Whole30 BBQ Sauce: Paleo, Vegan, Sugar-Free Recipe! - Whole Kitchen Sink (2024)

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Whole30 BBQ sauce, and Paleo BBQ sauce in general, is something people are really particular about. They know how they want their BBQ sauce to taste! This is my favorite, and the best I’ve yet to make. With this Whole30 BBQ sauce recipe, you’re using only real ingredients, like apple cider vinegar, medjool dates, and a few other natural components. What’s good about that for us who are particular about it, is that you can make some tweaks depending on your preferences!

The wide range of opinions about both store bought Whole30 BBQ sauce, and about the Paleo BBQ sauce recipes on the inter webs has kept me from posting the recipe *I* make for a while now. But finally, after some prodding from Justin, who loves this version, it’s finally making it’s appearance.

It’s got a hint of sweetness, and some smoky flavors which I totally love. The Whole30 BBQ sauce is great even on non-Whole30 dishes, as evident by how often my boyfriend uses up the container in the fridge. I love it used inthis sweet and sour sheet pan chicken, boneless chicken wings, and BBQ pulled pork and pineapple coleslaw. All Whole30 and Paleo recipes! Woo!

If you’re not into making your own BBQ sauce, or have yet to find a homemade recipe you LOVE, not all hope is lost! I highly suggest grabbing some Tessemae’s Whole30 BBQ sauce. It’s so tasty and I really like keeping a bottle in the fridge for when I don’t make my own. It’s obviously more shelf-stable, so would last quite a bit longer hangin’ out in the fridge than homemade BBQ sauce.

In fact, all of their Whole30 Approved sauces and dressings are pretty bomb.com. I relied on these a lot when I first started eating Paleo and was already so overwhelmed just changing my diet. Making my own sauces were not an option at that point and these really helped give me more variety!

This is the Whole30 Approved Sauce Boss Packor the Whole30 Sauce Starter Kit on Amazon I get!

This Whole30 BBQ sauce will be good without the liquid smoke, but it does make a big difference. Whole Foods carries only one brand that has just liquid smoke in the ingredients. Otherwise, this is the liquid smokeI like and order from Amazon when I need to restock, which isn’t that often. This stuff lasts awhile because a little goes such a long way.

Brands of Whole30 liquid smoke and Paleo liquid smoke are Cedar House(linked above), Lazy Kettle,Wright’s, Living Nutrtional’s(not my favorite).

Other variations I’ve made when skipping the liquid smoke include adding more cayenne, or adding a dash or two of franks hot sauce to get a little spice but not too much!

There’s no shortage of ways you can use this paleo BBQ sauce or things you can add it to. Chicken tenders, oven baked fries, boneless wings, breakfast potatoes. Plus, summer is coming up and that means grilling season! BBQ beef brisket is already calling my name!

Enjoy!

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Whole30 BBQ Sauce: Paleo, Vegan, Sugar-Free Recipe!

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x
  • Category: Sauce

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Whole30 BBQ Sauce: Paleo, Vegan, Sugar-Free Recipe! - Whole Kitchen Sink (4)

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Ingredients

  • 6 medjool dates, pitted
  • 1/2 cup organic apple juice, unsweetened
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan on medium-low
  2. Stir to combine as the ingredients heat up
  3. Don’t bring to a boil, just keep over heat long enough for the dates to soften, tomato paste to reduce, and all wet ingredients to come together
  4. Transfer to a blender (or use immersion blender) and blend for 1-2 minutes until sauce is a smooth consistency
  5. Add a tablespoon or two of water if you like a thinner sauce

Notes

Optional:
Replace apple juice with pineapple juice if you prefer
Increase/decrease cayenne per spice level
Can use an immersion blender and blend instead of a standalone blender
Stays fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container

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Whole30 BBQ Sauce: Paleo, Vegan, Sugar-Free Recipe! - Whole Kitchen Sink (6)

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About paleobailey

I’m Bailey. Whole30 Certified Coach. Former 300 pound chip eatin' couch potato. Current Paleo goddess. Just kidding. No, but I have found my passion for health, cooking and finally living like I mean it, all while dropping over 120 pounds naturally. Read More...

Find me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Reader Interactions

Reader Reviews & Comments

  1. Krissy says

    This was really good! I didn’t have juice so I subbed unsweetened applesauce which does affect the texture but it’s not like you’re drinking it so you’d never notice.
    Also my cheapo food processor wouldn’t mince the dates so I just removed them and it was plenty sweet.

    Reply

  2. Jenna says

    So good! I have made this one twice already, too. Have used it for pulled pork and for ribs. I didn’t have smoked paprika, so I used regular paprika and increased the liquid smoke a bit. Not sure if that’s an okay substitution, but it tasted great!

    Reply

  3. Cathy Anyon says

    I made this barbeque sauce. It is very yummy. I put it on ribs the first night. Just dipped my baked chicken breast tonight. It’s a great recipe.

    Reply

    • paleobailey says

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for giving it a try, and taking the time to let me know you liked it! It’s so appreciated 🙂

      Reply

  4. Angie says

    Delicious!

    Reply

    • paleobailey says

      Thank you so much!!

      Reply

  5. Mandy says

    Oh my goodness, this is amazing. I made it while on Whole30, but my whole family loved it; I will never go back to the bottled stuff!

    Reply

    • paleobailey says

      I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you, Mandy!

      Reply

  6. Blake says

    We don’t eat bbq sauce very often anymore because every bottle at the grocery store has a million bad ingredients in them. I made this recipe and it turned out great. Will definately use this as our go-to bbq sauce. We are happy to be able to eat bbq sauce again!

    Reply

    • paleobailey says

      This is awesome!! I’m so glad to hear it. Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know! 🙂

      Reply

  7. Keelin says

    Love this recipe. Bbq sauce is normally full of sugar and this tasted great without putting in molasses, refined sugar, or brown sugar. Unfortunately I can’t stand liquid smoke but I subbed in two chipotle peppers in adobo for a smokey taste. I’m not paleo or doing a Whole30 so I’m not positive if they are compliant but it’s a good substitute for anybody who doesn’t mind a little spice. I also used pineapple juice instead of apple because it was what I had on hand and it tasted great.

    Reply

    • paleobailey says

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much!!

      Reply

  8. Sheri Winkler says

    Hi, the recipe says 1/2 organic apple juice – I’m assuming 1/2 cup? It says it yields 2 cups but the ingredients don’t even equal 2 cups so I don’t see how that’s possible. So is it supposed to be 1 1/2 cups apple juice?

    Reply

    • paleobailey says

      Hi Sheri! I meant 1/2 cup, sorry I mistyped. As far as the yield goes – it does yield 2 cups. Tomato paste is concentrated, it reduces quite a bit once heated. The dates also take up space and increase total volume of the recipe.

      Reply

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Whole30 BBQ Sauce: Paleo, Vegan, Sugar-Free Recipe! - Whole Kitchen Sink (2024)

FAQs

What is the best zero sugar BBQ sauce? ›

Top Store-Bought Sugar-Free BBQ Sauces to Try
  • Nature's Hollow, Sugar-Free Hickory Maple BBQ Sauce. ...
  • Walden Farms Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce. ...
  • Simple Girl Organic Carolina Kick BBQ Sauce. ...
  • Sweet Baby Ray's No Sugar Added Original Barbecue Sauce. ...
  • Rufus Teague Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce. ...
  • Keto Oh So Sweet Super BBQ Sauce by Keto Primo.
May 19, 2023

Is sugar-free BBQ sauce OK for diabetics? ›

Sugar-free barbecue sauces are crafted to mimic the taste of traditional sauces yet contain minimal or no sugar. While they usually include sugar substitutes or natural sweeteners, they offer a lower carbohydrate count, making them suitable for a diabetic diet.

Is BBQ Sauce Whole30 approved? ›

Can you eat BBQ Sauce on Whole30? Yes- you can have Whole30 Approved and Compliant BBQ Sauces while on your Whole30 program. Make your own sauces using approved ingredients (get my recipe here– pictured above) or purchase one of the Approved or Compliant brands listed below.

Can you eat BBQ on Whole30? ›

Since most barbecue food is fruit-, veggie-, and meat-focused, a lot of it is already Whole30-approved. Chicken skewers, burgers, fruit salad—yeah, you can eat all of that on Whole30. There are a few barbecue favorites you'll have to avoid if you're trying out the diet.

What BBQ sauce doesn t have sugar? ›

So we worked hard to make sure that Ray's No Sugar Added Barbecue sauces deliver sweet, smoky and tangy flavor with only 1g of sugar per serving. All that's left for you to do is pop the cap, lay it on thick and enjoy the signature barbecue flavor only Ray can deliver. The Sauce is the Boss!

What is a healthy substitute for BBQ sauce? ›

Fruit-based sauces are a great option for people looking to cut down the acid content in tomato base sauces like the BBQ. These sauces use fruits like pineapples, mangos, apricots, apples, and even peaches to enhance the taste while doing away with the need to add granulated sugar.

Is Sweet Baby Ray's sugar free keto-friendly? ›

Sweet Baby Ray's New No Sugar Barbecue Sauce Is Keto-Friendly And Vegan. Each serving has only 1 gram of net carbs.

Is G Hughes sugar free BBQ sauce vegan? ›

G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce

This brand has eight vegan flavors including Mesquite, Hickory, Carolina Gold, Original, a Honey flavor that doesn't actually contain honey, and more. You can find at least a few flavors of G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar Free BBQ Sauce in most grocery stores.

Is Chick Fil A Whole30 approved? ›

While Chick-fil-A can be very keto-friendly, and many people consider it a healthier fast-food option, their Whole30 options are actually very limited. Unlike fast-food spots like McDonald's or Wendy's, there are no real meat options since Chick-fil-A strictly serves chicken.

Can I have co*ke Zero on Whole30? ›

Though diet sodas and sugary beverages are off-limits on the Whole30 diet, you can drink water, herbal teas, coffee, and any other liquids that don't contain any sugar or artificial sweeteners. Fruit juice, when 100% pure, is also acceptable on occasion.

What are the hardest days on Whole30? ›

According to The Whole30 Timeline, Days 10 and 11 are the hardest, because you've gotten past the headaches and tiredness, but you haven't started seeing the big benefits.

What is the one bite rule on Whole30? ›

One bite of pizza, one spoonful of ice cream, one sip of beer within the 30-day period and you've broken the 'reset'—and have to start over again on Day 1,” Whole30 instructs.

Can you overeat on Whole30? ›

However, it is possible to eat too much fat on a Whole30, and that can negatively affect your hunger levels, energy, and digestion. We see this most often when people mindlessly snack on nuts and seeds.

Is dark brown sugar or light brown sugar better for BBQ sauce? ›

That added molasses in dark brown sugar is what gives it more depth of flavor, which is why you'll see it in recipes where it's an important ingredient like when you make barbecue sauce.

What brand of barbecue sauce does not have high fructose corn syrup? ›

Mad Dog & Merrill's #ONE Premium BBQ Sauce - HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP FREE. No High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Flavors or Preservatives! For 30 plus years, we created sauces for grillin'. Mad Dog & Merrill's #ONE is the first and favorite.

Does Stubbs BBQ sauce have sugar? ›

Ingredients: Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Brown Sugar, Sugar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Molasses, Water, Corn Starch, Salt, Spices (Including Paprika), Onion Contains Less Than 0.5% of: Garlic, Natural Flavor (Including Hickory Smoke).

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