This Buffalo Sauce is a very easy 10 minute recipe that is perfect for wings, and so many other great Buffalo flavored recipes.
Buffalo is one of my favorite flavors to play with in different recipes. It is a little spicy, deliciously rich, and has a hint of garlic. Just describing it brings it’s delicious smell and taste to mind.
Often when I share recipes using Buffalo wing sauce on social media, my friends overseas will ask me what it is. This distinctly American ingredient is very easy to make at home with a few simple items.
What is Buffalo Sauce
Buffalo Sauce is a sauce that is made with vinegar, a cayenne pepper based hot sauce, and butter. It is primarily used on chicken wings that have been fried with no breading. It’s origins are disputed, but the name comes from Buffalo, New York – home to the best chicken wings.
How to Make Buffalo Sauce
This is a brief overview to show you how simple this sauce is to make. For the full recipe with all of the measurements see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Melt a stick of butter. In a small skillet melt 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
- Add in garlic. Let it cook for about 30 seconds until it is fragrant.
- Add the remainder of the ingredients. Now add in the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Now turn it down to a simmer and let it cook for five minutes, stirring regularly.
Sauce that Separates
You will notice that while this cooks, and often afterwards, the sauce will separate. With just a little bit of whisking the sauce will go back together and stay together as you use it in your recipes.
What Hot Sauce to Use
I used Frank’s Redhot sauce in this recipe. But really any hot sauce that has a base of cayenne pepper will work here.
Is Homemade Buffalo Sauce Spicy?
Yes, this sauce is spicy. I am kind of a big baby when it comes to spice and this sauce isn’t too spicy for me. But it is too spicy for my kids. One way to control the heat is to leave out the dash of cayenne pepper. You can also make it more spicy by adding more.
Storing Buffalo Sauce
This recipe can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. You will notice that when you put it in the fridge it will solidify. That is because of the butter, and totally normal. To bring it back to it’s sauce state, heat it over low heat on the stove top, stirring often.
FAQ
It is primarily made of a cayenne pepper based hot sauce and butter. Garlic and vinegar are two other signature flavors to this sauce.
Hot sauce is the foundation of Buffalo Sauce, but then there are several other flavors added in such as garlic, butter, and vinegar.
Yes it is. But like all other recipes, make sure to check all the ingredients you are using if you are cooking for someone with a gluten intolerance.
If you use a substitute for Worcestershire sauce, it is vegetarian. This would be a great recipe to use to make vegetarian wings out of cauliflower.
Baked Chicken Wings
What to Use Buffalo Sauce on
This sauce is traditionally used for buffalo wings and would be great to toss my Air Fryer Chicken Wings in. But it can also be used in several other great recipes.
- You will love my Buffalo Chicken Dip! I have instructions for the slow cooker or the oven.
- This Buffalo Chicken Pizza absolutely delicious. It is so much better than take out.
- Buffalo Pinwheels are a super easy appetizer that you must try.
- I love how simple this Buffalo Chicken Wrap is. It is perfect for a work day lunch.
If you make this Buffalo Sauce recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Buffalo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2/3 cup hot sauce such as Frank's Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, start with half)
- dash cayanne pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the garlic and sauté until the garlic is soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 2 garlic cloves
- Whisk in the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt, and cayanne pepper. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will seperate. Once it is off the heat, and completely whisked together, it will stay together.2/3 cup hot sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, dash cayanne pepper
- Use the sauce right away. If you choose to store it in the refrigerator, leftovers will solidify. To bring it back to sauce state, reheat over low heat, stirring regularly.
Cheri Singleton says
What can I use instead of a hot sauce? Is Frank’s really hot? I’ve never used it. We don’t like anything really hot. Can stand a little.
Hot is such a subjective thing. I don’t think it is spicy, but my kids do. I have a guess that this might not be a great recipe for you and you might like wings coated in my BBQ sauce better.
Janet says
Haven’t tried yet, but both the wing recipe and the recipe for wing sauce will be tried in the near future. Thank you and I have many of your recipes that have tried and very happy.
I’m so happy to hear that you’ve enjoyed what you’ve tried so far!
Cheryl A. McClary says
Make sure you explain to vegetarians they must get the vegetarian version of Worcestershire sauce. Basic Worcestershire sauce has anchovies in it which are not vegetarian.
Thank you for catching that!
Alaina says
Would red wine or apple cider vinegar give a different taste if white vinegar is not available?
It would for sure. I personally wouldn’t enjoy that change, but personal tastes vary for sure.
Giny Strengehagen says
Hi Lisa!!
I made this tonight for my husband and I as I didn’t have what I needed for my standard Buffalo sauce. I had even prepared dipping ramekins with my homemade blue cheese dressing. I generally remove my wings from the oven when they are ‘almost’ ready, toss them in the Buffalo Sauce and then back in the hot oven for another 6-10 minutes. This sauce was SO delicious baked onto the wings, I never touched my blue cheese dressing and I could eat that dressing with a spoon! Your recipe was a fabulous surprise!! SO glad I found it earlier today!! It will be created & enjoyed regularly!! Greetings from Norway!! ~Giny
This comment made my day, Giny! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Monika says
How long will this sauce keep.?
It is very tasty but I can only use a 1/4 cup of it , so I need to know how long this will keep
Thank you
This will store in the refrigerator for three days. I would suggest making a half batch.