Pineapple mango BBQ sauce recipe
Up your grill game with this easy pineapple mango BBQ sauce recipe. Super simple and so dang delicious, this barbecue sauce will add amazing flavor to whatever you are cooking. This sweet and spicy sauce packs the perfect punch – a touch of sweet and just enough heat to make your lips tingle.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my blueberry bourbon BBQ sauce and my chipotle apple BBQ sauce recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my BBQ sauce recipes in one place.
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Why you should make this recipe
- Quick & easy – This recipe is ready in under an hour and requires minimal effort.
- Versatile – You can use this sauce on chicken, pork, burgers, or any kind of BBQ.
- Make ahead – Pineapple mango barbecue sauce lasts for up to 2 weeks in the fridge and gets even better the day after it’s made.
Pineapple mango BBQ sauce
I love BBQ sauce. I mean – I really love it. It’s one of my favorite things for dipping and it is my go-to sauce for anything that needs a little something.
And, this sauce will help you up your game in a big way. I gave some to my neighbor and he RAVED about it, as did his handful of house guests.
I use my neighbors as my testers, because I know I can get immediate feedback on a recipe. And, I’m happy to report that this one was met with a big thumbs up.
Ingredients
This barbecue sauce recipe uses common ingredients that you likely have in your pantry or fridge, to keep shopping to a minimum.
- Apple cider vinegar – My vinegar of choice for most things, ACV has a fruity acidity that brings flavor and not just a vinegary bite.
- Tomato sauce – This gives the BBQ sauce a bit of that familiar tomato base, without the sweetness of ketchup, which we’re getting from the honey and brown sugar.
- Dark brown sugar – You can substitute light brown if that is what you have. In that case, add a tablespoon of molasses to the mix as well.
- Green chiles – I used Hatch green chilies because they are in season and it’s what I have. You can use canned chilies, a habanero, or a jalapeño.
- Onion – Yellow onion is the go-to choice. It is the best “cooking onion”, but use whatever you have.
- Ginger – This sauce gets some of it’s heat from the ginger. Just in case you didn’t know, ginger packs a punch. It can clear your sinuses, but it adds amazing flavor.
- Pineapple juice – Sweet, delicious and a bit of acidity. Pineapple juice is great in marinades and sauces.
- Mango – Use soft, ripe mangoes that are super sweet for this recipe. Unripe or green mangoes will not work.
- Oil – A neutral oil like grapeseed or canola is best here.
- Garlic – In my humble opinion, garlic belongs in just about everything.
- Honey – Honey gives the sauce a floral sweetness that is different from the dark brown sugar.
- Salt & pepper – Because everything needs salt and pepper.
How to make it
This mango BBQ sauce with pineapple is all about building layers of flavor. First, we sauté onions, ginger and garlic to mellow those flavors a bit. Then, the mango goes in with the rest of the ingredients.
Cook it all down for about 30 minutes to concentrate the flavors and to thicken the sauce. Use an immersion blender to purée the BBQ sauce until smooth and you’re done.
You will see the color and the thickness of the sauce change as it cooks down. If you find that it is not thick enough after you’ve blended it, return the sauce to the pan and cook it down for another 10 minutes or so.
I used a recipe from serious eats as my jumping off point and then promptly started tweaking things. I’m really happy with the result and I hope you are too.
Pineapple mango BBQ sauce FAQ’s
Yes. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If properly stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it can last up to 2 weeks.
This mango BBQ sauce is actually better the next day, so making it ahead of time is encouraged!
This is the immersion blender that I own and LOVE. It works great on everything I've thrown at it and the design keeps it from sticking to the bottom of the container. It comes apart easily for cleanup and storage.
Variations and substitutions
I used Hatch chiles because that’s what I had. If you want to make your mango BBQ sauce extra spicy, use a habanero pepper instead. To make your sauce less spicy, go with a cubanelle pepper, as those really don’t have any heat.
To make this BBQ sauce without pineapple juice, you can substitute mango juice or apple juice.
How can I use this BBQ sauce?
This sauce goes really well with pork and chicken. It goes great with pulled pork, grilled chicken, chicken wings, and pork chops.
- Fill a few glass bottles and give to friends and neighbors as a gift.
- Shred some leftover roast chicken and toss with sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches.
- Top pork burgers with pineapple mango BBQ sauce, a ring of pineapple and a slice of melty cheese.
Helpful tools and equipment
You’ll need a blender of some sort, whether it is an immersion blender or a standard blender to blend the sauce.
A heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, is the perfect pot for making a batch of homemade BBQ sauce.
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Pineapple mango BBQ sauce recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. neutral oil canola or grapeseed
- 1 medium onion diced, about 1 cup // 240ml
- 2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups mango peeled and diced (2 large mangoes) // 360ml – 480ml
- 6 oz. pineapple juice // 180ml
- 1 cup tomato sauce // 240ml
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed // 120ml
- 1/4 cup honey // 60ml
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar // 120ml
- 1/4 cup Hatch chilies roasted, peeled and chopped (2 chilies, sub – canned green chilies or jalapeños) // 60ml
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
- Sauté onions for 4 – 5 minutes to soften them, then add garlic and ginger, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add diced mango and cook for one minute, stirring frequently to keep anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add remaining ingredients to pot and stir to combine. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about a third.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Using an immersion blender, purée the sauce in the pot until smooth.
- Cool completely before storing in airtight glass containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I am interested in making this for gifts. It looks delicious. I assume it has to be refrigerated, but what is the shelf life?
Thanks so much.
Hi Jill! This would make an excellent homemade gift 🙂 It will last 1 – 2 weeks in the fridge.
Thanks! Can’t wait
Great! Let me know how it turns out, Jill! 🙂
I made this Mango 🥭 BBQ sauce today. It is 10/10! I did make 2 adjustments. I eliminated the pineapple juice and added more mango. I have an abundance of mangoes and wanted that predominate flavor. I also added 2 oz of tomato paste. The flavor is outstanding. Before I puréed the mixture, I served the sauce as a condiment over Picadillo and Basmati rice! WOW. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Jan! I’m thrilled you liked it! I’m jealous of your abundance of mangoes! That’s a great problem to have! LOL 😉