Make this sweet and tangy Strawberry BBQ Sauce at home in under 40 minutes using fresh or frozen strawberries. Use this versatile sauce to grill meat, slather on meatloaf, or use it as a dip or salad dressing (vegetarian, gluten-free).
Jump to:
About Strawberry Barbeque Sauce
Strawberry BBQ Sauce is a sweet and tangy blend of strawberries, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and a few more simple ingredients.
This versatile sauce comes together in under 40 minutes and can be made using fresh or frozen strawberries. It is a great variation of the classic BBQ sauce and can be used in multiple ways.
This strawberry barbecue sauce freezes very well. So you can double or triple the recipe and freeze the extra sauce in small glass jars. Just pull out one jar, thaw it and your BBQ sauce is ready in no time.
This recipe will give you approximately 2 cups of sauce.
I like to make this strawberry bbq sauce recipe in spring when strawberries are in season and are sold at a very cheap price. I then freeze the sauce until the grilling season starts in the summer.
Here are some more homemade sauces that you may like
- Cilantro Chimichurri
- Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
- Lemon Drop Hot Sauce
- Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Thai Peanut Sauce
- Bechamel Sauce
- Gochujang Dipping Sauce
- Basil Walnut Pesto
- Avocado Basil Pesto
- Bang Bang Sauce
Ingredients
Strawberries – Use fresh or frozen strawberries to make the sauce. If using frozen strawberries, then thaw them before using them.
Check out my post on How To Freeze Strawberries when they are in season.
You can use other fruits such as mango, blackberries, or fig instead of strawberries to make this BBQ sauce recipe.
Tomatoes – This recipe requires fresh tomatoes. Choose ripe red tomatoes for the best flavor.
Balsamic Vinegar – Use a good quality one.
Butter + Olive Oil – A combination of butter and light olive oil makes the sauce rich and buttery. To make the sauce vegan, replace butter with light olive oil.
Worcestershire Sauce – It adds a sour, spicy, and sweet taste to the sauce.
Others – You will also need garlic, ketchup, honey (or maple syrup), salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sometimes the strawberries and tomatoes are too tart; in that case, add some brown sugar to balance the taste of the sauce.
You can also add some soy sauce to this sauce for an Asian flare.
Add some lemon juice to make the sauce tangier.
How To Make Strawberry BBQ Sauce
In a large deep pot or a large Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon light olive oil over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and cook until garlic turns golden brown in color (30-40 seconds), stirring continuously.
Add 2 pounds (1 kg) of halved strawberries and 1 cup of diced ripe tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are soft and starting to break down (8-10 minutes).
Transfer the berries and tomatoes into a blender or a food processor and blend until super smooth. You can also use an immersion blender to blend the sauce.
Return the berries and tomatoes to the pot and stir in
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
Bring the ingredients to a boil.
Now reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer until its volume is reduced by about a third and the flavor profile is sweet and tangy and not vinegary (15-20 minutes). Stir at regular intervals while cooking.
Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed. You can add some brown sugar if the sauce is too tart.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the sauce cool completely.
Transfer the cooled sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 7 days or freeze for 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make the flavors even stronger, you can replace fresh strawberries with roasted strawberries. Rinse and hull the strawberries and cut them in half. Arrange them on a baking sheet and roast them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Use these strawberries in place of fresh strawberries in the recipe.
Yes, you can replace strawberries with peaches, pineapple, blackberries, mangoes, or figs.
Yes, you can. Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Blend the sauce in a blender or a food processor and it’s ready to use.
You can use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to add a smoky flavor and a spicy kick to the sauce. Habanero pepper can also be used to make this spicy sauce. The sweetness of strawberries also pairs well with the kick of Jalapeno peppers.
Yes, microwave the jam until it is flowy. Then use it in place of fresh or frozen strawberries. The sauce made using strawberry jam will be sweeter as compared to the one made using strawberries.
Serving Suggestions
This spicy tangy Strawberry Sauce is a perfect accompaniment to bone-in grilled chicken, pork chops, or grilled fish fillets.
You can use it as a marinade or glaze to make homemade ribs, chicken tenders, or chicken wings.
Use this homemade barbecue sauce as a dip for your fries and wedges.
Use it to make pulled pork or pulled chicken sandwiches or burgers. You can also use it in open toasts, flatbreads, or wraps.
This sauce makes for a great salad dressing too. Just thin it down with some water.
It is also great to use as a base for pizza instead of the regular pizza sauce.
It tastes great when drizzled over grilled vegetables or tofu.
Storage Suggestions
Strawberry BBQ Sauce will last for about a week in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
Allow the sauce to cool completely before storing it. This will prevent condensation and ensure that it stays fresh. Use a clean and dry spoon for every use, this way the sauce will last longer.
You can make an extra batch and freeze it for later use. To freeze, pour the sauce into an ice tray and freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to zip-lock bags and freeze for 6 months.
You can also freeze the sauce in small portions in freezer safe containers.
You Might Also Like
Recipe Card
Easy Strawberry BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 pounds strawberries (1 kg, fresh or frozen, hulled and halved)
- 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large deep pot, melt butter and light olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add garlic and cook until garlic turns golden brown in color (30-40 seconds).
- Add strawberries and tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are soft and starting to break down (8-10 minutes).
- Transfer the berries and tomatoes into a blender and blend until super smooth.
- Return the berries and tomatoes to the pot and stir in balsamic vinegar, ketchup, honey, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Bring the ingredients to a boil.
- Now reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer until its volume is reduced by about a third and the flavor profile is sweet and tangy and not vinegary (15-20 minutes). Stir at regular intervals while cooking.
- Check for salt and pepper and add more if needed. You can add some brown sugar if the sauce is too tart.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the sauce cool completely.
- Transfer the cooled sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 7 days or freeze for 6 months.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!