Low FODMAP BBQ Sauce Without Ketchup

Name: Low FODMAP BBQ Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 29 oz. Tomato puree; 1 cup Brown sugar; ½ cup Apple cider vinegar; 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon Ancho chili powder; 2 teaspoons Kosher salt; 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper

Tangy, flavorful Low FODMAP BBQ Sauce should be added ASAP to your condiment lineup. Creating the best homemade BBQ sauce ever at home makes it an even tastier option. Knowing exactly what ingredients you are eating, plus quickly being able to customize the BBQ sauce to your preferences. Want it spicy? Want it sweeter? Want it smoky? - All options when you start from scratch and build your own flavors with a homemade BBQ sauce recipe!

mason jar filled with BBQ sauce with a wooden spoon.

Why make your own BBQ sauce? Typically, most BBQ sauce options from grocery stores contain high FODMAP ingredients, such as high-fructose corn syrup, garlic, and onion. In order to avoid possible gut irritants and digestive discomfort, make your own from scratch. There is no need to skip one of your favorite sauces. A low FODMAP barbecue sauce can be made FODMAP friendly with a few simple ingredients.

Use this homemade low FODMAP BBQ sauce to marinate chicken breasts before grilling. The sugar in the sauce will caramelize and make the chicken breast more flavorful, otherwise known as barbecue bliss. Have leftover BBQ chicken? Make a BBQ chicken pizza—another delicious option for your homemade BBQ sauce. This is a great low FODMAP recipe for an easy BBQ sauce with only a handful of ingredients.

BBQ Sauce Ingredients

Tomato Puree - Tomato base in the simplest form. Build your BBQ sauce from the ground up.
Brown Sugar - Light or dark brown sugar will work.
Apple Cider Vinegar - A perfect vinegar for a BBQ sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce - Brings a great umami flavor.
Smoked Paprika - Adds some smokey spice flavor notes.
Ancho Chili Powder - Brings a great earthy, fruity flavor to the sauce.
Salt - Kosher is my favorite. Sea salt would also work.
Pepper - Ground black pepper blends perfectly in the background.

See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash FODMAP App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.

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How To Make Homemade BBQ Sauce

medium saucepan with ingredient not stirred.

In a medium saucepan, add all the ingredients and stir. Cook over medium heat. Allow the sauce to come to a slow boil, stirring constantly.

Lower the heat to low and allow the BBQ sauce to simmer for 15 minutes until it thickens and comes together.

Allow the sauce to cool—store BBQ sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Ingredient Substitutions

Sugar - Want to use unrefined sugar? Swap out the brown sugar for maple syrup.
Vinegar - Only have white vinegar? It will work just fine. Fresh lemon juice would also be another great option.
Chipotle Powder - Swap out the ancho chili powder for a smoky chipotle powder for a natural smoky flavor.

BBQ Sauce Variations

Ketchup - Love ketchup? It will work perfectly. Ketchup comes with some built-in flavors that taste like, well, ketchup. My favorite low FODMAP ketchup is Heinz Simply. It does not have high fructose corn syrup listed in the ingredients. Another option is Smoke and Sanity's certified low FODMAP ketchup.
Smoky Flavor - Add a dash of liquid smoke to bring a smoky flavor to your BBQ sauce. I love the hickory smoke concentrate option that can be found in grocery stores.
Spicy BBQ Sauce - Add as much cayenne pepper as you dare or a little dash of your favorite hot sauce. Just remember it is easier to add than remove it once it is added—taste as you go and adjust accordingly.
Too Sweet Sauce - Too much sugar? Add less sugar for a more savory flavor versus a sweet flavor.

How To Store Homemade BBQ Sauce

To Store: BBQ sauce should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days. I love to use wide-mouth mason jars with a plastic lid.

To Freeze: Make a big batch, double or triple it, and freeze half so you have it in the freezer until you are ready to use it. BBQ sauce will last in the freezer for four months in an airtight freezer container.

mason jar of bbq sauce filled with a wooden spoon inside.

Low FODMAP Notes

Worcestershire Sauce has garlic and onion listed in the ingredients, but it is minimal - test it yourself to be sure you cannot have it. Monash University has tested it safe at two tablespoons. Use the Monash app to check safe serving sizes.

Meal Planning Options

BBQ sauce can do so many things for your meal plans. Use it as a marinade to make BBQ Chicken breasts for the grill. BBQ Bacon Chicken Bake is another great recipe option: the smokey bacon and the tangy BBQ sauce-topped chicken. Use leftover BBQ chicken to make a BBQ chicken pizza or BBQ chicken tacos. Pour BBQ sauce over a pork roast and make pulled pork-loaded baked potatoes. Serve it with a side of coleslaw.

FAQs

How long does the best homemade BBQ sauce ever keep in the fridge?

Homemade BBQ sauce will keep in the fridge for two weeks. If you need it to last longer, freeze it, and defrost it overnight before you need it.

How will I know if BBQ sauce is no longer good to use?

First, smell it. Your nose knows. If it smells off, there is mold on the cover, or on the top of the sauce, toss it. Making a fresh batch is better than eating it and regretting it. Toss it out if you are not sure.

What makes a BBQ sauce Low FODMAP?

In order to make a BBQ sauce with low FODMAP, it needs to contain little to no FODMAPs. Making it from scratch allows you to create your own sauce without high fructose corn syrup, no garlic, and no onions. Plus, you can make it spicy and smokey!

Additional Low FODMAP Recipes

Pasta Salad: Perfect for summer barbecues

Coleslaw: It goes great with anything that uses BBQ sauce, like pulled pork.

Tequilaberry Salad: A delicious broccoli and bacon salad.