Okaaay, so most barbecue sauces are already naturally vegan (aside from some containing regular granulated sugar, which is sometimes not vegan because it’s processed with animal bone char). But I am still pretty impressed with the results. I didn’t grow up eating very much barbecue (I grew up with Indian immigrant parents who were vegetarian!), but I did sample a lot of BBQ sauce over the last few weeks to ensure that my recipe tastes exactly like what you expect and want barbecue sauce to taste like.
How to make vegan BBQ sauce
Plop your organic ketchup in a mixing bowl. This version, I’m proud to report, is sweet yet tangy, quite smoky, and a little spicy. The sweetness comes from organic ketchup and maple syrup. Molasses offers a robust warmth, slight sweetness, and subtle smokiness. Versatile. I’ve used this vegan BBQ sauce to make BBQ Glazed Tempeh (a great way to make tempeh more palatable for tempeh-skeptics), BBQ grilled tofu, BBQ jackfruit, and even mixed it into a pot of beans. Lasts for weeks! I’m not sure about the science behind this, but this homemade BBQ sauce stays good for a very long time. Mine has been in the fridge for 3 weeks and is still good! Pour in the soy sauce or tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, molasses, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Add the BBQ spice blend. Whisk the ingredients to combine. Add the sauce to a saucepan or small frying pan and heat through for 5 minutes. That’s it!
How to thicken BBQ sauce
The recipe calls for simmering the sauce for about 5 minutes. This will slightly thicken it, but if you want a thicker texture, here are two methods. Note: the sauce will also thicken a bit after resting in the fridge. And depending on how you use the sauce, you might not need to thicken it at all. In this BBQ Glazed Tempeh LINK, I don’t thicken it at all and it works great (the sauce also thickens as it coats the tempeh).
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
To make this BBQ sauce gluten-free, (1) use tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) instead of soy sauce and (2) omit the vegan Worcestershire sauce (most vegan Worcestershire sauces contain wheat). If omitting the Worcestershire, taste and add a bit more soy sauce or a couple pinches of salt as needed. There is, however, at least one vegan and gluten-free Worcestershire sauce I’ve seen online. Or, you can try my homemade vegan and gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (see the next section). If you can’t find liquid smoke, use more smoked paprika. Start with an extra 1/2 teaspoon and work your way up to 1 1/2 teaspoons, as needed. I prefer using organic ketchup because some standard ketchup brands use high fructose corn syrup and others that use conventional sugar may not be vegan. Annie’s organic ketchup is pretty great. If you want some extra heat and smokiness in your sauce, add 1 or 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (finely minced, so it blends into the BBQ sauce); or just add a teaspoon or two of the adobo sauce. Or, try 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chili flakes. If you can’t find vegan Worcestershire sauce, (1) omit it or (2) try my very easy homemade recipe (it’s below). I have used Annie’s vegan Worcestershire sauce and the Whole Foods 365 vegan Worcestershire sauce with great results. Other vegan Worcestershire sauce brands include Sprouts, Simple Truth, and O Organics.
How to make vegan Worcestershire sauce
This recipe is vegan and gluten-free and comes from my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook! Makes about 1/3 cup
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar3 tablespoons organic brown sugar1/3 cup reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce3/4 teaspoon onion powder1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Ideas for using BBQ sauce
Here’s how to make delicious BBQ grilled tofu.
Use it to make BBQ Glazed Tempeh!
I also love using this BBQ sauce for my BBQ Glazed Tempeh LINK. It’s a fantastic way to take nutrient-rich tempeh from meh to amazing. You can serve the BBQ tempeh in a sandwich (I layer mine with vegan mayo, lettuce, and a quick carrot-cabbage slaw). Or in an epic grain bowl/salad with vegan ranch dressing! You can serve BBQ tofu or BBQ tempeh at your next cookout. It’s fantastic paired with this Herbed Potato Salad! Or, if it’s winter time, try pairing either with this Crispy Baked Mac and Cheese or Miso Butter Mashed Potatoes. That’s all you need to know to make this easy but delicious vegan Barbecue Sauce! Enjoy xo.
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