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Smoky rhubarb bbq sauce recipe! Tangy, sweet, and savory bbq sauce made with fresh rhubarb and chipotle peppers.
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Hiya, Rhubarbarians! It's rhubarb season! Let's try something new and unexpected with those rhubarb stalks and make some fresh rhubarb bbq sauce.
I know that using rhubarb, mostly sweetened for pies and desserts, as the backbone for a chipotle bbq sauce is kind of out-of-the-box. But, the tartness of rhubarb is perfect for tangy bbq sauce. This sauce is sweet, tangy, smoky, and super flavorful.
Why you'll love this
If you're someone who loves incorporating seasonal produce into every meal like I am, you are going to love this! The blend of tart rhubarb with the rich, smoky flavor of chipotle is a game-changer.
It's vegan and vegetarian-friendly, opening up a world where everyone, regardless of dietary preferences, can enjoy it at a gathering. What sets this sauce apart is how well it pairs with any dish you would add bbq sauce to - be it grilled vegetables, tofu, or a portobello burger.
The ingredients are seasonal and simple, the preparation is a breeze, and the result is a vegan BBQ sauce that will impress everyone.
More sauce recipes to try:
- Peanut butter chocolate sauce
- Grapefruit vinaigrette recipe
- Easy recipes with cranberry sauce
- Whole berry cranberry sauce recipe
Ingredients and equipment
Here is everything you need to make a batch of this rhubarb barbecue sauce at home.Full ingredient amounts with instructions are listedhere in the recipe cardat the bottom of this article.
Ingredients:
- produce: rhubarb
- sweeteners: brown sugar and maple syrup
- sauces: ketchup, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and dijon mustard
- canned goods: chipotle chiles in adobo
- aromatics: fresh garlic and ginger
- seasonings: salt
Equipment:
- sharp knife and cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- large sauce pan or pot
- stove top or cook top
- stirring utensil
- blender or immersion blender
- storage container
Step by step instructions
Here is a step by step guide to making rhubarb bbq sauce at home.Full instructions with ingredient amounts are listedhere in the recipe cardat the bottom of this article.
- Chop your rhubarb and gather all of your ingredients.
- Add the ingredients to a large sauce pan or pot on the stove top.
- Stir well and heat over medium heat until bubbles start.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the rhubarb has broken down and softened.
- Puree and then return to the pot.
- Add the salt, taste, and add more if desired.
Serving suggestions
You can use this spring/summer bbq sauce any way that you love to use bbq sauce!
I love drizzling it onto grilled vegetables. The unique tartness of the sauce perfectly complements the sweetness of the vegetables.
Additionally, this vegetarian BBQ sauce works miracles on tofu. Marinating tofu slices in the sauce for a few hours before grilling them makes an amazing vegetarian bbq main course.
Try making tofu or halloumi and vegetable bbq kabobs, spreading it onto a portobello burger, making bbq sauce pizza, using it as a dip for chickenless nuggets, or using it as the sauce for this bbq chickpea veggie bowl.
When is rhubarb season? Rhubarb is in peak season in the spring time from April to June. It grows well in cooler climates and grows through August here in the Pacific Northwest US.
Recipe tips an substitutions
I always love making sauces with the fresh ingredients of the season. This bbq sauce is very simple, but a few tips and tricks could make all the difference for you.
- Feel free to use frozen rhubarb if that's what you have!
- I find that an immersion blender works great, but a high speed blender will create an even smoother sauce.
- If you're not vegan/vegetarian, by all means use regular worcestershire sauce.
- The balsamic vinegar can be swapped for red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- If you don't want to use chipotle chiles, go ahead and add a teaspoon or two of smoked paprika for the smoky flavor.
- Swap the maple syrup for honey or agave.
Storing, freezing, and canning
This recipe makes 3 cups of rhubarb bbq sauce, so it's quite a lot! Here's how to store it.
Storing: store the sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 4 weeks.
Freezing: allow your sauce to cool completely, maybe even chill overnight in the refrigerator. Place it in freezer safe sealed containers in batch sizes that you will want to use in the future. The sauce will expand a bit as it freezes, so give it some room. Use within 3 months.
You can check out this guide for freezing bbq sauce!
Canning: Follow proper water bath canning guidelines for canning bbq sauce found here on the Ball Jar site.
Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.
Recipe
Rhubarb bbq sauce recipe
Trish Bozeman
Smoky rhubarb bbq sauce recipe! Tangy, sweet, and savory bbq sauce made with fresh rhubarb and chipotle peppers.
4.50 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Servings 3 cups
Calories 232 kcal
Ingredients
- 5 cups 1" pieces of rhubarb About 4 medium stalks
- 4 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2-3 medium chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped About 1- 1½ heaping Tablespoons, depending on how smoky you prefer
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients except the salt in a large saucepan. Stir well to combine.
5 cups 1" pieces of rhubarb, 4 Tablespoons brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons maple syrup, ½ cup ketchup, 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 2-3 medium chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, 1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger
Heat the pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling.
Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the rhubarb is broken down and very soft, stirring often, about 15 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat and puree the sauce with an immersion blender, or in a regular blender.
Stir the salt into the sauce. Taste and add more salt if desired. Let the sauce cool completely.
1 teaspoon salt
Once cooled, store the sauce in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to a month, or freeze or can.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 1918mgPotassium: 870mgFiber: 5gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 419IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 234mgIron: 2mg
Keyword barbecue sauce, vegan, vegetarian
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