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Home Blog Course Condiments & Sauces

Whole30 BBQ Sauce

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 01/15/20 Updated: 06/13/22
5
/5
34 Comments
Jump to Recipe
DF Dairy Free P Paleo V Vegan VG Vegetarian 30 Whole30

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A bowl of Whole30 bbq sauce with a brush in it
Whole30 BBQ Sauce Pinterest graphic
Whole30 BBQ Sauce Pinterest graphic
Whole30 BBQ Sauce Pinterest graphic
Whole30 BBQ Sauce Pinterest graphic

This Whole30 BBQ sauce is smoky and sweet, just like a BBQ sauce should be! It’s made with dates, coconut aminos, and smoked paprika, making it paleo and Whole30 compliant. A great condiment to keep in the fridge to pair with chicken, pork, shrimp, or steak for a quick dinner!

A bowl of the whole30 bbq sauce with a brush in it

Why This Recipe Is So Good

  • This homemade BBQ sauce doesn’t require hours of cooking, it’s ready in just 30 minutes.
  • It’s paleo, whole30 and vegan and doesn’t contain any refined sugar.
  • You can make it ahead of time for an easy and quick way to add flavor to your meals.

How long does it keep in the fridge?

Once the sauce has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge. The whole30 BBQ sauce also freezes well in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.

How do you use this sauce?

This whole30 BBQ sauce is a great way of adding flavor to beef, pork, fish and chicken. Spread the sauce onto your meat and oven bake or grill for a delicious and easy meal. It’s great to mix with shredded pork or chicken for tacos and burgers, or you could simply use it as a dip for your fries.

The cooked sauce in a pan

More Delicious Whole30 recipes

  • Devilled Eggs with Bacon
  • Authentic Seafood Gumbo
  • Loaded Burger Bowls
  • Indian Meatballs in Sauce

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

The whole30 bbq sauce in a white bowl
5 from 15 votes

Whole30 BBQ Sauce

Prep:10 minutes
Cook:20 minutes
Total:30 minutes
Smoky, sweet, and everything you want a BBQ sauce to be – but 100% Whole30-compliant!
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6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon ghee see Notes
  • 1 cup diced onion yellow onion or Vidalia onion
  • ½ cup chopped dates
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika plus more to taste
  • 1 6-ounce can compliant tomato paste see Notes
  • ½ cup coconut aminos
  • 1 cup water or chicken stock
  • 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the ghee or coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  • Transfer mixture to blender carefully (it will be very hot!). Blend on high speed until smooth. Season with salt.

Notes

  • Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
  • Tomato Paste: Be sure your tomato paste doesn’t contain any added sugars or other unnecessary, non-compliant ingredients.
  • Make it Vegan: Use coconut oil instead of ghee.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 118kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 474mg, Potassium: 454mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 577IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 19g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

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Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She's been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.

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  1. Mark says

    Posted on 6/12/22 at 8:10 pm

    I find the bottled Primal Kitchen sauces too spicy for my family. How does yours hold up? It looks amazing. I’m excited to try it to see how it tastes!

    Reply
    • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 6/13/22 at 11:32 am

      Hi, Mark! There’s a lot of flavor in our BBQ sauce but it’s not spicy (as in hot), so no worries there. You can also adjust the spices to your liking, too. For a smokier sauce, use a little more smoked paprika, or dial it back for a less-smoky sauce. Let us know how you like it!

      Reply
      • Mark says

        Posted on 6/24/22 at 2:52 pm

        Now that I’ve made this, I can confidently say it’s a stellar sauce! No modifications, just made as is but omitted any extra salt. Nice and sweet, but will probably add a touch more smoked paprika next time. Blended it up in a food processor as I like a little thicker consistency. I have a Vitamix and I’m toying with just chucking everything in there for 5 minutes like you would a soup. It’s got a lovely flavor. Might add a dash of a compliant hickory liquid smoke as well next time. Really great. Thank you!5 stars

      • Megan | 40 Aprons TeamMegan | 40 Aprons Team says

        Posted on 6/24/22 at 3:00 pm

        Thank you so much for reporting back, Mark – I am THRILLED to hear you enjoyed it so much! Liquid smoke would be an incredible touch, that’s a great idea.

  2. Linda says

    Posted on 3/16/22 at 2:27 pm

    Can I use date spread instead of chopped dates?

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 3/20/22 at 3:25 pm

      Sure!5 stars

      Reply
  3. Anna says

    Posted on 2/28/22 at 2:33 am

    This is so delicious!!! Used it in my pulled pork recipe and it was so yummy!! Thank you so much for sharing this.5 stars

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 2/28/22 at 10:05 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂5 stars

      Reply
  4. Michelle Nguyen says

    Posted on 12/18/21 at 11:45 am

    This bbq sauce is mind blowing good! Would it work well for a slow cooker bbq chicken or best used as a topping condiment?5 stars

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 12/27/21 at 11:22 pm

      It should work both ways!5 stars

      Reply
  5. Amber says

    Posted on 9/26/21 at 11:59 am

    Amazing! Thank you so much for this!5 stars

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 9/27/21 at 10:09 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Amber!5 stars

      Reply
  6. Alexis says

    Posted on 9/13/21 at 7:53 pm

    Doing the whole 30 now and this sauce was amazing! Totally has that sweet flavor in a BBQ sauce that I love. Thank you for posting!

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 9/13/21 at 7:59 pm

      Yay! Glad it hit the spot!5 stars

      Reply
  7. Kendra Schwitter says

    Posted on 9/6/21 at 3:48 pm

    This is a keeper, Whole30 or not. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 9/7/21 at 8:20 pm

      We agree! Glad you’ve enjoyed it. 🙂5 stars

      Reply
  8. Carol says

    Posted on 8/1/21 at 11:02 am

    Hello, approximately, how many dates equals 1/2 cup? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Anna Claire | 40 Aprons TeamAnna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 8/3/21 at 9:59 pm

      Approximately 4 pitted, chopped dates, but you may have to adjust based on their size.5 stars

      Reply
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