Low-Carb BBQ Sauce

Looking for a tangy, delicious barbecue sauce to complement some of your low-carb eats?

Well, you found it!

This low-carb BBQ sauce recipe has all the flavors of traditional sauce—the acidity from the vinegar, the sweetness of tomatoes, and the flavors of spices like onion and garlic powder. All without any of the sugar a normal recipe calls for.

That's right, zero sugar.

How, you ask? Erythritol is our secret ingredient that helps give this sauce that perfect combination of sweet and tangy without adding any carbs to your daily count.

And trust us, after you try it, you won't feel like you're missing out at all.

In fact, you might just get a hankering to marinate some wings and ribs, or think about firing up that grill. (We'll give you some more options on how to use it later on!)

bbq sauce

Ingredients You’ll Need

Tomato paste
Butter
Worcestershire sauce
Erythritol
Apple cider vinegar
Spices like onion and garlic powder

Ingredient Spotlight: Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has become very popular in health circles in recent years.

However, it is not a "new" health food by any means. In fact, the use of vinegar for health and medicinal purposes goes all the way back to ancient Babylonian times [*].

Turns out, even some of our most ancient ancestors knew the stuff was good for us.

But how exactly is it healthy? Just consider some of these benefits:

One study found that supplementing daily with ACV may reduce body fat and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease [*].
Vinegar has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body [*]. Anti-inflammatory diets (which many low-carb diets like keto or paleo are) help reduce risk of diseases caused by systemic inflammation, like type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
Because it helps fight against many different types of infections, ACV is a great way to boost your immune system [*].

As you can see, it'll benefit your overall health to include apple cider vinegar in your diet as often as possible. And good news! Our sauce contains a quarter cup of it, so you’ll be doing something good for your body while you marinate your wings or ribs.

Ways to Use This Low-Carb BBQ Sauce

A good low-carb BBQ sauce has plenty of different applications. Here are all the ways we recommend using it:

As a meat marinade: Chicken wings, ribs, and pulled pork are some of our favorites. Give them at least 2 hours so that the acid in the marinade can start breaking down and tenderizing the meat. And be sure to save some to serve your protein with when it's cooked!

As a dipping sauce: Some of our favorite protein options, like this air fryer chicken tenders recipe, go great with this sugar-free BBQ sauce.

As a veggie marinade: Have you tried grilling veggies? If not, you're missing out. Try skewering some peppers, onions, and mushrooms and brushing them with this low-carb BBQ sauce. You can thank us later!

As a low-carb salad dressing: Wait, what? No, we're being serious. Think about it—most low-carb dressings are some combination of tangy and sweet, and that's exactly what this BBQ sauce is. You can serve it over a salad, or cut it with a little olive oil and a splash of ACV to give it more of a dressing vibe.

Low-Carb BBQ Sauce Recipe

Recipe Information:

Yield: About 1 cup
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons erythritol (we used KetoLogic)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ - ½ cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 can (6-ounces) tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dry yellow mustard
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon chili powder
Cayenne, to your taste

Preparation:

Add the erythritol, apple cider vinegar, and water to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the erythritol has dissolved.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir to blend and increase heat until the sauce boils.
Reduce heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add more water if needed to get the desired consistency.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Calories: 34

Fat: 1.5g
Protein: 1g
Total Carbohydrates: 7.75g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar Alcohol: 3.75g
Net Carbs: 3g

Macros:

Fat: 40%
Protein: 12%
Carbohydrates: 48%