Copycat A&W BBQ Sauce
Updated on December 1, 2024 by Rodney • This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. • 1 Comment • Jump to Recipe
Recreate the nostalgic taste of A&W BBQ Sauce at home. Made with A&W Root Beer, this creamy sauce is perfect for dipping, basting, and marinating your meat
I love the taste of Root Beer and clearly remember going to A&W as a kid so I just had to to try and make their BBQ Sauce.
If you are not familiar with A&W, they started serving its famous root beer back in 1919 in Lodi, California. A&W is the first American chain restaurant to reach the 100-year milestone.
This BBQ Sauce has the creamy flavor of A&W Root Beer. Excellent for dipping but this sauce can also be used for basting, or marinating your meat.
One of my favorite things to use this BBQ Sauce is to toss my pulled pork in it for some BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches. But I also love to use it as a dipping sauce for my chicken tenders and my fries!
Copycat Rating
Since the goal of a Copycat Recipe is for it to taste exactly like the original, it’s only natural to rate this recipe against the original. This Copycat recipe rates a solid 9 out of 10 in my opinion.
If you plan on gifting some of this delicious BBQ Sauce or just want a cool way to store it, check out my favorite Sauce Bottles on Amazon.
Equipment Needed
Using the right equipment can make a big difference. Here are my some of the Kitchen tools used in this recipe. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases to keep these recipes free. Simply click on an image below to see the most recent price on Amazon!
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this A&W BBQ Sauce recipe. For ingredient amounts please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Vegetable Oil – You can also use Canola Oil
- Yellow Onion – Sweet Onion can be used as well
- Root Beer – I like to use A&W brand (obviously) but you can use whatever kind you want. I recommend using full-sugar root beer for this recipe.
- Orange Juice – Any brand just make sure it’s pulp-free
- Dark Brown Sugar – You can also use light brown sugar if needed
- Honey – Try to use a good quality honey
- Worcestershire Sauce – adds some Umami flavor
- Tomato Paste – I prefer Hunt’s brand but you can use any brand
- Cayenne Pepper – This is optional. You don’t really taste it in the final product though
How to Make A&W BBQ Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, add the oil and saute the onions over medium-high heat until the onions become soft.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and allow the sauce to simmer on low for 30 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Use an immersion blender (or blender) to puree the sauce and let it cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.
More Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe Card
Copycat A&W BBQ Sauce
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 ½ Cups Root Beer
- ¼ Cup Orange Juice, no-pulp
- ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- ¼ Cup Honey
- ¼ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add the oil and saute the onions over a medium-high heat until onions become soft.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and allow the sauce to simmer on low for 30 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Use an immersion blender (or blender) to puree the sauce and let it cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.
Equipment Needed
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Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.