I know many people just buy bottles of hot sauce to toss crunchy chicken wings in, but honestly, a good buffalo wing sauce is SO easy to make and tastes much better! It’s perfectly balanced, not too tangy or hot, it’s smooth, rich, and delicious. So whether you’re making buffalo chicken wings for Superbowl, or you’re just craving great-tasting buffalo wings, you have to make the wing sauce from scratch!
Why Do They Call It Buffalo Sauce?
The name has nothing to do with buffalos! The sauce was invented in 1964 by a family-owned business called Anchor bar located in Buffalo, New York. While the original buffalo sauce has never been published, we know for sure that buffalo sauce is specifically made with Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce. I have made it so many times, and here’s the closest recipe to what you can get at a NY sports bar.
What Is Buffalo Wing Sauce Made Of?
Buffalo sauce is all about balanced flavors! The main ingredient is, of course, Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce (the original, not Frank’s wing sauce). It’s an aged cayenne pepper-based hot sauce that already includes vinegar and garlic powder, so it’s hot but also acidic. To balance the acidity, I like to add some type of sweetener (I used honey in this recipe), but brown sugar or maple syrup can also be used. Butter is added for richness, smoothness, and balancing the flavors. It’s an essential ingredient to make a delicious buffalo wing sauce. Seasoning with salt and pepper is totally optional but adds some flavor. Other optional ingredients that you can add: a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of onion powder. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Why Add Butter to Hot Wing Sauce?
The butter is what gives you a restaurant-quality sauce at home. It adds silky and smooth richness to the sauce, cuts down the heat a little, and of course, adds great flavor!
How to Make Buffalo Sauce
This is so simple and takes just 5 minutes of your time! Melt butter in the microwave in a small bowl or glass jug (do not overheat, microwave until the butter has just melted), then add the hot sauce, honey, salt and pepper (if using). Whisk until well combined, and that’s your wing sauce ready to dip! Keep the wing sauce warm, or reheat slightly prior to using. The sauce is enough for 3 pounds of chicken wings.
10 Ways to Use Wing Sauce
Toss Instant Pot chicken wings or Air fryer chicken wings, or try my Air fryer buffalo chicken wing recipe.Use to make buffalo chicken dipToss crispy Air fryer chicken tendersAs a sauce for Smashed potatoesDip Oven-baked friesDrizzle over pizza or nachosAdd to Pulled chicken when making sandwiches or wrapsToss crispy cauliflower to make buffalo cauliflower wingsAs a coating for buttermilk chicken tenders or fried shrimpGreat on BBQ baby ribs!
Need more Buffalo-style recipes? Try my Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers, Buffalo Shrimp, Buffalo Chicken Pasta, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, or Buffalo Chicken Sliders next!
Common Questions About Buffalo Sauce
© Little Sunny Kitchen
