This Homemade Buffalo Sauce is surprisingly easy to make, and the flavor is knock-your-socks-off amazing! Once you make buffalo sauce from scratch you will never want to go back.
We love Buffalo flavor in our house! For years I had been buying store bought Buffalo sauce not knowing just how simple it is to make.
With just 6 basic ingredients and about 5 minutes you can whip up a batch.
You can use homemade Buffalo sauce in any way that you would use store bought including on Buffalo wings, Buffalo Chicken Casserole, Buffalo Chicken Flatbread, or Buffalo chicken dip, to name a few.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- So easy – You can make it in as little as 5 minutes.
- Everyday ingredients – These are all things I always have on hand.
- More flavor – Homemade always gives you more flavor, plus you can adapt to your family’s specific tastes.
- Keep it on hand – This is great to keep on hand in the fridge for anytime you need a little sauce or a dip.
Recipe Notes
This Homemade Buffalo Sauce recipe is as simple as promised! Just 5 minutes—- to the best sauce from scratch.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make easy buffalo sauce to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Hot sauce– you can use any brand you like. The flavor of the hot sauce will definitely impact the flavor of the finished buffalo sauce, so I recommend trying different brands to see what you like best. I really like Frank’s Red Hot Original hot sauce.
- Butter– I used unsalted but salted will also work.
- White vinegar
- Cornstarch– this will make the sauce thicker and also help it coat whatever you toss with the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce– for flavor.
- Garlic powder– more or less to taste.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Extra Spicy Buffalo Sauce– Make the buffalo sauce more spicy by adding in ground cayenne pepper to taste.
- Honey Buffalo Sauce– In addition to all ingredients listed, stir in 2-4 tablespoons of honey to taste.
- Creamy Buffalo Sauce– The addition of cornstarch in our recipe helps the DIY buffalo sauce to be thicker and a touch creamy. If you want a creamier sauce, you can mix in ranch dressing or softened cream cheese to up the creaminess.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make homemade buffalo sauce.
Heat the hot sauce in a small sauce pan.
Add the butter and spices to the hot sauce.
Combine the cornstarch with the vinegar and add the slurry to the sauce pan.
Stir and simmer until thickened.
Recipe Tips
- Completely dissolve the cornstarch – Make sure that there are no lumps in the cornstarch when adding it to the mixture. It should completely dissolve in the vinegar before adding.
- Simmer – Once everything is combined, just simmer until the buffalo sauce starts to thicken. The cornstarch will thicken the sauce, and also help it to coat whatever it is poured on.
- Store – You can store this sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, so make extra to keep on hand if you love it!
- Use in recipes – You can use this sauce in any recipe that calls for buffalo sauce.
How to use Buffalo Sauce
Homemade Buffalo sauce can be great as a condiment, sauce, a part of a main dish, or an ingredient in a recipe.
Here are some of my favorite ways to use this homemade buffalo sauce. You can also try my garlic parmesan wing sauce if you want to try a different flavor.
Sauces
- Dipping sauce or drizzle-
- French fries
- Veggies like cauliflower, celery or carrots
- Nachos
- Chicken tenders
- Salad
- Pizza
- Buffalo Chicken Baked Potatoes
- Sauce- Toss your favorites with buffalo sauce
- Buffalo wings
- Cauliflower
- Chicken nuggets (boneless wings)
Dips
- Buffalo Ranch- Mix buffalo sauce, ranch mix, and sour cream for a yummy dip
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo Sauce Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for up to two weeks
- in the freezer up to 3 months
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to use those leftovers that use buffalo sauce as a main ingredient!
- Buffalo Chicken Chili– Best twist on traditional chili!
- Buffalo Chicken Burgers– We love these in the summer.
- Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups– Great party appetizer
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sliders– Fantastic weeknight dinner.
- Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad – great for on the go!
Recipe FAQ’s
What is buffalo sauce?
Buffalo sauce is a sauce made with a combination of hot pepper sauce, butter, and spices.
Why is it called buffalo sauce?
Buffalo sauce gets its name from the place where it was first created, Buffalo, NY.
Is buffalo sauce spicy?
The base of buffalo sauce is hot pepper sauce and butter so it will always carry some level of spice. Depending on the type of hot sauce used it can be mildly spicy to very spicy.
How to thicken buffalo sauce?
Buffalo sauce can be thickened by simmering it with a cornstarch slurry.
More EASY Sauce Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy sauce recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Yum Yum Sauce
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Cranberry Sauce
Homemade Buffalo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot sauce
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Mix the vinegar into the cornstarch until it is a smooth paste. Then whisk together the hot sauce, with the butter, cornstarch paste, worscestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a small sauce pan.
- Heat the buffalo sauce over medium high heat until it comes to a boil, then remove it from the heat. Whisk vigorously to combine. Alternately, use a hand blender to emulsify the sauce.
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