Tangy buffalo sauce made with Frank’s Red Hot, butter, vinegar, and garlic is amazing on everything from wings, to burgers, and even salads!
This buffalo sauce recipe is super easy to make and you’re going to want it on hand all the time! Try it on a bun with pan seared chicken and blue cheese crumbles. (Don’t forget sprinkle cookies for dessert!).
Buffalo Sauce
Buffalo Sauce
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Buffalo Sauce Ingredients
- Hot sauce – We use Frank’s RedHot as it gives the most authentic flavor, but feel free to try using your favorite hot sauces for different flavors and heat levels!
- Butter – I always use salted butter, this is a matter of personal preference though.
- Vinegar – White vinegar.
- Garlic – We use garlic powder. You can use fresh garlic if you’d like, but if you do, you’ll want to blend it with the sauce to make it smooth.
- Cayenne pepper – Dried/ground. This is optional if you want more heat.
How do you make buffalo wing sauce? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, add all ingredients to a skillet or sauce pan.
⭐ Next, bring the sauce pan to medium heat and allow the ingredients to come to a light simmer.
⭐ Then, whisk everything together until fully incorporated and smooth.
⭐ Finally, use in your favorite recipe, or store in a jar for later.
Preparation
What is it made of?
Buffalo wing sauce is made of hot sauce, butter, vinegar, and garlic. You can add cayenne pepper for extra heat if you’d like, and some folks will add a dash of worcestershire or soy sauce for umami (although, we personally don’t) and honey or maple syrup for sweetness (sometimes we do).
Can you make buffalo sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! Store it in the fridge or freezer if prepping ahead. If it separates or hardens (because of the butter), just warm it up and whisk or blend it back together when ready to use.
How do you make buffalo sauce more spicy or less spicy?
To make it spicier
Add dried ground cayenne pepper a little bit at a time until you reach your desired heat level. Alternatively, you can use another type of hot sauce that is made with a more powerful pepper.
To make it less spicy
Use more butter or less hot sauce to start. I will often add an extra 1/4 stick of butter for my little ones as they don’t like it quite as spicy.
How do you thicken buffalo sauce?
The thickener in this sauce is butter, so the trick is to make sure you whisk it until it emulsifies. Emulsification is when two immiscible liquids are forced to combine in a suspension. When you whisk (or blend) you’ll see the sauce begin to thicken and lighten in color.
If whisking is too hard on your wrist, use an upright or hand blender. But be careful not to over-blend (stop as soon as it lightens/thickens) because going to far will break the emulsion!
Leftovers and storage
How do you store leftover buffalo sauce?
Leftovers should be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. We like to use mason jars (or old cleaned spaghetti jars) for storing our homemade sauces and dressings.
How long does leftover wing sauce last?
It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 weeks, or in the freezer for longer. Because there is butter in the recipe, it will separate and harden somewhat when chilled.
Just warm the jar in the microwave in 30 second increments and whisk or blend back together. You can also heat in a separate container if you’re doing smaller amounts or if your jar isn’t microwave safe.
Can you freeze hot buffalo sauce?
Yes! Use a freezer-friendly container and make sure to leave at least an inch of headroom for expansion. Defrost in the refrigerator before you need it and then warm and whisk or blend back together when ready to use.
It will keep at least 6 months in the freezer.
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
Is buffalo sauce spicy?
As written, this recipe is somewhere between mild and medium. You can definitely adjust it to your heat preference though.
What’s the difference between hot sauce and wing sauce?
Hot sauce is an ingredient in wing sauce. Wing sauce also includes butter and spices.
Why is it called buffalo sauce?
Because it was invented in Buffalo, New York alongside the world famous Buffalo Wings!
There’s no relation between the animal buffalo and the sauce, rather the sauce was developed at a small restaurant called the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY.
How do you make sweet buffalo sauce?
Whisk in some honey or maple syrup, to taste, if you like a sweet finish to your sauce. Sweet + heat is delicious in my book!
What to eat with spicy wing sauce (serving suggestions)
Well, the classic answer is wings, of course! Specifically, I like to toss our baked chicken wings in the sauce and then put them back in the oven or air fryer for another minute or two so that sauce clings right to them. You can even go in for a second saucing if you’re feeling bold.
Then don’t forget the celery and homemade blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing! If you’re in an ambitious mood, swap the celery for a creamy cucumber salad!
More awesome sauces and dips
- Creamy dill sauce
- Homemade BBQ sauce
- Enchilada sauce recipe
- Red wine vinaigrette
- Sriracha mayo
- See all our dips and sauces!
More ways to use your homemade buffalo sauce recipe
Tools we love
- 8 inch skillet – Perfect for all your saucing needs.
- Hand blender – Love this for a quick blend.
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How to Make Buffalo Sauce
Buffalo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot sauce we prefer Frank's RedHot
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a skillet or sauce pan.
- Bring the sauce pan to medium heat and allow the ingredients to come to a light simmer.
- Whisk everything together until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Use in your favorite recipe, or store in a jar for later.
Notes
Nutrition
Buffalo Sauce
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Beth says
My daughter loves buffalo sauce. This is going to be a hit here especially for our buffalo dip we love to make! So excited to make this!
Lily says
I took your tip on sweet and spicy and added honey to the buffalo and this was incredible, I made buffalo sweet and spicy wings with french fries and it was delicious, this will be our staple snack food for movie and football nights!