This easy, no-cook vegan barbecue sauce takes almost no time to make and tastes better than most store-bought options — especially good with grilled tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Since it's no-cook, you can taste and adjust as you go until it's exactly the balance of sweet, smoky, and tangy you want, and it's ready before the grill even heats up.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tomato sauce. Forms the base of the sauce — use a plain, unsweetened variety for the best control over flavor, since many canned tomato sauces already have added sugar and salt.
- Agave nectar or maple syrup. Either works well for sweetness; use whichever you have on hand — maple syrup adds a slightly more distinct flavor.
- Molasses. Adds depth and a hint of smokiness. Skip it and add an extra tablespoon of agave or maple syrup if you don't have any, though the flavor will be a touch less complex.
- Smoked paprika. Swap in for the sweet paprika if you want a smokier flavor from the start — it's one of the easiest ways to add depth to a no-cook sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar. Provides the tang that balances all the sweetness — don't skip it, or the sauce will taste flat and one-dimensional.
Variations
- Make it spicier. Add a few drops of hot sauce or Sriracha, or a pinch of cayenne for dry heat.
- Make it smoky. Stir in a teaspoon of liquid smoke or 1 to 2 teaspoons mesquite seasoning for a more pronounced barbecue flavor.
- Make it tangier. Add an extra splash of apple cider vinegar to taste, especially if using it as a dipping sauce rather than a glaze.
- Make it bourbon-style. A splash of bourbon whisked in gives the sauce a warm, boozy depth for grown-up gatherings.
- Add fresh garlic. A small clove, minced or grated, deepens the savory side of the sauce.
Tips for the Best Vegan Barbecue Sauce
- Let it rest if you can. An hour of resting time lets the flavors meld and deepen — though it's still good used right away if you're in a hurry.
- Taste and adjust. Soy sauce brands vary in saltiness, so taste before adding the full amount, and adjust the sweetener and vinegar to your preference.
- Store it well. Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks, making it worth batching up.
- Double the batch. This sauce keeps well, so it's worth making extra for future grilling — it also makes a great gift in a mason jar.
- Whisk, don't blend. A simple whisk gives the right texture — a blender can make the sauce too smooth and lose the slight body that makes it feel homemade.
Make Ahead & Storage
Since this sauce is no-cook, it comes together in minutes and is meant to be made ahead — in fact, it tastes better after an hour or more in the fridge, once the flavors have had a chance to meld. It keeps for up to two weeks refrigerated in a sealed jar.
How to Serve
Brush generously over grilled tofu, tempeh, or seitan, or use as a dipping sauce on the side. It's also delicious swirled into baked beans or brushed onto veggie burgers.
Recipe
Quick Vegan Barbecue Sauce
This easy, no-cook vegan barbecue sauce takes almost no time to make and tastes better than most store-bought options - especially good with grilled tofu, tempeh, or seitan.
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Servings: (makes about 2 ½ cups)
Ingredients
- 15 to 16-ounce can tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon molasses or substitute an extra tablespoon of agave or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- If time allows, cover and let stand for an hour or so to let the flavors combine more fully. If you need to use it right away, it will still be quite good.
Notes
For a spicier sauce, add a few drops of hot sauce or Sriracha. For a smoky flavor, add a teaspoon of liquid smoke or 1 to 2 teaspoons mesquite seasoning.
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elisha says
What is the tomato sauce?a can of tomatoes, ketchup or puree?
Nava says
Elisha, sorry, your question went under my radar. It is tomato sauce that comes in a can...literally labeled tomato sauce. A 15-ounce can should be sufficient for this.
Cisneros Cares says
Blend some tomatoes with tomato paste. Best tomato sauce.
Cyd says
awesome recipe!! I used my food processor to purée cherry tomatos. This Made my sauce a bit thinner than normal BBQ sauce, but the flavor was exceptional!!
Nava says
Thanks, Cyd -- glad you enjoyed it. Chances are if you refrigerate it overnight, it will thicken up a bit.
Rebecca says
I was short on the tomato sauce (only had an 8-oz can for 1 cup) so I substituted some Annie's organic ketchup for the last 1/2 cup. This sauce was amazing!
Kris says
Made it tonight. Quick and easy -- and it tasted terrific!
Nava says
Thanks, Rebecca and Kris — I make this a lot, as I find store-bought sauces have an odd aftertaste. I tried to make this as easy and as flavorful as possible and glad you enjoyed it!
Zaeem says
What brand of tomato sauce would u reccomend to make the bbq taste good?
Nava says
Zaeem, most tomato sauces taste pretty much the same, though I tend to choose organic products like Muir Glen. But I think you'd be good to go with whatever brand you prefer.
RuthAnn Funderburk says
I loved this sauce. I added a 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke. Yummmm
Nava says
Great idea RuthAnne!
Kim says
My family loves this sauce! We make barbecue lentil sliders with it. Thank you for all you share on your site!
Nava says
Thanks for your kind thoughts, Kim! I'm glad you and yours enjoy this and the rest of the site.
emily heap says
I'm soooo excited I found your website! I'm about a month in almost completely vegan & I am so happy to find a BBQ sauce!! As well as all your other amazing recipes too. Getting off of processed foods etc is one thing..now I gotta put my big girl pants on and learn to cook. 😉 So on that note..what is smoked flavoring and where can I buy it? is it vegan and or an organic product, I assume so, but I'm really new to what isn't all natural. Crazy right? But it's also so exciting & an adventure. Anyway..sorry for the long post... Thanks again!
Daniel says
About how long would this last in the fridge for?
Thanks!
Nava says
Let's say up to a week in the fridge; you can also freeze any unused portion for later use. Enjoy!
Emily says
I think some of the confusing regarding "tomato sauce" may be that the Brits and other commonwealth countries call tomato sauce what Americans know as ketchup. In those countries, American "tomato sauce" is called tomato puree. Hopefully that can clear this up for non-Americans 🙂
Conor says
Definitely gonna do this with the quorn pigs in blankets I'm making in school on Wednesday.
Raffaella says
Great idea! 🙂
Sondra says
Wish I had read the comments before making this. The ketchp vs. tomato sauce detail ruined dinner.
Nava says
Sondra, I'm sorry for the confusion. I'm not sure what went wrong on your end, so if you see this, let me know and I'll try to help.
Karey says
I followed the recipe before reading the cmments, and the resulting sauce is very thin. I'm going to cook it a little to thicken it up.
Ketchup is thick and comes in a bottle in the U.S.. It contains "tomato concentrate, distilled vinegar, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, natural flavoring". Is this what the Brits call tomato sauce?
My can of tomato sauce contains "water, tomato paste, onion powder, citric acid, garlic powder". The difference seems to be the corn syrups, vinegar, and texture.
It would be nice to know whether we were expected to use ketchup, tomato paste, or tomato sauce. This was the only vegan recipe I saw that was not ketchup-based, which is why I chose it.
All's well that ends well!
Cielito says
I'm glad I found this. Because I didn't have all the ingredients, I pureed canned diced tomatoes, used Coconut Secret brand Coconut Nectar in place of molasses (low glycemic apparently) and worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce. I'm happy with the outcome. I don't like to buy bottled BBQ sauce because it's always more than we can use.