Perfectly spicy yet sweet, tangy and packed with flavor! Ditch the store-bought BBQ sauce and make this no-sugar added version instead! Super versatile and perfect for spring and summer grilling and picnics. 🙂
First savory recipe! As I’ve mentioned, I prefer baking to cooking…hence more sweet recipe arounds here! BUT, as awesome as muffins and cookies and peanut butter and granola are…they’re not exactly the most dinner appropriate. I mean, I’m all about breakfast for dinner, but not for every meal!
So, I’m really big on sauces/dips/dressings. They add so much flavor and can be so versatile! While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with store-bought BBQ sauce, they do tend to have tons of sugar. My family’s favorite brand (and one I still buy today) has high fructose corn syrup as the first and main ingredient. While I don’t believe that’s any worse for you than plain sugar, it’s definitely not needed to make a BBQ sauce taste great.
As usual, I love making my own homemade versions of things so decided to experiment a little. This recipe actually doesn’t have any sugar! The sweetness comes from 100% cherry juice. BUT I promise it still tastes amazing. (And no, doesn’t taste the slightest bit like cherries). Pomegranate juice also works well, and I think grape juice may work as a substitute. Basically a dark-colored juice high in natural sugar should work!
This recipe uses tomatoes (tomato paste and tomato sauce) as the base, along with 100% cherry juice. Apple cider vinegar is used for tanginess and to balance out the sweetness. The spices are pantry staples you’re sure to have on hand at home: garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. I used smoked paprika, which adds a wonderful depth of flavor (if you haven’t tried it yet, you definitely should!). However, regular paprika will also work just fine. If you want a sweeter sauce, you can add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup…I’ve tried it both ways and personally don’t think it needs it, but feel free to adjust to your taste preferences!
Honestly, the best thing about this recipe is that it’s so simple and quick to make. In literally 10 minutes you can have homemade BBQ sauce that I daresay rivals any store-bought brand you have before! It keeps well in the fridge for a couple weeks and I’ve also frozen this to have on hand to quick dinner or crock-pot recipes (stay tuned!).
We’ve tried this on chicken, sandwiches, pulled pork, and pizza. I hope you try it for yourself!! Let me know if you do 🙂
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 cup cherry juice (can substitute grape or pomegranate juice)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon (or regular) mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional: 2 tablespoons maple syrup (if desired, to make sweeter)
- Combine all ingredients together in medium saucepan on stove.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Store in refrigerator. You can also freeze to have on hand for later!
Yes! At last! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read the back of bbq bottles and promptly reshelved them due to the ingredient list. My fridge has been sadly lacking in a good bbq sauce for months….until now! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you’re so excited! You are welcome; hope you like it! 🙂
I was expecting this to be sweetened with honey or maple syrup, which aren’t exactly sugar free. But I’m pleasantly surprised to see cherry juice as the sweetener for this sauce. I don’t have a problem with SOME fruit sugar, because the fiber in fruit helps prevent the sugar crash. Your sauce looks even better than the store-bought goop. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome; I hope you like it! I often using honey and maple syrup as sweeteners in recipes, but when it comes down to it, they are still sugar. Love the natural sweetness that comes from the 100% fruit juice!
I would love to get your feedback on different oils to use in cooking. First their was Vegetable Oil, then Canola, then Olive oil (virgin vs. extra virgin) and now I hear avocado oil is the newest thing to be using. Is one healthier than the other and can you use them in baking or just cooking? Thanks!
Hi! This is a great question, and one I’d love to help shed some light on! However, to be thorough and give an adequate answer, I think it would be best to email you back once I have a chance to research this a bit. OR…maybe this would be a good nutrition topic for a blog post! 🙂