Guava BBQ Sauce From Scratch (Printable)

A tangy, tropical barbecue sauce made with sweet guava paste, aromatic spices, and balanced acidity—perfect for glazing, dipping, or marinating.

# What You Need:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup guava paste, chopped
02 - 1 cup water
03 - 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

→ Aromatics

04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices & Flavor

07 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

→ Sweetness & Balance

15 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
16 - 1 tablespoon molasses
17 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

→ Final Touch

18 - 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
02 - Add guava paste, water, and apple cider vinegar to the saucepan. Stir until guava paste begins to dissolve.
03 - Add smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, chili powder, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir well to combine.
04 - Stir in brown sugar, molasses, Dijon mustard, and tamari. Mix thoroughly until well integrated.
05 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and glossy.
06 - Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth, or transfer to a standard blender for processing.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cool completely and transfer to a clean jar. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours developing it, but you'll have it simmering in under 30 minutes.
  • No ketchup means no high-fructose corn syrup—just real fruit, spices, and a depth that makes people actually pause mid-bite to ask what they're tasting.
  • This one recipe works as a glaze, a dipping sauce, a marinade, or a burger condiment, so it justifies the jar space in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sautéing step with onion and garlic—it softens their raw bite and creates a flavor foundation that makes the entire sauce taste intentional rather than just mixed together.
  • The sauce thickens as it cools, so if it seems a little loose when you're blending it, that's okay—you'll be surprised how much it sets up in the jar.
03 -
  • If guava paste is hard to find or expensive, guava jelly works—just reduce the sugar you add since jelly is already sweet.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in ice cube trays for quick glazing sessions on busy weeknights.
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