This Kansas City-style homemade BBQ sauce recipe is super quick and easy to make, and full of the best tangy, smoky and slightly-sweet flavors that everyone is sure to love!
Friends, have you ever tried making homemade BBQ sauce?
If not, it’s time. ♡
And as a KC girl, I’m going to vote that you make this Kansas City-style bbq sauce recipe! It’s super-easy to make — just stir everything together and simmer for about 15 minutes — and it’s full of that famous tangy, smoky and slightly-sweet blend of flavors that we all love in Kansas City.
We use this sauce regularly in our house to make traditional bbq chicken, pulled pork, ribs and baked beans. But it also works great as a pizza sauce (hello, bbq chicken pizza ♡) and as a glaze (on meatballs, meatloaf, etc). And of course, you’re welcome to get creative and add it into everything from soups to salads, tacos, burgers, casseroles and more.
So many ways to use homemade bbq sauce. So let’s make a batch!
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Homemade BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
To make this homemade bbq sauce recipe, you will need the following ingredients (amounts included in the full recipe below):
- Tomato sauce: One can of plain tomato sauce (just puréed tomatoes, no extra ingredients).
- Apple cider vinegar: To add some tang to the sauce.
- Honey: I really prefer the taste of honey as the natural sweetener in this bbq sauce. But you could also sub in brown sugar or maple syrup.
- Tomato paste: To intensify the rich tomato flavor in this sauce.
- Molasses: A must in Kansas City bbq sauce!
- Worcestershire: If making this sauce vegan, be sure to use a vegan brand of Worcestershire.
- Liquid smoke: To give the sauce those important smoky notes.
- Spices: A combo of smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder and salt. Plus a few optional pinches of cayenne, if you would like to give the sauce some heat.
How To Make BBQ Sauce:
This bbq sauce recipe couldn’t be easier to make! Simply…
- Combine ingredients. Stir everything together in a saucepan.
- Simmer. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then let it continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until it has thickened slightly.
- Serve. Then that’s literally it — your sauce is ready to go and use in any of your favorite recipes!
Possible Recipe Variations:
Want to customize your own BBQ sauce recipe a bit? Feel free to:
- Make it gluten-free: To make gluten-free BBQ sauce, just be sure to use gluten-free liquid smoke. (I recommend Wright’s or Colgin.)
- Make it vegan: To make vegan BBQ sauce, just be sure to use vegan Worcestershire. (I recommend Annie’s.)
- Make it sweeter: Add more honey, to taste.
- Make it smokier: Add a touch more liquid smoke, to taste.
- Make it thicker: Simmer the sauce for longer until it reduces to your desired consistency.
Ways To Use BBQ Sauce:
There are so many great ways to put a batch of homemade BBQ sauce to delicious use! Some of our faves include:
- Traditional bbq meat: Grilled or pulled chicken, pulled pork, ribs, burnt ends, etc.
- Baked beans: BBQ sauce is a simple and delicious way to flavor a batch of baked beans.
- Burgers: Use it as a spread on your favorite burgers.
- Pizzas: Use it in place of pizza sauce. (Hello, bbq chicken pizza!)
- Soups/salads: Mix it into broths to flavor soups, or use the sauce as a dressing for your salad.
- Tacos/quesadillas/burritos: BBQ sauce is a great way to give your favorite Mexican dishes a different twist.
- Dipping sauce: And of course, it’s always a great dipping sauce for everything from chicken nuggets to veggie sticks to cocktail meatballs and more!
Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: About 2 cups 1x
Description
This Kansas City-style homemade bbq sauce recipe is sweet, tangy, smoky, and perfect on just about everything.
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- optional: a few pinches of cayenne for extra heat, if desired
Instructions
- Combine ingredients. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium saucepan.
- Simmer. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (uncovered) for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Serve. Use the sauce immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Vegan option: To make vegan bbq sauce, just be sure to use a vegan brand of Worcestershire. (I recommend Annie’s.)
Gluten-free option: To make gluten-free bbq sauce, just be sure to use a GF brand of liquid smoke. (I recommend Wright’s or Colgin.)
Ali,
I am so proud of myself! I made your homemade Kansas City BBQ Sauce and chicken (too) and it was so delicious! I am not a good cook so this was amazing for me. Thank you!
I have leftover sauce from 2.5 weeks ago. Is it still safe or will I need to get rid of it? :(
I so appreciate cooks like you who are will to share.
BTW, the chicken was so delicious, it never got a chance to be photographed!
Joy
Aww that’s great Joy, we’re happy to hear that! We’d say if the sauce still smells okay, and doesn’t have any mold growing on it, it should be okay (we always do a taste test first). Sorry we’re late to responding to this by the way, thanks for giving the recipe a try! :)
Thank you for this MUSTARD FREE Bbq sauce recipe!!! I’m allergic reaction to mustard and all its mustard seed counter parts and I’m so happy to have stumbled across a TASTY sauce!!
You’re welcome, Jan! We’re so happy you enjoyed it! : )
Hi there, what is the difference between tomato sauce and tomato paste? Here in Scotland tomato sauce is ketchup and paste would be tomato puree. Sounds amazing I hope I can find the right ingredients here to make it.
Hi Ryan! Tomato paste is much more concentrated, and is very thick, dark, rich and sweet. It’s usually sold in a little can or tube. Tomato sauce is thinner, and more mild, reminiscent of a basic marinara sauce. I hope that helped answer your question!
: )
Ah, tomato sauce in the US is more like a tomato puree (no other ingredients added). And tomato paste is a really thick reduced paste.
Sounds delicious! Can it be frozen? No way I would be able to use 2 cups worth in a week.
Thanks, Debbie! Yes, you can freeze it, though I would put it in a container instead of a freezer bag. Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you so much! Just made this and it is great. I have been unhappy with bbq sauce recently. It seems to be either sweet and sour or smokey and hot but this is a perfect balance of all four. Yummy!!
So glad you like it, Kerrie! : )
looking forward to trying this on my next batch of Brisket! Was wondering though it said to use within a week? Does it go bad that quick? Happy cooking! Cheers……Jonny
I just made this sauce tonight, it taste so good, I finally found one with no ketchup. Thank you.
Thanks Patsy, I’m happy you liked it!
I made a batch of this BBQ sauce. Plenty of compliments & turned out very good. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Thanks Rod, I’m glad it was a success! : )
Hi! I just made this for a casserole and it is awesome! I have been wanting to change a lot of things over to homemade and I finally tried this. Thanks for posting!
Thanks Carissa, glad you enjoyed it! Great idea using it in a casserole too, yum!
It’s great to find a bbq recipe that doesn’t call for ketchup. I’m trying to eliminate the vile high fructose syrup completely from my diet. Most sauces are full of it. Thanks for this!
Thanks Michele, I hope you like it!