Enjoy a low-carb barbecue with this spicy, smoky low-carb BBQ sauce. It’s a quick, simple recipe that comes together in minutes and stores easily in the refrigerator for whenever you need a flavorful boost.
Skip the label reading at the grocery store: many commercial BBQ sauces are loaded with sugar. This homemade version avoids that by using a low-carb sweetener and pantry spices to deliver genuine BBQ flavor without the added sugars.
This sauce is tomato-based with a spicy kick and a pronounced smoky character. The smokiness comes from liquid smoke and the blend of spices—add more liquid smoke if you prefer a deeper smoke note and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste.
It pairs beautifully with meats, fish, and vegetables. I wasn’t always a big BBQ-sauce fan, but this version has won me over—I’ve been drizzling it on roasted veggies, using it as a glaze for chicken, and keeping a jar in the fridge at all times.
How to Make Low Carb BBQ Sauce
Preparing this low-carb BBQ sauce is effortless: combine the ingredients in a saucepan, heat, stir, simmer briefly, and adjust to taste. Use this recipe as a base—make it sweeter, spicier, or smokier depending on your preference.
How to Use This Keto BBQ Sauce
This versatile low-carb BBQ sauce works as a marinade, a glaze, or as an addition to dips. It’s excellent on grilled or baked chicken, brushed onto burgers, tossed with roasted vegetables, or mixed into stir-fries for an extra layer of flavor. It also brightens vegetarian BBQ dishes like grilled palm hearts or marinated mushrooms.
Other Sauces to Try:
Roasted Garlic & Tomato Sauce
Red Pepper, Tomato & Chilli Sauce
Sugar-Free Hot Pepper Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Spicy Smoky BBQ Sauce
Angela Coleby
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Ingredients
- ½ cup tomato paste no sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons erythritol low-carb sweetener
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.
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Stir and simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened.
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Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more sweetener, lemon, or liquid smoke if desired.
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Pour into a glass container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Net carbs are calculated as total carbohydrates minus fiber; sugar alcohols are typically excluded from net-carb calculations.
Any nutritional analysis provided is an estimate based on the ingredients and may vary with brand choices and preparation methods.
Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.