chili powder, regular chili powder will do. Taste it for seasoning as you may need to add a bit of extra chili powder for flavor.
  3. Add onion + garlic. We left the onion and garlic out of this sauce to prevent it from being overly grainy, but a ½ teaspoon of each can help up the flavor!

How to Fit this Homemade BBQ Sauce to Your Eating Preferences 

This BBQ sauce is really delicious, and because of that, we want everyone to be able to enjoy it! If you’re following a Whole30 diet/lifestyle, try swapping the molasses and honey for a couple of dates blended with the sauce. For a vegan version, substitute brown sugar for the honey, and for a low-carb variation, we recommend making our Keto BBQ Sauce.

a labeled mason jar of classic bbq sauce

What type of meat does this Homemade BBQ Sauce go best on?

This homemade BBQ sauce is just like the store-bought stuff — it’s good on any meat! Mix it with already cooked shredded chicken, sliced Instant Pot chipotle brisket, or shredded pork shoulder, or use it as a marinade!

Other ways to use this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

BBQ sauce makes for a really yummy dipping sauce (for air fryer chicken nuggets, air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer french fries, etc.), marinade, or (mixed with ranch dressing) a really delicious BBQ ranch salad dressing!

How to store Homemade BBQ Sauce?

This homemade BBQ sauce recipe is best stored in an airtight container  (a mason jar works great here) in the refrigerator.

How long does Homemade BBQ Sauce last?

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, your sauce will keep for about 2 weeks (we bet you’ll finish it before then, though!)

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe

5 from 1 vote
By Amber Goulden
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
This homemade BBQ sauce is full of bold flavor and almost as easy as opening a jar of the pre-made stuff!

Ingredients  

  • 1, 6- ounce can tomato paste
  • ½ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients to a bowl, then whisk thoroughly to combine.
  • Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

Makes about 2 cups.

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.2g | Protein: 1.7g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 259.7mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 27.5g

Additional Info

Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 122
Keyword: BBQ sauce, easy bbq sauce, homemade bbq sauce, smoky bbq sauce

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Brandi Schilhab


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