Top 15 Vegan BBQ Sauce Brands

Tangy, sweet, spicy, smoky—these 15 Vegan BBQ Sauce Brands are the perfect store-bought vegan sauces to keep in your pantry for easy meals year round. Whether you prefer Carolina Gold, Kansas City, Texas style BBQ sauces or something else, you’ll find a few new favorites below!

While most people associate BBQ sauce with summer, BBQ sauce is delicious enough to use year round and can instantly add a boost of flavor to virtually any dish.

With this list of vegan BBQ sauce brands in your back pocket, you can feel confident you’re purchasing a store-bought BBQ sauce made with vegan-friendly ingredients and add big flavor to your meals without firing up the grill!

Non-Vegan Ingredients in BBQ Sauce

Now, you may know that I love making vegan BBQ sauce, but sometimes I don’t have the time or energy to make my own from scratch. That’s where store-bought barbecue sauce comes in! And while many store-bought sauces are made with plant-based ingredients, they can contain non-vegan ingredients you’ll need to watch out for!  These animal-derived ingredients include: 

• Honey
• Fish sauce (more common in Asian BBQ sauces)
• Worcestershire sauce (often contains anchovies)
• Mayonnaise (often used in Alabama “white” BBQ sauce)
• Butter 
• Cream 
• Gelatin (sometimes used as a thickening agent)
• Artificial colors (specifically carmine or red40)

Is Sugar Vegan?

For sweetness, brands typically use common ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, or cane sugar.

Some strict vegans avoid non-organic white sugar due to its use of bone char (ground animal bones) in the sugar refining process, however, I am not one of those people.

Organic sugars and organic BBQ sauces can be significantly more expensive than non-organic sugars and BBQ sauces and is not affordable for many. In order to make a plant-based diet as accessible as possible, I don’t worry about the processing of sugar. 

Instead, I believe in focusing on a diet that is a centered around plants as possible. Don’t let the finite details make this stressful, expensive, or complicated for you or your family.

For a deeper read on this controversial topic, read this incredible article from Michelle at World of Vegan: Is Sugar Vegan? Let’s Settle This Debate Once and For All. 

​Different Types of BBQ Sauce

Despite this, there are all kinds of BBQ sauces out there, and it’s not hard to find a vegan one, even in a small, local grocery store. BBQ sauce varies widely across different regions of the United States, each with its own distinctive flavors and ingredients. Below is a quick reference list of some of the most well-known regional styles of BBQ sauce. Depending on your taste buds, let this list help you choose a style to look for! 

• Kansas City BBQ Sauce: This BBQ sauce is tomato based, smoky BBQ sauce and is typically sweet and tangy with a molasses or brown sugar base. 
• Texas BBQ Sauce: Tomato-based or vinegar-based. It’s thinner than traditional BBQ sauce and more tangy and acidic tasting. 
• Carolina BBQ Sauce: A mustard and vinegar-based BBQ sauce that’s typically on the spicier side! 
• Memphis BBQ Sauce: Tomato-based BBQ sauce that can range from mild to extra hot.

How to Use Vegan BBQ Sauce

These BBQ sauce brands will all work great with your favorite vegan foods like BBQ tempeh, vegan lentil meatloaf, Beyond Meat meatloaf, plant-based burgers, or with any of these favorite vegan BBQ recipes. 

You can also use your favorite vegan barbecue sauce with roasted veggies and a grain like Instant Pot quinoa or Instant Pot brown rice for a very simple and wholesome meal. Maybe serve it as a dipping sauce with vegan nuggets, air fryer sweet potato wedges, or air fryer Brussels sprouts.

BBQ sauce is often used as a marinade in Texas. You could marinate tofu, tempeh, seitan, or even beans in barbecue sauce for a flavor-packed meal later in the day.

Where to Find Plant Based BBQ Sauce

You can find vegan and plant based BBQ sauces at most major grocery stores nowadays including big box stores like Walmart, Target, and Amazon Fresh. Also, most larger grocery stores in your area such as Albertsons, Safeway, HEB, Wegmans, Jewel-Osco, and Giant Eagle should have a good variety to choose from.

Specialty stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and local health food retailers also usually carry at least a few brands of plant based barbecue sauce. You can also purchase BBQ sauce online from retailers like Amazon, Thrive Market, and Vitacost.

You can always make your own Vegan BBQ Sauce if you can’t find any, but it is a good idea to keep a couple bottles of plant-based barbecue sauce in your cupboard at all times for those just-in-case moments when you don’t feel like cooking or need something quick and easy. Check out this ultimate vegan pantry staples list for more items to keep your pantry stocked.

Vegan BBQ Sauce Brands

The vegan BBQ sauce brands below are the top brands, but by no means a complete list of all the vegan barbecue sauces out there. Many of these brands can be found at common grocery stores such as Walmart, Target, Albertsons, Safeway, Wegmans, Grocery Outlet, and more.

Many brands can also be found online, sometimes at a discount. When I find a brand I enjoy, I like to stock up on a few (especially when they’re on sale!) since most are shelf stable (unopened) for a year or so.

Primal Kitchen Hawaiian Style BBQ Sauce

Vegan, keto, Whole30, and paleo diet-approved, Primal Kitchen Hawaiian Style BBQ Sauce relies on main ingredients like pineapple juice, coconut aminos, date paste, and tomato puree to make a delicious plant based barbecue sauce without any refined sugars.

It’s sweet, tangy and smoky and does not sacrifice any flavor even though it is made with wholesome, healthy ingredients.

I purchase this BBQ sauce at my local grocery outlet for a major discount and keep it on hand in my pantry at all times! Primal Kitchen also offers other varieties of BBQ sauce including: Unsweetened Classic BBQ Sauce (this one is not my favorite), Mango Jalapeño BBQ Sauce, Golden BBQ Sauce, and Korean Style BBQ Sauce.

Stubb’s Barbecue Sauce

Founded by restaurateur and veteran Christopher B. Stubblefield, Stubb’s Barbecue Sauce is delicious and nearly all flavors of it are vegan. The only two exceptions are the Sweet Honey & Spice and Smokey Mesquite (both contain honey).

The vegan flavors include Original (a tangy flavored BBQ sauce), Sweet Heat, Dr. Pepper, and Hickory Bourbon. Stubb’s Barbecue Sauce can be found in most mainstream grocery stores and online.

Annie’s Barbecue Sauce

Annie’s Barbecue Sauces can be challenging to find (try Whole Foods, your local health food store, or an online retailer) but are certified vegan and organic. You can also purchase Annie’s Barbecue Sauce online, if preferred!

Heinz Barbecue Sauce

It may be a surprise that all the flavors of Heinz Barbecue Sauce are suitable for a vegan diet. These flavors include Original Sweet & Thick, Carolina Vinegar Style Sweet & Tangy, Kansas City Style Sweet & Smoky, Carolina Mustard Style Sweet Mustard, and Texas Style Bold & Spicy.

These BBQ sauces are easy to find and come in a convenient squeeze bottle.

Kraft Slow Simmered BBQ Sauce

Another easy-to-find brand, Kraft Slow Simmered BBQ Sauces can be found in most grocery stores and online. There are four flavors of Kraft BBQ sauce that are vegan: Original, Hickory Smoke, Sweet & Spicy, and Sweet Brown Sugar.

These thick sauces are great for dipping vegan nuggets into or slathered over your favorite plant based protein or veggies. Avoid the Mesquite Smoke, Sweet Honey, or Spicy Honey flavors as they are not vegan.

Jack Daniels Original BBQ Sauce

There are two flavors of Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce that are vegan: Original flavor and Sweet and Spicy. These BBQ sauces contain the flavor of Jack Daniels (but the sauces themselves contain no alcohol) and are sweet and rich in flavor.

Avoid the Jack Daniels Honey BBQ Sauce flavor as it does contain real honey. Jack Daniels Original BBQ Sauce and Jack Daniels Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce can be found in most grocery stores and online.

Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce

One of the least expensive BBQ sauces, Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce is easy to find and has that authentic BBQ flavor. In fact, most of their flavor line up is vegan including Brown Sugar, Hickory, No Sugar Added, and Sweet Golden Mustard.

For any other flavors, remain vigilant about reading labels. You should be able to find Sweet Baby Ray’s in any grocery store. I’ve even seen it at discount stores like Aldi and convenience stores like 7-Eleven.

Trader Joe’s Organic Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce

Tangy, sweet, smoky, and a little spicy, Trader Joe’s all-organic BBQ sauce is budget-friendly and easy to find (if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby). This plant based barbecue sauce works well as a marinade or served at the table as a condiment.

Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce

Coming in with a flavor bomb, Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauces are flavorful and come in a convenient squeeze bottle. This line of BBQ sauce is vegan, small batch, cold-filled, non GMO, and preservative free.

You should be able to find all three flavors (Original, Yuzu, and Hot & Spicy) in most grocery stores—I’ve even seen them at Walmart.

Bibigo Korean BBQ Marinade & Sauce

Along those same lines, if you’ve never made your own Korean BBQ, try Bibigo Korean BBQ Marinade & Sauce to remedy that.

Korean pear, apple, sesame, ginger, green onion, and cooking rice wine make up the unique and delicious flavor profile of this awesome vegan Korean BBQ sauce. Looking for more of a kick? Try their Hot & Spicy flavor.

Organicville Original BBQ Sauce

If you’re looking for another all-organic version, try Organicville Original BBQ Sauce. Sweetened with agave nectar instead of honey, this sweet, spicy, and smoky plant based barbecue sauce is perfect for all your vegan BBQ recipes. Find Organicville in your area using their store locator or purchase online.

Good Food for Good BBQ Sauce

Looking for a whole food plant based option? Try Good Food for Good BBQ Sauce, which comes in two varieties: Classic and Sweet & Spicy. Produced by a certified B-corp, this do-gooder company also makes a good-for-you product.

Both flavors of this plant based barbecue sauce are sweetened only with dates and are made without oil or other heavily-processed ingredients. This is one you’ll probably have to buy online.

Fody Foods BBQ Sauce

Low-FODMAP and looking for a vegan BBQ Sauce? Try Fody Foods four BBQ sauces that are both plant based and low-FODMAP certified. Their four vegan-friendly flavors include Original, Maple, Chipotle (Unsweetened), and Korean. They can be found in many grocery stores and online.

G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce

If you need a sugar-free option that’s delicious yet still easy to find, try G Hughes Smokehouse. This brand has eight vegan flavors including Mesquite, Hickory, Carolina Gold, Original, a Honey flavor that doesn’t actually contain honey, and more.

You can find at least a few flavors of G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar Free BBQ Sauce in most grocery stores.

Guy’s Award Winning BBQ Sauce

Need more sugar-free options? Guy’s Award Winning BBQ Sauce comes in 6 flavors including two unique styles: Smokey Garlic BBQ Sauce and Smokey Bacon BBQ Sauce (which does not contain bacon!). These flavorful vegan BBQ sauces are low carb and are available in many stores and online.

Vegan BBQ Recipes You’ll Love