This Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe is a bold and flavorful spicy sauce that comes together quickly using just a handful of everyday ingredients.
Make the most flavorful Instant Pot Chicken Wings, Buffalo Chicken Casserole, and Buffalo Chicken Salad using this Homemade Buffalo Sauce.
Nothing packs in flavor quite like Buffalo Sauce. From wings to dips to salads to pizza, the uses for this bold and spicy sauce are endless!
This tangy, spicy, incredibly flavorful sauce is said to have originated in Buffalo, New York at a restaurant called the Anchor Bar. It is now an extremely popular condiment that is featured on just about every bar menu across the United States.
And while you can purchase store-bought buffalo sauce, homemade is the way to go!
This easy buffalo sauce recipe, just like my recipes for Homemade Barbecue Sauce and Homemade Enchilada Sauce, comes together quickly to create a flavorful sauce that is superior to anything sold in a grocery store.
why homemade is the way to go
- No Junk Added. Homemade Buffalo Sauce is made with simple ingredients, unlike store-bought sauces that often are made with added hydrogenated oils and preservatives.
- Customizable. This recipe for Buffalo Sauce can be customized to fit your personal taste preferences. You can opt to add honey to help mellow the spice or keep this sauce sugar-free. Alternatively, you can increase the level of heat, by adding cayenne pepper.
- Better Tasting. Store-bought buffalo sauce often contains additives or preservatives that can affect the flavor and texture of the sauce. This recipe for buffalo sauce allows you to use fresh, high-quality ingredients which will enhance the overall flavor of your dishes.
- Cost-effective. You likely always have the ingredients needed on hand to make this buffalo sauce, saving you the markup of buying pre-made Buffalo Sauce.
Ingredients Needed To Make Buffalo Sauce
- Hot Sauce: Use a cayenne pepper hot sauce, such as Franks Redhot or Texas Pete's.
- Butter: Adding butter, will help to balance out the spiciness of the hot sauce and add a rich, creamy finish to the sauce.
- Vinegar: The vinegar will make the flavors truly pop and give this buffalo sauce a balanced taste. Use white distilled vinegar for best results, as we aren't looking to add additional flavor, just an acidic finish.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is so complex in flavor, that adding it to this buffalo sauce packs in a ton of flavor.
- Garlic Powder: I recommend using garlic powder, not fresh or jarred minced garlic, as it will incorporate easily into the sauce.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adding just a touch of cayenne pepper in addition to the cayenne pepper hot sauce, increases the spice and overall flavor in this buffalo sauce recipe. Feel free to omit this addition.
- Honey: To help balance out the spice in this recipe, I recommend adding a touch of honey or brown sugar. Feel free to omit the honey to keep this recipe sugar-free.
How to Make Buffalo Sauce
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, garlic powder, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter has melted and the sauce begins to simmer, remove the sauce from the heat, add in the honey, and whisk to combine.
- Let cool and then transfer the sauce to an airtight container to store in the refrigerator.
How to Store Buffalo Sauce
Homemade Buffalo Sauce will last for 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. To freeze buffalo sauce, pour it into a freezer-safe container and leave about ½ inch of space at the top to allow for expansion. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then gently reheat over low heat, whisking well to incorporate the sauce, as it may separate during the freezing process.
recipe modifications
Dairy-Free Buffalo Sauce: Replace the unsalted butter with your favorite non-dairy or vegan butter and omit the added salt to the recipe.
Adjust the Heat Level: Buffalo Sauce is known for having a kick. That said, you can control the level of spice to a degree by omitting or increasing the added cayenne pepper.
Uses for Buffalo Sauce
This famous sauce is known for being used to flavor Buffalo Chicken Wings. However, the uses for Buffalo Sauce are absolutely endless. Below are a few of my favorite recipes featuring buffalo sauce.
- Boneless Buffalo Wings
- Instant Pot Chicken Wings
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos
If you tried this recipe for Homemade Buffalo Sauce, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Buffalo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup cayenne pepper sauce such as Frank's Hot Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, garlic powder, and salt.
- Over medium heat, bring this mixture to a simmer, whisking often.
- As soon as the butter is fully melted and you begin to see bubbles forming along the edges of the pot, remove the sauce from the heat. Add in the honey, and whisk to combine.
- Allow to cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Jordan F
I had no idea how easy it is to make my own!! I will never buy from the store again, thank you.
Olivia
So much better than store-bought! I made this buffalo sauce for wings the other night and it was the perfect amount of flavor and spiciness!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Andie
How fun! I love learning new recipes, especially for things I've never even thought to make by myself like buffalo sauce! Such a yummy recipe, too!
Kristen Chidsey
Glad you found this recipe fun to make, as well as tasty! Thanks for sharing!