Creamy Buffalo Sauce

Looking to add a little heat to your meal? Look no further than this Creamy Buffalo Sauce. It’s spicy, creamy, with a hint of smoky and sweet. The star of the show is the habaneros, as they help make this sauce spicy, while the tahini adds a creamy texture.

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Made with entirely plant-based ingredients, and less sodium than store-bought Buffalo Sauce. This Creamy Buffalo Sauce is made with miso paste for the salt replacement. Typical store bought buffalo sauce has about 300-400 mg of sodium per tablespoon, this recipe is about 1/3 of that! Coming in at about 111mg per tablespoon. Far less salty, but still exceptional flavor and taste.

Use this sauce as a dip for your favorite raw or cooked veggies, pour it over your favorite bean and grain bowls, and top your tacos with it. Uses for this buffalo sauce are endless and I am already starting to get a list of recipes together for it. Buffalo cauliflower, buffalo tofu, quinoa and chickpea bites with buffalo sauce, buffalo Mac n Cheese… so many ideas! Until then, enjoy coming up with your own uses for it!

A few notes before you get started:

HABANEROS: Use cation when preparing these, as the seeds can be very hot and leaving your fingers feeling a burning sensation (made this mistake one too many times). I slice my habaneros into thicker cuts- usually slicing one habanero into about 4-6 pieces. No need to chop any further than that. The cut of your habanero slices will make a difference in this recipe. If you chop them up- you’ll fit more pieces into a measuring cup and will result in a super spicy buffalo sauce. See my recipe video on Instagram if it’s helpful! If you have extra habaneros, feel free to slice them up, put them in a reusable bag or container, and then put them in the freezer for the next time you need them! This has been my go-to habanero trick, as it makes it nice and easy for when I want to make this sauce in a pinch.

TAHINI: I have found that some tahini brands have a very different flavor profile (some are more bitter or more roasted than others) and this can make a difference in the end result of this recipe. I personally love the 365 Whole Foods brand of tahini, as it has a very smooth taste and texture. I have found the East Wind brand to have a very bold flavor (which isnt desirable in these sauces), and it’s quickly become my least favorite tahini. If you know your tahini has a very roasted or bitter flavor, feel free to just add tahini to taste- starting at about 1/2 of what the recipe calls for. If you find the tahini to still be over powering, I have found it helpful to add double the amount of habaneros and then just adjust the rest of the ingredients, to taste.

SMALLER RECIPE:
This batch is a double recipe, because that’s how I roll with my sauces! Make a big batch and stash it away in the freezer if you don’t plan to use it all.

Here’s for a single batch if you want to just test the recipe first to see if you like it.

1 cup water
¼ cup tahini
2 tablespoons large slices habanero pepper (seeds removed)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoons white miso paste (or to taste)
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
black pepper, to taste

Creamy Buffalo Sauce

Kristina DeMuth, MPH, RD, LD

A Creamy Buffalo Sauce that's spicy with a hint of smoky and sweet. Made with entirely plant-based ingredients. Use this sauce as a dip for your favorite raw or cooked veggies, pour it over your favorite bean and grain bowls, and top your tacos with it. Uses for this buffalo sauce are endless.

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Ingredients

1¾-2 cups water
½ cup tahini (see note)
⅓ cup quartered and seeded habanero pepper, or more to taste (see note)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup white miso paste (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
black pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all the ingredient into a high speed blender. Start with less habaneros, and add more to desired heat. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional water, as desired for thinning.
Pour the sauce into a small sauce pan. Cook the sauce on low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.
Transfer the sauce to a glass jar or container with a lid, and allow to cool. Store in the fridge.

Notes

Use caution when preparing the habaneros, avoid touching the seeds. Consider wearing gloves. I cut my habaneros in bigger slices (hence the term "quartered"), the smaller the chop- the spicier your sauce will be.

If you are new to this recipe, I would suggest to start with even less habaneros than recommended and work your way up. Any leftover habaneros can be cut and stored in the freezer until next time you need them for a recipe.

Choose a mild, creamy tahini, if possible. Some tahini brands have a very roasted or bitter taste. Otherwise start with less tahini and add more to taste if using a bitter or strong flavored tahini. Alternatively, double the habaneros and adjust seasoning to taste. I use the 365 Whole Foods brand of tahini.

The sauce will last for about 5 days. Feel free to transfer to the freezer for longer storage, just thaw before use.