Ghana, Sauces, African

West African Barbecue Sauce

by Aisha Diallo

This vibrant West African Barbecue Sauce is a flavorful condiment featuring a rich blend of tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and a hint of spice from serrano chili and berbere. Brewed coffee and tamarind paste add depth, creating a unique and aromatic sauce perfect for various dishes. It's a versatile sauce that can elevate any meal with its complex and savory profile.

Total Time

70 minutes

Difficulty

Medium

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Chinese (Traditional)

Simple Tasty Recipes

Ingredients for 8 Servings

2 tablespoons

olive oil
1

medium Spanish onion, diced
5

tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or 2 1/2 cups chopped canned tomatoes)
2 inches

ginger, peeled and grated
3

garlic cloves, minced
1

serrano chili, seeds and ribs removed and finely chopped
2 cups

water
1/4 cup

brewed coffee
1 tablespoon

tamarind paste
2 teaspoons

berbere or chili powder
1/4 teaspoon

ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon

coriander seed, roughly crushed
1/4 cup

agave nectar

Time

Preparation Time

20 minutes
Cooking Time

50 minutes
Total Time

70 minutes

Goes Great with

Moroccan Carrot Salad With Orange Blossom Water

Tasty Couscous Summer Salad

Tunisian Sweet Potato Stew

Ethiopian Ambasha (Spiced Flatbread)

Ethiopian Lentil Salad

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat.
Add the diced Spanish onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened and translucent.
Add the chopped tomatoes, grated ginger, and minced garlic to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the finely chopped serrano chili, water, brewed coffee, tamarind paste, berbere (or chili powder), ground cumin, and roughly crushed coriander seeds. Bring the mixture back to a simmer.
Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 40 minutes.
Add the agave nectar and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and let the sauce cool completely before storing.
Store the cooled sauce in a tightly-covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Notes:

Cook time does not include chill time. Store in a tightly-covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The original recipe called for 'honey-style sweetener', which has been substituted with agave nectar to ensure the recipe is fully vegan.

Serving info: Total recipe: 600g / 590ml · Yields 8 portions · Portion size: 75g / 74ml

Nutrient	Per 100g (or 100ml)	Per Portion	% Daily Value
Energy (kcal)	123.2	92.4	4.6%
Carbohydrates (g)	19.7	14.8	5.4%
↳ of which sugars (g)	15.1	11.3	22.6%
Dietary fiber (g)	2.1	1.5	5.4%
Protein (g)	1.7	1.3	2.6%
Total fat (g)	4.5	3.4	4.4%
↳ Saturated fat (g)	0.6	0.5	2.5%
↳ Monounsaturated fat (g)	3.3	2.5
↳ Polyunsaturated fat (g)	0.5	0.4
↳ Trans fat (g)	0	0
Sodium (mg)	4	3	0.1%
Calcium (mg)	18.3	13.8	1.1%
Iron (mg)	0.5	0.4	2.2%
Potassium (mg)	353.5	265.1	5.6%
Vitamin C (mg)	13.8	10.4	11.6%
Vitamin B12 (µg)	0	0	0%

Ingredient data sources

Olive oil — 27g — Oil, olive, salad or cooking — source: USDA
Spanish onion — 150g — Onions, raw — source: USDA
Tomatoes — 600g — Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average — source: USDA
Ginger — 30g — Ginger root, raw — source: USDA
Garlic — 15g — Garlic, raw — source: USDA
Serrano chili — 10g — Peppers, serrano, raw — source: USDA
Water — 473g — Water, tap, drinking — source: USDA
Brewed coffee — 59g — Coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant prepared — source: USDA
Tamarind paste — 15g — Tamarind, raw — source: USDA
Berbere or chili powder — 4g — Spices, chili powder — source: USDA
Ground cumin — 0.5g — Spices, cumin seed — source: USDA
Coriander seed — 0.5g — Spices, coriander seed — source: USDA
Agave nectar — 77.5g — Sweeteners, agave nectar — source: USDA

⚠️ = estimated or sourced outside the listed databases.
% Daily Value based on FDA 2020 Daily Values for adults (2,000 kcal diet).

Goes Great with