Low Sodium BBQ Sauce Recipe (No Salt Added)
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Jump to Recipe Watch VideoThis low sodium BBQ sauce recipe is sweet & tangy, and great for marinating, barbecues, or slow-simmering meat with no salt added!
Ready in just 5 minutes, this simple no salt BBQ sauce is quick to mix together. Made with apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, no-salt-added tomato paste, garlic, and spices.
Serve this on low sodium grilled chicken breasts, spread it on low sodium meatloaf for a spicy kick, or use it as a dipping sauce for low sodium chicken tenders!
We love a good BBQ sauce, but it’s so difficult to find a pre-made bottle at the store that isn’t loaded with salt or preservatives! I made this easy sauce to enjoy on top of some brisket, and it’s been a favorite in our kitchen… We don’t buy pre-made BBQ sauce anymore, when this recipe is as simple as it is. And it has about 25 mg of sodium per serving.
This no salt added BBQ sauce is great to brush on ribs or BBQ chicken wings before grilling – and adds a ton of flavor to any meat. And it’s tastier than bottled sauces you get at the grocery store. I use it to make my low sodium slow cooker brisket recipe in the winter, or use it as a marinade for summer grilling season. It can also be used as a dipping sauce – it’s perfect for my low sodium oven baked fries!
This Low Sodium Barbecue Sauce Recipe Is
- Sweet
- Smoky
- Tangy
- Loaded with Flavor
- Thick
- Great as a Marinade
- Made without Salt
- Ready in 5 Minutes!
Low Sodium Sauces
This low-sodium barbecue sauce recipe is a fantastic condiment to make without the salt. We’re all about making recipes low sodium when we can. Low sodium cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right.
By building meals around fresh ingredients and bright flavorful spices you can make this great recipe for you and your family, or anyone who has sodium restrictions. Check out all my low sodium condiment & sauce recipes here that are on LowSoRecipes, like our low sodium ketchup, low sodium mustard, or low sodium mayonnaise!
Ingredients You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for a full list of instructions and ingredient amounts!
- Fresh Garlic
- Apple Cider Vinegar, gives this sauce a little extra tang which is really fantastic!
- Tomato Paste: thickens the sauce with a deep bold tomato flavor. I only use a no salt added tomato paste, so you can control the amount of salt in the dish with this easy tomato base. You could also use a low sodium tomato sauce too.
- No Salt Stock or Bouillon: I love this no salt base for my recipes because it has a great flavor and is lower in sodium. You can use chicken or beef stock too! By starting with a low sodium broth or bouillon, you can build bright vibrant flavors with no salt.
- Brown Sugar: I like to use a dark brown sugar which has a nice deep molasses flavor. Or you could use maple syrup for a natural sweetness. No high fructose corn syrup in this sauce!
- Low Sodium Mustard – my easy mustard recipe is sodium & salt free, which makes it the perfect addition to this recipe. If you want a store-bought version, I like this lower sodium mustard which is great to add to this recipe. I like using a whole grain mustard over yellow mustard, however you can use mustard powder to cut down on the sodium even further.
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Liquid Smoke – my secret ingredient to amazing BBQ sauce – you only need a few drops of liquid smoke, and you get a delicious hickory smoked essence which makes this sauce taste like it’s been slow simmered for hours!
- Black pepper
How Do I Make Low Sodium Barbecue Sauce?
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and stock. Whisk well until the tomato paste has dissolved into the sauce and is no longer chunky.
- Add the brown sugar, whole grain mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and liquid smoke to the bowl. Mix well again to combine.
- Use sauce immediately, or store in an airtight container (I like using a mason jar with lids!) in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Enjoy this Low Sodium BBQ Sauce With
- Low sodium hot honey chicken
- Low sodium BBQ chicken thighs
- No salt added roasted chicken and vegetables
- Low sodium burger recipe
- Low sodium baked chicken breasts
Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more easy low sodium recipes.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating & comment below. Your feedback helps other people who are making this recipe. Plus I’d love to hear from you!
Low Sodium BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Spoon or Whisk
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup no salt added tomato paste
- ¼ cup low sodium vegetable stock or beef or chicken
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard *see note
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and stock. Whisk well until the tomato paste has dissolved into the sauce and is no longer chunky.
- Add the brown sugar, whole grain mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and liquid smoke to the bowl. Mix well again to combine.
- Use sauce immediately, or store in an air-tight container (I like using mason jars with lids!) in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Video
Notes
- To reduce the sodium even more, you can substitute the 1 tablespoon of mustard for 1 teaspoon mustard powder. I like the texture of whole grain mustard, so I use it in this sauce, but mustard powder works just fine! I also have a low sodium mustard recipe you can make with mustard seeds from scratch.
Nutrition
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used, it may vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify sodium amounts.
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Easy to make. Great to taste