
6 Recipes using Hot Sauce

Spicy, zippy, peppery, and fiery heat are allย very differentย experiencesย โ especially when asking folks who truly love spicy foodsย versus those who haveย delicate or highlyย sensitive palates (and maybe even stomachs).ย And, asking for โhot sauceโ at your local restaurant may meanย one very recognizable tabasco, orย the one with โred hotโ right in the name.ย Hot sauce aficionados often have their favorite based on which ingredient(s) provide the heat,ย whetherย the sauce is vinegary, andย if it is just adding so much powerful punch that it blows out oneโs taste buds so they cannot appreciate the food.ย
The number one, most common way to use and eat hot sauce is on chicken wings. Thisย food trend beganย in Buffalo, New York in the 1960โs and has evolvedย into high-end culinary creations. Hot sauce has also grown in popularity beyondย a once-in-awhile requested condiment used on eggsย or fries.ย
Looking for recipes that includeย theย flavors of hot sauceย without chicken wings? Here are six ideas to get things fired up.

Bolder Bloody Mary Recipeย
Ingredientsย
- 6 cups of tomato juice or your favorite base juice for Bloody Maryย
- 12-ish shakes ofย tabasco sauceย
- 3 tablespoonsย worcestershireย sauceย
- 3 teaspoons garlic saltย
- Freshly ground black pepperย to tasteย
Optionsย
- Regular vodkaย
- Pickleย flavored vodkaย ย
- Old Bay seasoningย ย
ย Garnish Ideasย
- Slices of baconย
- Traditional celery stalkย
- Skewers ofย pickles or shrimpย
- Olivesย
- Jalapeno peppersย
- Pepperociniย peppers
Directionsย
- Mix all ingredientsย in a large pitcherย with ice.ย
- Serve without vodka for aย delicious mocktail.ย
- Addย about one cup ofย alcohol if desired as well asย one or all garnish ideas.ย
Kicked up Chiliย Recipe
Ingredients
- 2ย pounds of ground beef
- 1 can of red kidney beans (do not drain)
- 3 ยฝ cups of crushed tomatoes or substitute with your favorite chunky tomato sauce
- 1 chopped onion
- ยผ cup cayenne pepper sauce
- Either 2 packages of prepared chili seasoning mix or make your ownย ย
Chili seasoning mix
- 2 tablespoons chili powderย
- Red pepper flakes to tasteย
- 2 teaspoons cuminย
- 1 tablespoon garlic powderย
- Salt and pepper to tasteย
Directionsย
- In a large pan or skillet, brown ground beef,ย drain fat.ย
- Add the onion to the pan and allow to softenย for about 5 minutes over medium heat.ย
- Stir in the remaining ingredients.ย
- Simmerย for at least 20 minutes, stirring often.ย
- Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream,ย diced green onion, or sliced olives as desired.
Baked Buffalo Cauliflowerย Recipe
Ingredientsย
- 1 large head of cauliflower cut into floretsย
- ยฝ cup flourย
- ยฝ cup waterย
- 1 tablespoon ofย garlic powderย
- 2ย teaspoons ofย paprikaย
- ยฝ teaspoon saltย
- ยผ teaspoon black pepperย
For the second baking step:ย
- ยฝ cup hot sauceย
- 2 tablespoonsย of meltedย butterย
Directions
- Heat the oven to 450ยฐF. Prepareย a baking sheetย with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper.ย
- Mix the flour and dry ingredients in a large bowl.ย Whiskย in water until the batter is smooth.ย
- Add the cauliflower to the mixture andย mix well or toss withย tongsย to ensure all pieces are well coated.ย
- Spread the cauliflower onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.ย ย
- Bake about 10 โ 12 minutes and flip the cauliflower. Continue baking another 10 minutes or so until the cauliflower is light brown.ย ย
- In a separate bowl, combine the hot sauce and melted butter until well blended then use aย pastry brushย to coat the cauliflower with the buffalo sauce mixture.ย
- Bake an additional 10 โ 15 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp.ย
When serving, add celery sticks, carrot sticks and ranch or bleu cheese dressing.ย
Creamyย Buffalo Chicken Dipย Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked, shredded chickenย
- 1 โ 8 ounce package of softened cream cheeseย
- ยฝ cup of ranch style dressingย
- ยฝ cup of hot sauceย
Directions
- Heat the oven toย 350ยฐF.ย
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowlย then transfer to aย shallow baking dish.ย
- Bake forย 20 minutes, stir to make sure the dip is hot all the way through.ย
- Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or vegetables.ย


Cajun Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ofย large shrimpย (31 โ 35 count), cleaned and deveinedย
- 1 chopped large onionย
- 1 choppedย green bell pepperย
- 1 tablespoon of olive oilย
- 3 minced garlic clovesย
- ยฝ cup of chicken brothย
- 1 cup of tomato sauceย
- 2 tablespoons of hot sauceย (Try Louisiana style โ milder than tabasco)ย
- Salt and pepper to tasteย
- 1/3 cup of minced, fresh parsleyย
Directions
- In a large pan, over medium heat, sautรฉย theย onion and pepper in olive oilย until softened.ย
- Add the garlic andย stir while cooking for one minute.ย
- Stir in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, hot sauce,ย saltย and pepper.ย
- Allow to simmerย for 10 โ 15 minutes and stir occasionally.ย
- Toss in the shrimp and allow them to cook in the mixture about 5 minutes or until they are pink.ย ย
Garnish with fresh parsley.ย
Try serving over riceย orย biscuits or with a grilled vegetable like zucchini planks or asparagus.ย ย
Spicedย up Sweetย Treatย Ideasย
- Add 1 tablespoon of hot sauce to yourย favorite brownieย mixย or recipeย (or peanut butter cookies)ย for aย treat with a touch of heat.ย
- Mix hot sauce with caramel sauce and coatย freshly popped popcorn.ย
- Create aย ganache by combining ยผ cup of heavy cream with ยฝ cup of dark chocolate andย ยพย teaspoon ofย srirachaย over medium heat. The ganache can be used as a drizzle over most cooled baked goods including cookies,ย crispy cereal treats, orย even ice cream.ย
With a bit of creativity and planning, you can incorporate a version of hot sauce into every aspect of your meal from cocktail to dessert. The punched up flavors range from peppery to vinegarย heat and can be fine tuned to suit your palette. Hope you find a way toย workย some twang and spice into your favorite recipes.ย