Is Buffalo Sauce Hot Sauce?

Is there a difference between Buffalo Sauce and Hot Sauce? Aren’t they the same thing?

The Short Answer

Yes, Buffalo Sauce is traditional hot sauce with some extra ingredients added in.

The Long Answer

Buffalo Sauce is a spicy sensational side condiment to douse on everything from chicken to shrimp. But is it just hot sauce with a fancy new name?

Technically, the answer to that question is yes. Vinegar based cayenne pepper hot sauce is the key ingredient of buffalo sauce. What makes buffalo sauce different from hot sauce is that equal parts of melted butter are added to it. That’s why buffalo sauce is slightly thicker and milder than regular hot sauce.

Most grocery store versions of buffalo sauce use a different kind of fat with a longer shelf life than butter. Everything from soybean oil to Guar Gum is fairly typical. Buffalo sauce was first invented to go along with the buffalo wing in 1964, but since then it has become more versatile and used in a variety of dishes.

So, while all buffalo sauce is hot sauce, not all hot sauce is buffalo sauce.

Want to make your own Buffalo Sauce? We’ve got you covered! Then, find ways to use it from Air Fryer Buffalo Wings to Buffalo Chicken Dip and Buffalo Chicken Poutine. Yum!