Buffalo Wing Sauce

With a smooth, buttery texture, this homemade buffalo wing sauce is whipped up with zesty hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

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About Buffalo Wing Sauce

Those that follow this little food blog may be surprised to see a recipe for buffalo wing sauce grace these pages, and trust me – I’m shocked, too.

I’ve mentioned in the past that I tend to have trouble with spicy foods, and though I’m still firmly waving my “can’t handle the heat” flag, fans of wing sauce will be the first to tell you that wing sauce isn’t really hot. It’s got some bite to it, sure, but it’s not a sting.

In fact, the mildness of this sauce is what makes it the perfect gateway condament to more zesty dishes.

And that, my friends, is why I’ve fallen in love with it.

Why is it called buffalo wing sauce?

Contrary to what the name implies, this sauce has nothing to do with buffaloes and everything to do with where it was created. Buffalo wing sauce first cropped up at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, and its popularity grew from there to become a household name.

What’s the difference between hot sauce and wing sauce?

For the longest time, I didn’t think there was a big difference between hot sauce and wing sauce. But the truth is there is a difference….  and there isn’t.

Confused? So was I. Let me explain:

Hot sauce (like Tobasco) is made with hot peppers, vinegar, and a few standard spices. The whole point is to get the heat of the peppers and amply them with the tartness of the vinegar.

Wing sauce is made by essentially cooking hot sauce (usually with a cayenne pepper base) with a healthy dose of butter and a few other spices. So wing sauce is made with hot sauce, but the butter transforms it into a sauce that’s more mild and smooth.

So, while hot sauce and wing sauce are similar in nature, there are also enough “other” ingredients in wing sauce to give it its own distinct texture and flavor.

Is wing sauce diet-friendly?

Yes, it can be, depending on what your diet restrictions are.

As written, this buffalo wing sauce is gluten-free and keto-friendly. This recipe does contain butter, so it is not dairy-free unless you use a dairy substitute (which I personally have not tried).

How hot is buffalo wing sauce?

This sauce is best described as a “slow burn.”

It’s much milder than classic hot sauce but will definitely leave your taste buds tingling.

How long is wing sauce good for?

If you can, it’s best to use this sauce as soon as it’s made. However, if making it in advance, be sure to store it in a microwave-safe container. The reason for this is that the butter in the sauce may separate and harden along the top of the sauce once chilled. If this happens, all you need to do is microwave the sauce for 20 seconds, stir, and then repeat as necessary.

When stored as directed above, wing sauce should remain good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze wing sauce?

Yes, you totally can!

Once prepared and cooled, store the sauce in a sealed container for a freezer bag for up to six months.

What can you make with buffalo wing sauce?

This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of wing sauce, but a little can go a long way.

Check out some of these other great recipes you can make with it! There are plenty of options for buffalo chicken lovers, too.

• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Buffalo Chicken Wings
• The Best Bloody Mary
• Buffalo Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs
• Buffalo Chicken Tacos
• Buffalo Chicken Puff Pastry Pockets
• Buffalo Chicken Pizza
• Buffalo Chicken Wontons
• Buffalo Chicken Soup

Notes & tips for wing sauce

• This recipe makes a “reasonable” amount of buffalo sauce, averaging out at about 1 1/2 cups. However, this is a recipe you can be doubled or tripled as much as you need, so keep that in mind when measuring your ingredients.

More delicious sauce recipes

Other spicy recipes

How do you make buffalo wing sauce?

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter, hot sauce (or any type of cayenne pepper based sauce you’d like), white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.

Step 2 – Let cook, stirring constantly, until butter has completely melted.

Step 3 – Remove sauce from heat, let cool, then enjoy!