As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The best Keto BBQ Sauce recipe is easy and comes together in under 5 minutes. Smoky, tangy and with a sweet flavor, this low carb BBQ sauce is perfect for ribs, chicken and keto barbecues. Only 2.3 g net carbs per serving!
Last Sunday we hosted a barbecue party at our place. I was grilling some ribs while chatting with a friend, surrounded by that smoky smells that makes your mouth water. Enchanted by the smell, Lukas was commenting how much he’d love dipping those juicy pork ribs into tangy barbecue sauce. But then he sadly added “I’m on a keto, so I can’t…” Poor Lukas, that should not be the case!
But can you eat BBQ sauce on keto, actually? Well, it depends. While most store-bought products are loaded to the brim with sugars, my recipe for keto barbecue sauce without sugar is not. Made at home with simple ingredients, it has just 2.7 g of net carbs per serving. The best part is that it tastes smoky and tangy like the original. Perfect for ribs!
Ingredients for keto BBQ sauce
This keto BBQ sauce recipe is incredibly easy. It only requires a handful of basic ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard. What’s more, you won’t even need sugar-free ketchup, if you don’t have it. Because I’m going to teach you how to make it at home.
The main ingredient in this recipe is sugar-free ketchup. As mentioned before, you can get it from the store or quickly make it at home. Just stir together sugar-free tomato sauce and tomato paste, fix the sweetness with some keto sweetener and use it for your carbless BBQ sauce recipe.
To add the classic sweet taste with no sugar, you’ll need keto granular sweetener. I like using erythritol, it tastes like sugar but with zero net carbs and no weird aftertaste. Other great sweeteners are Brown swerve and monk fruit sweetener. I wouldn’t use stevia, it has a strong flavor that doesn’t match with barbecue sauce.
Apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce gives this carb friendly bbq sauce its iconic tangy taste. I do not recommend replacing apple cider vinegar with white vine vinegar, as their flavor is not exactly the same.
Last but not least, you’ll need the perfect blend of spices. Sea salt, garlic powder and black pepper are a must. You can then add additional seasonings such as cayenne powder for extra spiciness and ground mustard powder for more tanginess. If you can find it, I highly highly highly encourage you to include a teaspoon of liquid smoke, perfect to add a smokey flavor.
How to make BBQ sauce keto?
- Cook barbecue keto sauce. Heat a saucepan over medium low heat. Add all ingredients, give it a good stir and simmer for 2 to 5 minutes. Your no carb BBQ sauce should not reach the boiling point. Turn off the heat and remove from the stove.
- Let cool and store. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer the sauce to an airtight food container or to a mason jar. Seal tightly with a lid and put in the refrigerator. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 4 months.
Best ways to eat bbq sauce on keto diet
Low carb eaters, hear me up. You’re gonna love this recipe. Whether you’re grilling, roasting, or dipping, my low sugar barbecue sauce hits the spot. It’s tangy, smoky and subtly sweet like the original, but sugar-free and incredibly low in carbs. Most people will make keto BBQ sauce for ribs. But in reality there are many other ways to eat it. Here are some ideas:
- Pork ribs
- Chicken wings
- Pulled pork sandwiches
- Burgers
- Grilled vegetables
- Barbecue keto pizza
- BBQ tofu or tempeh
- BBQ brisket tacos
- Low carb salads
More recipes for keto dieters
- Egg white bites
- Big Mac salad
- Carrot fries
- Air fryer zucchini fries
- Fish cakes
- Air fryer salmon bites
Keto BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) sugar-free ketchup, store-bought or homemade, see recipe below
- 6 tbsp granular keto sweetener, erythritol or Brown swerve
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke, optional
- ½ to 1 tsp salt, to taste
- ⅓ tsp garlic powder
- ⅓ tsp ground black pepper
- ⅓ tsp mustard powder, optional
- ¼ to ⅓ tsp cayenne powder, optional for more spiciness, to taste
Sugar-free Ketchup Recipe
- ¾ cup (180 g) tomato sauce, sugar-free
- 5 tbsp tomato paste, sugar-free
- 1 tsp granular keto sweetener
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan over medium low heat. Add all ingredients, give it a good stir and simmer for 2 to 5 minutes. The keto BBQ mixture should not reach the boiling point. Turn off the heat and remove from the stove.
- Transfer the low carb barbecue sauce to an airtight food container or to a mason jar. Seal tightly with a lid and refrigerate. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 4 months.
Notes
How to store keto barbecue sauce
Homemade low sugar bbq sauce should be stored in an airtight food container or in a sealable mason jar, in a cool place.- In the refrigerator, it will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks.
- In the freezer, it will last for up to 4 months.
