Buffalo Ranch Sauce

This easy Buffalo Ranch Sauce is creamy, tangy, spicy, and packed with bold flavor. It's ready in just 5 minutes and it's perfect with wings, wraps, fries and vegetables.

Buffalo Ranch Sauce is an easy-to-make creamy, tangy dipping sauce with a gentle kick of heat from buffalo sauce and the familiar herby flavour of ranch dressing.

It takes just five minutes to put it together, uses three ingredients and requires absolutely no cooking.

I particularly like how the mayonnaise softens the sharpness of the buffalo sauce without taking away its distinctive flavour.

This is the sort of sauce I like to have ready when serving chicken wings, crispy chicken tenders, burgers or a platter of fresh vegetables.

Everything gets stirred together in one bowl, so there's very little washing up.

My main tip is to add the buffalo sauce gradually if you're unsure about the heat, as different brands can vary quite a bit.

It's also a useful sauce for barbecues, game-day snacks, picnics and feeding a crowd. You can serve it straight away, although I find a short rest in the fridge helps the flavours settle together.

What makes Buffalo Ranch Sauce so useful is the balance between the ingredients. Buffalo sauce brings vinegar-led tanginess, chilli heat and a slightly buttery flavour, depending on the brand. Ranch dressing adds herbs, garlic and a cooling creaminess, while mayonnaise gives everything a little more body.

The finished sauce should be smooth enough to drizzle over a chicken wrap but thick enough to cling to a chip or piece of crispy chicken. I prefer that middle ground because it makes the sauce useful for more than just dipping.

Try it with Lemon Pepper Wings, Garlic Parmesan Wings and Crispy Battered Fried Wings alongside other dips like Wingstop Ranch Recipe (copycat) and Guinness Barbecue Sauce!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• Best Brands and Types of Buffalo Sauce to Use
• How to make Buffalo Ranch Sauce
• What to Serve with Buffalo Ranch Sauce
• Variations
• More Wing Sauce Recipes
• Storage, Freezing and Make Ahead
• Recipe Tips
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Only three ingredients. There's no chopping, cooking or complicated preparation, making it practical for busy days.
• Ready in five minutes. You can prepare it while chicken cooks or just before guests arrive.
• Adjustable heat. Adding buffalo sauce gradually lets you control the spice without changing the basic recipe.
• Versatile consistency. It's thick enough for dipping but can be thinned slightly for salads and wraps.
• Easy to scale. Doubling the ingredients gives you a larger batch without changing the method.
• Useful for leftovers. A spoonful can make leftover chicken, roasted vegetables or sandwiches more interesting.
• Make-ahead friendly. The sauce keeps well in the fridge for several days when stored correctly.

Ingredients

You only need simple pantry ingredients for this recipe!

• Ranch Dressing - This forms the creamy base and provides the familiar herb, garlic and onion flavours. I recommend a good-quality, thick bottled ranch dressing. Homemade ranch also works, although a thinner dressing will produce a looser sauce.
• Buffalo Sauce - Adds tanginess, warmth and chilli heat. Give the bottle a good shake before measuring, as some sauces separate during storage. I use Franks Redhot original or buffalo.
• Mayonnaise - Adds richness and helps create a smooth dipping consistency. Full-fat mayonnaise gives the thickest result, but reduced-fat mayonnaise works if you prefer something lighter.

See the recipe card for quantities and method.

Best Brands and Types of Buffalo Sauce to Use

For this Buffalo Ranch Sauce, I recommend using a ready-made buffalo wing sauce rather than a regular hot sauce. Buffalo wing sauces tend to have a slightly thicker consistency and a more rounded, buttery flavour, which blends particularly well with creamy ranch dressing and mayonnaise.

Here are some good options for this recipe:

• Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce (this is the one I use) - A useful alternative if you can't find buffalo wing sauce. It's thinner and more vinegar-forward, so I'd start with less and adjust the amount to taste.
• Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce - For a classic buffalo ranch flavour. It has a good balance of cayenne pepper heat, vinegar and savoury seasoning without overpowering the ranch dressing.
• Sweet Baby Ray's Buffalo Wing Sauce - A good option if you prefer a smoother, slightly sweeter sauce with a milder impression of heat. It works particularly well for chicken tenders, burgers and fries.
• Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce - A tangy, peppery option that gives the finished dip a noticeable kick. I recommend adding it gradually and tasting as you go.

How to make Buffalo Ranch Sauce

Follow these step-by-step instructions, then scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.

Scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.

1. Prepare your ingredients. Measure the ranch dressing, buffalo sauce and mayonnaise. I like to use a small mixing bowl with enough room to whisk comfortably. There's no need to bring anything to room temperature.

2. Start with the ranch dressing in the bowl.

3. Add your buffalo sauce!

3. Add the mayonnaise to the bowl.

4. Mix until smooth. The sauce should look glossy and creamy, without watery patches around the edges.

5. Taste and adjust. Try a small spoonful. For more heat, add buffalo sauce a teaspoon at a time. If it's too spicy, stir in a little additional ranch dressing. I wouldn't add salt automatically, as bottled sauces often contain plenty already.

6. Serve or chill. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and enjoy immediately. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes if you prefer a colder, slightly more settled dip. Give it another stir before serving.

TIP: Before serving, I like to add a few drops of Buffalo sauce, then run a knife through them to make pretty decorations!

What to Serve with Buffalo Ranch Sauce

From quick lunches to weekend barbecues, these are some of my favourite ways to use it.

1. Buffalo chicken wings. The creamy ranch base balances the spicy coating and makes a useful dipping sauce.
2. Crispy chicken tenders. Its thicker texture clings nicely to crunchy breadcrumbs.
3. French fries. The vinegar in the buffalo sauce cuts through the richness of fried potatoes. Or try it with Spicy Air Fryer Potato Wedges.
4. Buffalo Chicken Bites - a fun twist on wings.
5. Chicken wraps. Spread a little inside a wrap with lettuce and grilled chicken for an easy lunch.
6. BBQ Chicken Flatbreads - try a drizzle of buffalo ranch sauce on top!
7. Burgers. Use it instead of ordinary mayonnaise to add heat and tanginess.
8. Fresh vegetable sticks. Celery, carrots and cucumber provide a crisp contrast to the creamy sauce.
9. Nachos. A small drizzle complements melted cheese, beans and jalapeños. Make this easy Microwave Nacho Cheese Sauce (Creamy, 5 mins).

For drinks, I like iced tea, lemonade or sparkling water with lime. Something cool and refreshing balances the sauce's tangy heat.

Variations

• Fresh Herb Buffalo Ranch Sauce. Add chopped dill, parsley or chives for a brighter, greener flavour.
• Blue Cheese Buffalo Ranch Sauce. Fold in crumbled blue cheese for a stronger, saltier sauce inspired by traditional buffalo-wing accompaniments.
• Chicken Buffalo Ranch Dip. Mix the sauce with finely shredded cooked chicken to make a thicker, protein-rich dip.
• Chipotle Buffalo Ranch Sauce. Add a little chipotle paste for smoky heat that works particularly well with grilled food.
• Buffalo Ranch Salad Dressing. Thin the mixture with a little milk or water until it pours easily over salad leaves.

More Wing Sauce Recipes

Storage, Freezing and Make Ahead

Refrigeration: Store Buffalo Ranch Sauce in a clean, airtight container in the fridge. I recommend using it within three to four days, provided all the ingredients were fresh and their original use-by dates allow it.

Freezing: I don't recommend freezing this sauce. Mayonnaise and ranch dressing can separate when thawed, leaving a grainy or watery texture.

Make ahead: Prepare the sauce the day before serving and refrigerate. The flavours may become slightly more blended overnight.

Recipe Tips

• Use a thick ranch dressing. Thin ranch can produce a sauce that runs off food rather than clinging to it.
• Shake the buffalo sauce first. Some bottled sauces separate, and measuring without shaking can give an uneven balance of fat and vinegar.
• Adjust the spice slowly. A teaspoon of buffalo sauce can make a noticeable difference in a small batch.
• Taste with the food you're serving. A sauce that tastes quite spicy on its own may seem milder alongside chicken or fries.
• Avoid unnecessary salt. Ranch dressing, mayonnaise and buffalo sauce are usually seasoned already.
• Whisk before serving. A little separation after refrigeration is normal, particularly with thinner dressings.
• Don't over-dilute it. If you're making a drizzle, add water or milk a teaspoon at a time so the flavour doesn't become weak.

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