Easy Buffalo Sauce

$1.73 recipe / $0.29 serving
by Beth - Budget Bytes
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I posted some Baked Chicken Wings earlier this week, so it’s only natural that I teach you how to make your own buffalo wing sauce as well! Buffalo sauce is an incredibly addictive, spicy, tangy, and rich sauce that is an absolute must-have for your chicken wings. And the best part? It’s so easy. Just four simple ingredients and about five minutes, and you’re ready for dipping and drizzling the buffalo sauce over your favorite foods.

Buffalo sauce in a jar with wings in the background

What is Buffalo Sauce?

If you’re not from the U.S. you’re probably asking yourself how someone made a sauce out of a buffalo, but don’t worry, the name actually comes from Buffalo, New York, where this sauce is said to have originated. It’s an incredibly tasty mix of cayenne hot sauce and butter. This simple combination of ingredients hits four of the major flavor elements (salt, fat, acid, and heat), making it incredibly delicious and almost downright addictive.

Sometimes, depending on the recipe, other ingredients are added for even more flavor. For my recipe below, I kept the sauce fairly simple with just a little garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce for a little more dimension.

What Kind of Hot Sauce to Use

Buffalo sauce is traditionally made with Frank’s Original Redhot Sauce, which is a vinegar-based cayenne hot sauce. That being said, I’ve made buffalo sauce with other brands of cayenne hot sauce and they were equally as delicious, so if you want to cut costs a bit you can always go with a different brand. Just make sure it’s a vinegar-based cayenne hot sauce.

Customize Your Buffalo Sauce

One reason I love this Buffalo sauce recipe is that it is customizable. By simply adding one or two more ingredients you can really change the direction of the sauce. Here are some ideas:

  • Honey or brown sugar to make a sweet-spicy sauce
  • Smoked paprika for a smokier flavor
  • Ranch seasoning for a garlic-herb infused buffalo sauce
  • Roasted garlic for an extra garlicky kick
  • Cayenne pepper for an extra hot buffalo sauce

How to Use Buffalo Sauce

Buffalo sauce isn’t just for chicken wings! You can use this tasty sauce on plenty of other types of foods. It’s great for dipping, drizzling, or even using as a dressing. Here are some other foods that taste great when blessed with a little buffalo sauce:

Buffalo wings on a plate with celery next to a jar of buffalo sauce
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Easy Buffalo Sauce

This incredibly easy buffalo sauce only takes a few minutes to make and is perfect for dipping or drizzling all over your favorite foods.
buffalo sauce in a jar with wings in the background
Servings 6 makes ¾ cup
Prep 3 minutes
Cook 7 minutes
Total 10 minutes

Ingredients

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Instructions 

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepot over medium heat, then add the remaining ingredients (hot sauce, Worcestershire, garlic powder).
  • Whisk the ingredients together and heat through. Serve hot or refrigerate until ready to use.

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Nutrition

Serving: 2TbspCalories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSodium: 690mgFiber: 1g
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Video

a hand dipping a chicken wing into a bowl of hot sauce

How to Make Buffalo Sauce – Step by Step Photos

Buffalo sauce ingredients in the saucepot

Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a small saucepot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup Frank’s Redhot Sauce, ½ tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.

Finished buffalo sauce in the pot with a whisk

Whisk the ingredients together and heat through.

buffalo sauce being poured over a bowl of chicken wings

Use the finished sauce for dipping or drizzling over your favorite foods (baked chicken wings pictured above).

Finished buffalo wings in a bowl

This spicy, tangy, rich sauce instantly transforms wings into an insanely addictive snack.

buffalo wings on a platter next to a jar of sauce

Looking for more easy how-to’s? Check these out:

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    1. I don’t suggest replacing the butter in this recipe. It’s one of the main ingredients and substituting it will change both the flavor and consistency of the sauce.