Easy barbecue sauce comes together in just minutes. It doesn’t require any cooking – just stirring.
Add a few pantry-friendly ingredients to a bowl, and get saucing!
When you have a hankering for barbecue but don’t have any sauce in the house, here’s the perfect answer.
Make this easy barbecue sauce with ingredients you already have on hand in the refrigerator & pantry.
It doesn’t require any cooking.
Just add ingredients to a bowl & stir.
Sure, a bottle of barbecue sauce is inexpensive & convenient.
But if you have a problem finishing the whole bottle, or if you’re in a bind & need BBQ sauce quick, it couldn’t be simpler to make your own with this recipe.
This BBQ sauce comes together in only seconds, thanks to a few pantry-friendly staples.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Ketchup: Ketchup brands vary by sweetness. I recommend using a natural ketchup that doesn’t include high fructose corn syrup, so that it’s not overly sweet.
Apple cider vinegar: It adds tang, light sweetness & a bit of apple flavor, which works nicely here. It can be replaced with white wine vinegar or rice vinegar.
Stone ground mustard: This grainy mustard adds tang & bite.
Liquid smoke: Liquid smoke is really a must here to give this sauce the smoky flavor you expect in BBQ.
I like to buy Wright’s brand, because it has only two ingredients – water & natural hickory smoke concentrate.
Keep in mind that with liquid smoke, a little goes a long way. Don’t get heavy handed.
Maple syrup: This adds sweetness & light flavor. It can be replaced with agave syrup.
Molasses: It adds sweetness & depth of flavor.
Salt: A pinch of salt brings it all together.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Combine the following:
- Ketchup
- Apple cider vinegar
- Stone-ground mustard
- Liquid smoke
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- Salt
The sauce is ready to use right away.
Or you can put it in a jar in the refrigerator to enjoy later.
Make it your own
Ketchup brands vary by sweetness. Add more or less maple syrup & molasses to suit your tastes.
If you’d like a bit of heat, add a dash of hot sauce.
What to serve with it
Barbecue sauce is great slathered on vegan pulled pork or BBQ jackfruit alongside collard greens, and vegan mac & cheese.
Or stuff barbecued Soy Curls into a vegan BBQ sandwich with coleslaw.
Slather this easy barbecue sauce onto your favorite plant protein on the grill.
Or use it as a dipping sauce with sweet potato fries, vegan pigs in a blanket, air fryer polenta fries, or vegan onion rings.
How long will it last?
All of the ingredients in this sauce are super long lasting.
Kept in a covered container in the refrigerator, it will easily keep at least 2 or 3 weeks, if not longer.
📖 Recipe
Easy barbecue sauce
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon stone-ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon molasses
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
- Use right away or store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Content, recipe, and photos updated March 30, 2021. Originally posted April 3, 2014.
Earlene
I was out of our favorite bbq sauce and decided to give it a try. I am always surprised at how small bits of things can come together in spectacular ways! Love this sauce!
Cadry Nelson
Yay! That’s so nice to hear. Thanks for the great feedback, Earlene!
Sonya G
Oh my goodness!!! This sauce is amazing!!!! It is now a staple in my refrigerator 😀
Cadry Nelson
I’m delighted to hear that, Sonya! If you get a chance to leave a star rating too, I’d really appreciate it. Enjoy your sauce!
Sonya G
This is an update to my rating from last week (I had left of the star rating… Oops!) Without ANY hesitation this is a 5 star recipe!! It is a staple in my fridge and I use it on so many things, from soy curls to salad. IT IS SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!! 😀
Cadry Nelson
Thank you so much for circling back, Sonya! I really appreciate it. I’m thrilled you’re loving the sauce!
Monica
Hi Cadry,
I just made this bbq sauce, but I didn’t have the liquid smoke on hand, and so I substituted with smoked paprika.
It was fabulous and super easy.
Thanks a million, Monica
Cadry Nelson
What a good idea to use smoked paprika as a substitution! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!
acookinthemaking
That plate looks absolutely incredible. Seriously, even though I’ve already eaten lunch, the photos are making me hungry! I could probably eat that exact meal every day and never get tired of it.
An Unrefined Vegan
Nicely done! I would happily dive into that plate. Bring on the sauce!
Cadry
Thanks, Annie! 😀
Ashlae
This is seriously genius. Cannot wait to try it and slather it all over a piece of tofu!
Cadry
Aw, thanks, Ashlae! I hope you enjoy it! 😀