Homemade Fermented Buffalo Sauce

Over the years, a bunch of you have asked me where to find Frank’s RedHot sauce. So, instead of telling you where to find it, I’m going to show you how to make it at home!

After carefully examining the ingredients used in the store-bought version and testing several batches, adjusting the ingredient ratio and fine-tuning the process, I’m proud to say that this homemade version tastes incredibly close to the real thing.

It has that perfect balance of tangy and spicy flavors, with buttery and subtly fruity notes, just like the classic!

Quick note: I have recently re-worked and updated this recipe to make it truly fermented (unlike before), and it now tastes even closer to the original.

⭐️ What Makes It So Good

Naturally fermented.

What’s unique about my buffalo sauce is that it’s naturally fermented. So it’s not just flavorful, it’s also packed with probiotics! Thanks to the magic of lactofermentation, the cayenne peppers take on a natural sweetness and develop deep, complex flavors as they ferment in the brine.

Simple and made with minimal ingredients.

Making your own chili sauce is way easier than you might think! All you need are 7 simple ingredients and a few basic tools: a glass jar, a blender, and a fine-mesh sieve.

The only part that takes a little time is the fermentation. But even that is pretty quick. Depending on the temperature, it will take no longer than 3 to 7 days for the peppers to be ready. After that, just blend everything together, strain it, and you are done!

📘 What Is Buffalo Sauce

Buffalo sauce, also known as buffalo wing sauce, is a hot sauce made from cayenne peppers, vinegar, butter, and garlic. The name “Buffalo” comes from the city where the sauce was invented.

This sauce is typically used to make chicken wings, but it can also be used in dipping sauces, marinades, soups, and other dishes.

🌶 Ingredient Notes

You can find below a few notes on the ingredients you will need. For the complete measurements, please refer to the recipe card at the end of this page.

Cayenne peppers

The base of the sauce consists of fresh red cayenne peppers. This type of pepper is roughly 7 inches (18 cm) long and has a vibrant red color. It has a spiciness of about 40,000 Scoville Heat Units, which is considered moderately hot.

Where to buy: Depending on where you live, you might be able to find cayenne peppers in most well-stocked produce supermarkets year-round. In Europe, I have always found it during summer, though.

How to pick them: Skip the soft, wrinkly ones as those are old peppers. Instead, look for peppers with crisp, smooth skin.

Salt

Salt is essential for making the brine in which the peppers will ferment for a few days. You will also need to add extra salt to season the final sauce.

Vinegar

Buffalo sauce is very tangy, so you will need either regular white vinegar or white rice vinegar. The vinegar is blended with the peppers AFTER fermenting them. Otherwise, that large amount of vinegar would prevent any fermentation.

Garlic

You can use garlic powder (as noted in the recipe) or blend the sauce with one clove of garlic. The latter results in a deeper garlicky flavor but may slightly decrease the shelf life of the sauce.

Butter flavor

To achieve the well-known flavor of Frank’s RedHot Sauce, you can add a few drops of butter flavor. This is entirely optional, and the sauce will still taste great without it. It just adds that subtle buttery flavor that makes the original version so special.

Xanthan gum (optional)

After blending and straining, the sauce will be pretty liquid. A bit thinner than the original. Hence, if you want to match the same consistency, you will need to thicken it. The easiest way is to blend the strained sauce with about half of a teaspoon of xanthan gum, which will give it a slightly thicker consistency.

Note: Another option to thicken the sauce is to combine it with a teaspoon of cornstarch and heat it until it comes to a simmer. The downside of this option is that it will kill the probiotics and doesn’t freeze well.

🥣 How to Make It

How to Handle Hot Peppers

Before you get started, be aware that chili peppers can easily irritate your skin and/or eyes, so it’s worth taking a few precautions:

• Wear gloves: I highly recommend using gloves when handling the peppers. It will prevent the pepper’s juice and oil from going under your nails or entering any tiny cuts you might have on your hands.
• Do not touch your face: Do not touch your face or rub your eyes unless you have thoroughly cleaned your hands – otherwise it’s going to hurt!
• Use a face mask: Although not mandatory, I also suggest wearing a disposable face mask when blending the peppers. The spicy fumes can make you cough or irritate your throat.

With that being said, no need to be scared! As long as you are careful, you will be totally fine!

1. Prepare the peppers

1. Clean the peppers. Run the peppers under cold water and pat them dry using kitchen paper towels.
2. Remove the seeds and stems. Next, chop off the stems of the peppers. Using a thin and sharp knife, slice the peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and the long, bright strips (Capsaicin Glands) and discard them.

3. Chop them. Chop each pepper into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick slices. Set aside.

2. Let them ferment

Next comes the fun part: the fermentation! Not only does it make the peppers easier to digest, but it also increases the shelf life of the sauce. Fermentation also allows the sauce to develop more complex flavors, so do not skip it!

1. Make the brine. Add the salt to a small bowl. Pour in warm water and stir until the salt dissolves. Allow the brine to cool for a few minutes, or until it is no longer warm.
2. Transfer the peppers to a jar. Add the chopped peppers to a clean 32 oz (1 liter) glass jar.
3. Cover with the brine. Then, pour the brine into the jar containing the peppers. You want the peppers to be fully immersed. They should not be floating. To do so, you can use either a fermentation weight or a freezer bag filled with water.
4. Let it ferment. Loosely cover the jar with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to ferment at room temperature in a dark place for 3-7 days. After a couple of days, you should start to see bubbles in the jar. This means the fermentation has begun! 2-4 days later, the bubbles will have disappeared and the brine should look cloudy. At this point, the peppers won’t have a raw smell and will have a sweeter, more pleasant flavor.

3. Blend and strain

1. Drain. Once the peppers have fermented, drain them using a colander and discard the brine.
2. Blend. Transfer the drained peppers to a blender. Add the vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, butter flavor if using, and salt. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is liquid and smooth.

4. Strain

1. Strain the mixture. To achieve a smoother consistency, strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. You can then transfer the sauce to a clean jar or a hot sauce bottle!

What to do with the leftover pulp? You shouldn’t end up with a lot of leftover pulp after straining, but enough to make a simple chili paste. To do so, fry one minced shallot, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass for 3-4 minutes. Add the chili pulp and cook for one more minute. You can then use this paste in curries, stir-fries, soups, and other dishes.

Thickening the sauce

After straining, the sauce will be very liquid. This is normal. To achieve the same consistency as Frank’s RedHot, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the filtered sauce and blend again.

🌿 Variations

Here are some ways you can customize the sauce to your liking:

Add some herbs:

Feel free to add bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, mustard seeds, or coriander seeds to the jar of peppers to add floral notes to the sauce.

Make it spicier:

Want it spicier? Add 3 to 5 Bird’s eye chilies (also known as Thai chilies) to the jar and let them ferment with the cayenne peppers.

Go chunky:

For a thicker, more textured sauce, just skip the straining step!

🌮 Where to Use It

This buffalo sauce is super versatile and can be used in a multitude of dishes. You can use it:

• As a dip: With fries, roasted vegetables, tempura, or any deep-fried food. You can even mix it into hummus or other dips for a spicy kick.
• As a marinade: Use it to marinate tofu, tempeh, vegan chicken, or seitan.
• In casseroles and soups: Stir a few tablespoons of buffalo sauce into baked dishes or soups to bring the heat up!
• To make dressings: Combine it with tahini or mayonnaise to create a creamy yet spicy salad dressing.

If you like Frank’s RedHot sauce, you are going to love this homemade buffalo sauce recipe! Just remember that this sauce is slightly sweeter and a bit less spicy than the original, which I actually think makes it even better!

🥫 More Homemade Sauces

Easy Sweet Chili Sauce

Easy Hoisin Sauce

Vegan Fish Sauce

Vegan Oyster Sauce (Stir Fry Sauce)

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in March 2019 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in July 2025.