Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe
Get ready for game day with this easy buffalo sauce recipe.
Do you know the difference between wing sauce and hot sauce? If you’ve ever made the mistake of using hot sauce where wing sauce was called for, then you probably do know the difference! You might still be trying to cool down your taste buds.
Hot sauce is made from hot peppers, vinegar, water, and usually some aromatics like garlic or onion. This mixture gets cooked down into a spicy sauce that should typically be used in small amounts. Hot sauce is for adding to wings, not covering wings.
Wing sauce, on the other hand, is made with hot sauce and some other ingredients. It’s smooth and spicy, but it’s mild enough to completely coat your buffalo wings. You’ll also notice that the texture of the wing sauce is slightly “saucier,” making it stick to your food much better.
The next most important question: Can you make your own buffalo sauce? Yes, you can! It’s actually really easy, and we have a great recipe here. You can even adjust it to your own desired level of heat (whether you like it mild or screaming hot). Enjoy!
Need even more great ideas for game day? Read our guide to tailgating like a pro, including tips for packing a cooler and food safety.How to Tailgate + 5 Game Day Recipes
Easy Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons Sriracha
6 Tablespoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot)
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
In a medium bowl whisk together the melted butter, Sriracha, hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire, and garlic powder. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. The sauce might separate after storing in the fridge, but you can just stir or shake to combine before using again.
Variations for Your Best Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe Ever
HOT Wing Sauce Recipe
If you like your buffalo sauce to tickle your taste buds (or burn them off), then we have some suggestions for you.
From our recipe above, try one of the following variations:
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Substitute the ⅔ cup of hot sauce for a more spicy type of hot sauce. We recommend Frank’s Red Hot, which is pretty mild. There are many other options that you can try. This scale shows a list of hot sauces and peppers ranked by their level of spiciness - including Frank’s Red Hot - so you can compare sauces that you’ve already tried to find one that’s the right level of spice.
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Increase the amount of cayenne pepper to ½ teaspoon or 1 full teaspoon.
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Finely mince one or more fresh hot peppers - like jalapeños - to add to the sauce. We recommend removing the seeds, but you can leave them in for even more heat.
Try this extra hot sauce on a recipe like these Three-Cheese Buffalo Chicken Nachos.
Mild Wing Sauce Recipe
Not so crazy about spicy food? We hear you. Try one of these variations from our recipe above for a mild buffalo sauce recipe:
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Substitute the ⅔ cup of hot sauce for a less spicy type of hot sauce. Frank’s Red Hot is on the mild end of the hot sauce spectrum, but you can try some of the options on this list that might be more to your taste.
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Reduce the amount of hot sauce from ⅔ cup to ½ cup.
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Omit the cayenne pepper.
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Try this mild wing sauce with a delicious appetizer recipe like these Buffalo Chicken "Cupcakes."
Our Favorite Recipes with Buffalo Sauce
If all this talk of buffalo sauce (and a few delicious recipes) is making you hungry, we have even more of our favorite buffalo sauce dishes to share with you! These are some of our favorite recipes that use this finger-licking good sauce. Whether you’re in the mood for traditional hot wings, or a spicy variation like Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, we’ve got you covered.
This recipe for Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings is just what you've been craving. And it couldn't be any easier to make these slow cooker chicken wings. As a bonus, you can learn how to make buffalo sauce that's perfect for the slow cooker (hint: you'll use a lot more of it!).
Who doesn't love the taste of spicy hot wings? For a crowd-pleasing appetizer or main course, try this recipe for Super Easy Hot Wings, one of the tastiest chicken wing recipes we've come across.
This incredible recipe for Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese Casserole is a gourmet way to prepare macaroni and cheese. Filled with 3 different types of artisan cheese, chicken and buffalo wing sauce, once you try this mac and cheese with your new recipe for buffalo sauce, you'll never look back!
Buffalo Chicken Dip is an easily whipped up favorite using our family’s preferred edible heat source – Frank’s RedHot sauce. Slow cooker simmered and easily made vegetarian by opting out of the chicken. It’s all about that heavenly cream cheese and buffalo sauce flavor.