Vegan Barbecue Sauce

Posted by CraftFoxes Staff on Jul 07, 2019

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This sauce embodies the flavor balance I like best in a barbecue sauce: perfectly tangy thanks to the dark balsamic, not too tomato-y (come on, it’s not marinara), just enough sweetness, and some to-die-for smoky and spicy notes. Try to use balsamic vinegar; any other vinegar won’t exactly be the same!

Excerpted with permission from The Vegan 8: 100 Simple, Delicious Recipes Made with 8 Ingredients or Less.

Step 1

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PREP: 5 minutes
YIELDS: 1 cup + 2 tablespoons

1/2 cup (120g) tomato paste
1/2 cup (120g) water
1 tablespoon (20g) pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon (15g) dark balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon (3g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
1⁄/2 teaspoon (2g) ground chipotle chile pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon (3g) fine salt

Step 2

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk until completely smooth. Taste and add more chile pepper powder, if you’d like it spicier.

Step 3

Nutrition per 2 tablespoons: 21 calories | 0.1g fat | 0.7g protein | 4.9g carbs | 0.7g fiber | 3.4g sugar | 247mg sodium

NOTE:
For a milder smoky heat, reduce the chipotle chile pepper powder to 1⁄4 teaspoon (1g) or sub with Ancho chile powder, which has a very smoky flavor but is much less spicy than the chipotle. (I don’t recommend omitting completely.) You could also use half and half of each.