4.42 46 Published Apr 25, 2016, Updated Mar 20, 2023
Ingredients in Traditional BBQ Sauce
My first thought was to run to the store to grab a jar of BBQ sauce, but I quickly realized that healthier bottled BBQ sauce is kind of hard to find. Most store-bought sauces are loaded with sugar and some brands like Sweet Baby Ray’s still use high fructose corn syrup… and it’s the FIRST ingredient!! They’re also packed with a hefty dose of sodium and added preservatives. Not real food or EBF friendly! Ultimately I said no thanks to the bottled sauces and grabbed ingredients to make my own healthy BBQ sauce at home instead.
How to Make Healthy BBQ Sauce
Turns out, the process of making homemade BBQ sauce is so easy! Literally everything goes into one pot and it takes less than 20 minutes to cook. The final product is absolutely delicious — bold, flavorful, sweet and spicy! I personally think the homemade version tastes way better than most store-bought sauces I’ve tried. I want to put it on any and everything. I know many of you will be using BBQ sauce this summer and I’m happy to share this easy recipe with you. It makes about 2 cups and you can use it in a variety of ways. As a marinade, dipping sauce, salad dressing… the possibilities are pretty much endless. I’ve been using the sauce to test a couple different recipes that I’m super pumped to share. The first one is this BBQ tempeh and it’s delicious.
Healthy Store-Bought BBQ Sauce
If you decide you don’t have time to make homemade BBQ sauce and you’re going to pick up a jar from the store, just be sure to read labels. The serving size is usually 2 Tablespoons. Look for brands that don’t have high fructose corn syrup or some form of sugar listed as the first ingredient. It’s also ideal to have less than 10 grams of sugar and 300mg of sodium per serving. There are a few brands that make healthier BBQ sauce with natural/organic ingredients. If I don’t have time to make my own I buy Primal Kitchen’s BBQ sauce (their golden BBQ sauce is delicious). If you’re on the hunt for healthy store-bought condiments, I also have a list of all my favorite healthy store-bought salad dressings.
Ways to Use this BBQ Sauce
Hearts of Palm Vegan BBQ Sandwiches How to Make BBQ Jackfruit Grilled BBQ Tempeh Skewers Open-Faced BBQ Hummus Tuna Sandwich
More Staple Recipes
Healthy Homemade Salad Dressings Blackened Seasoning Dairy-Free Sour Cream Honey Mustard Dressing Lemon Vinaigrette
If you try this healthy bbq sauce recipe please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other EBF readers.
