This Pineapple BBQ Sauce is tangy, delicious and easy to make! Perfect for any Summer cookout or gathering, you won't want to miss out!
It's hard to believe another year has come and gone and it is already Summer again. I am not a huge fan of warmer weather, I much prefer staying bundled under blankets and enjoying the cold. However, one of the things that I do love about Summer is the food! BBQ is one of my favorite foods around and BBQ sauce makes or breaks the dish in my opinion. This Pineapple BBQ Sauce will add a burst of fun and fresh flavor to your next cookout. Island-inspired, this sauce is perfect for almost any BBQ dish. You won't want to miss out!
For some other great BBQ recipes, check out this Mushroom Pulled Pork or this Vegan Taco Salad with BBQ Ranch Dressing!
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What Makes This Recipe So Great
- This Pineapple BBQ Sauce can be made in the blender!
- This BBQ Sauce is sweet and tangy but refined sugar-free!
- This sauce comes together in just 10 minutes and is the perfect sauce for any type of BBQ.
- This BBQ Sauce recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut Sugar- While most BBQ sauces use a sweetener such as molasses, this BBQ sauce keeps things on the lighter side with coconut sugar. Coconut Sugar has a lower glycemic index than other sugars which makes it a better alternative.
- Apple Cider Vinegar- The tang in this recipe comes from apple cider vinegar. The tangy vinegar helps to pair well with the sweetness of the pineapple to balance the sauce.
- Liquid Smoke- The liquid smoke is key in this BBQ sauce recipe to give it a smoky flavor that pairs well with the tangy sweetness. I used hickory flavor.
- Tomato Sauce- Tomato is the base of this recipe. It pairs great with the pineapple and helps to give the sauce some depth.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.
Instructions
- Drain the can of pineapple and add all ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, enjoy!
Hint: You can use fresh pineapple in place of canned pineapple if you prefer.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spicy - If you like your BBQ sauce on the spicy side, throw in a jalapeno or a habanero!
- Apricot BBQ Sauce -Swap out the pineapple for apricot for a fun twist on this recipe!
- Peach BBQ Sauce - Swap out the pineapple for a fresh peach to give even more sweetness to this recipe!
For another fun sauce idea, check out this Homemade BBQ Ranch Dressing!
FAQ's
Close, but not really. Hawaiian BBQ sauce contains soy sauce and ginger that gives it a unique Island flair.
This BBQ sauce pairs well with most meats, however I would say that it is best with meat such as pork or chicken. This BBQ sauce also pairs well with vegan BBQ. I love adding it to some BBQ mushrooms and making a BBQ Portobello sandwich!
This BBQ sauce is sweet and tangy. It has just enough sweetness not to be overly so and the tangy flavor of the vinegar helps to cut through the sweetness.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.
- High Speed Blender
- Mason Jars for storage
Storage
Store the sauce in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. This sauce also freezes well. Fill a mason jar ¾ of the way with sauce and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, bring to room temperature until defrosted.
Top tips
- This is the perfect sauce to make in a pinch, all you have to do is add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor.
- You can swap the canned pineapple for fresh pineapple. The ration will be 1 cup of fresh pineapple to 8 ounces of canned pineapple.
- To keep this refined sugar-free, make sure to use organic ketchup. Most commercial ketchup contain corn syrups.
Other Great Recipes You Will Love!
- Homemade BBQ Ranch Dressing
- Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
- Vegan Walnut Pesto
- Fresh Garden Salsa Verde
- Thai Basil Pesto
- Chipotle Southwest Sauce
Tangy and Delicious Pineapple BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- 1 High Speed Blender
- 1 Mason Jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic ketchup
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 ounces pineapple chunks
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Drain the can of pineapple and add all ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, enjoy!
Notes
- This is the perfect sauce to make in a pinch, all you have to do is add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor.
- You can swap the canned pineapple for fresh pineapple. The ration will be 1 cup of fresh pineapple to 8 ounces of canned pineapple.
- To keep this refined sugar-free, make sure to use organic ketchup. Most commercial ketchup contain corn syrups.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
veenaazmanov says
Thanks for all the detailing and quick and easy and unique recipe too. Love to get my bottle ready for sure
Colleen says
This BBQ sauce looks so unique and delicious! Plus it's so easy to make, it's a must try for me. Thanks for sharing!
Natalie says
Your pineapple bbq sauce is a real discovery to me! I love it! My friends kept asking for more, thanks!
Megan says
Oh, this is soooo good! That hit of apple cider vinegar is everything!
Lauren Michael Harris says
I LOVE fruit flavored BBQ sauces, but had never tried pineapple before. I am hooked - this is delicious!
Jill says
Love this bbq sauce! So tropical!
Pam says
What a delicious bbq sauce!! We love it!
Nancy says
Wow what a vibrant bbq sauce. It was amazing with my grilled shrimp!
Dana says
This is a delicious and easy sauce recipe.
Angela says
Love this bbq sauce. I am always looking for new flavors.
Jere Cassidy says
Love the sauce with the pineapple. This is so good on chicken and shrimp when we make kabobs.
Bernice says
Wow, I love everything pineapple so I know I'd love this sauce. Making it this weekend because I have a pineapple to use up.
Amanda Mason says
I used fresh pineapple and oh wow....the flavor! So good! I love making homemade BBQ sauce but this one is fantastic!!! Great with grilled chicken!
Katie Crenshaw says
I used this sauce on my ribs. Man was it good!! I am trying it on chicken next time.
Amy says
Perfect summer dish!
Luke says
Fantastic BBQ sauce recipe 🙂
Emily Flint says
We loved this sauce!
Jacqueline Debono says
This is my new favourite bbq sauce. So easy to make and I just love the flavour the pineapple adds!
Laura Arteaga says
This recipe was absolutely delicious and super easy to make. We had to go buy liquid smoke but that ingredient made a huge difference! Thanks for such a yummy sauce
Jamie says
I love the addition of pineapple in this bbq sauce! It added the right amount of sweetness and went great over grilled chicken!