Spicy BBQ Tamarind Sauce Recipe

Portions: porciones

Calories: 154kcal

5 from 3 votes

A lot of pre-packaged store-bought tamarind sauces taste too sweet or too sour. Try this delicious tamarind sauce recipe instead, perfect for your BBQ dishes, and great with meats, poultry and shrimp.

By Clara Gonzalez - Last revised Sep 30, 2025. Original Oct 10, 2014.

Why I ❤️ it Recipe Ingredients Video Preparation

Homemade tamarind sauce.

Why I ❤️ it

Tamarind sauce is a tangy, sweet and slightly sour sauce with a perfect touch of spices that is commonly used in South Asian, Southeast Asian and Mexican cuisine. It is a versatile sauce that can be used as a marinade, dipping sauce or as a condiment to add flavor to a variety of dishes.

One of the best things about tamarind sauce is that it is incredibly easy to make at home. All you need is a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time to enjoy the sweet and tart flavor of this lovely BBQ sauce.

Spicy and sweet tamarind sauce recipe

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Combine the creamy, tart flavor of tamarind with spices to create a fabulous tamarind sauce perfect for BBQ.

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Inspiration: American

Category: caribbean bbq sauce, homemade bbq sauce, jamaican rum sauce recipe, spicy caribbean bbq sauce, sweet and sticky bbq sauce

Author: Clara Gonzalez

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Utensils and tools

Spicy and sweet tamarind sauce with chicken.

Ingredients

2 cups tamarind paste
½ cup water boiling hot
¼ cup brown sugar
1½ teaspoons red chili powder or cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

Before you start, make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

Step 1: Combining ingredients

In a small saucepan, combine the tamarind paste and hot water. Stir to dissolve the paste. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil and simmer at medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened (or 5-10 minutes).

Step 2: Serve or store

Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to discard all solids.

Use to brush meats for grilling or serve alongside your barbecue. To store, pour the sauce into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or freezer for up to a month.

Top tips

If you can't fid tamarind paste, you can use tamarind juice and reduce to a paste by simmering it. You can make tamarind juice from tamarind pulp following this recipe.
You can search for tamarind paste or pulp in Latino or Indian grocery stores.
Tamarind sauce can be served with a variety of dishes, including grilled meats, seafood, vegetables, and tofu. It is also a great dipping sauce for spring rolls or samosas.

Serving suggestions

This sauce goes great it with turkey chops, fried pork chops, grilled pork chops, BBQ ribs, and chicken roast with some brown rice (like the second photo). Give it a try; you may find yourself daydreaming about it soon after.

Nutritional information

More condiments recipes

See more: condiment recipes dinner recipes

FAQs

Can tamarind paste go bad?

Yes, as any vegetable product, tamarind paste can go bad. You can freeze tamarind paste in an airtight container and freeze for up to six months.

How long does tamarind sauce last?

Homemade tamarind sauce can last for up to a week in the fridge, or up to a month frozen.

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BBQ Tamarind Sauce Recipe

Serving: 4 porciones

Ingredients

2 cups tamarind paste
½ cup water boiling hot
¼ cup brown sugar
1½ teaspoons red chili powder or cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Combining the sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the tamarind paste and hot water. Stir to dissolve the paste. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil and simmer at medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened (or 5-10 minutes).

Serving or storing

Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to discard all solids.
Use to brush meats for grilling or serve alongside your barbecue. To store, pour the sauce into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or freezer for up to a month.