Wing Sauce Ideas for Your Menu

Hot wings are a popular appetizer, especially during football season when customers like to park in front of the big screen and take advantage of all-you-can-eat wing specials. If you've been using the same standard sauce recipe, we have some wing sauce ideas to help you spice up your game day menu! Check our hot wing recipes below.

Jump to hot wings recipes:

How to Make Your Own Wing Sauce

Don't get us wrong, we love classic pre-made hot sauces like Frank's Red Hot and Sweet Baby Ray's buffalo sauce. But sometimes you need to up your game and wow your customers with a signature recipe. We'll show you how you can incorporate house-made sauces into your wing recipes to take them to the next level.

What Special Equipment Do I Need?

Before getting started, gather the following items:

  • Deep Fryer or Dutch Oven - If you don't own a commercial deep fryer, you can use a large heavy-bottom dutch oven to deep fry the wings.
  • Sheet Pan and Rack - Our hot wings are baked first to lock in flavor. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper to catch any drips, then place a baker's rack on top. This will ensure the wings cook evenly.
  • Skimmer or Slotted Spoon - If you're using a dutch oven instead of a deep fryer, you'll need a skimmer to add and remove the wings from the pot.

1. Vegan Wings

Vegan Wings

Yes, you read that right! Vegan wings are a real thing, and you can put them on the menu for your plant-loving customers. Our recipe features vegan wings that look like real drumsticks but are made from 100% plant-based ingredients. Offering an alternative like this is a great way to take part in Veganuary or just expand your menu.

Recipe by: Ronne Day, WebstaurantStore Food Stylist

Yield: 2 - 4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter (1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Tajin
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 2 pounds vegan wings
  • 3 medium carrots, cut into sticks
  • 3 stalks celery, cut into sticks
  • 1 cup vegan ranch dressing
  • 3 quarts oil for frying (optional)

Directions

  1. Set deep fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or heat 3 quarts oil to 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit in large Dutch oven or stock pot.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place rack in center.
  3. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
  4. Whisk in hot sauce, sugar, Tajin, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. Set aside.
  5. Deep fry wings to golden brown, about 4 minutes. If using a dutch oven, gently lower wings into oil with skimmer to avoid splashing.
  6. Transfer wings to large bowl and toss with half of sauce.
  7. Place wings on sheet pan lined with parchment and a rack and bake for 10 minutes.
  8. Return wings to large bowl and toss with remaining sauce.
  9. Sprinkle wings with sesame seeds and scallions, then transfer to serving platter.
  10. Drizzle wings with any remaining sauce. Serve with ranch dressing, carrot sticks, and celery sticks.

2. Korean BBQ Wings

Korean BBQ Wings

Slathering wings in a sweet and spicy Korean BBQ sauce is a tasty twist on traditional hot wings. This recipe features some unique ingredients like gochujang, mirin, and rice vinegar for Korean-inspired flavor.

Recipe by: Ronne Day, WebstaurantStore Food Stylist

Yield: 2 - 4 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 Tablespoons butter (3/4 stick)
  • 2 Tablespoons gochujang, divided
  • 2 Tablespoons mirin
  • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 pounds frozen chicken wings
  • 1 Tablespoon sweet chili sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon black and white sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped scallions
  • 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced into sticks
  • 1 yellow pepper, cut into slices
  • 3 quarts oil for frying (optional)

Directions

  1. Set deep fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or heat 3 quarts oil to 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit in large Dutch oven or stock pot.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place rack in center.
  3. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
  4. Whisk in mirin, rice vinegar, and 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons of gochujang.
  5. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until reduced to 2/3 cup, then set aside.
  6. Deep fry wings for 4 minutes. If using a dutch oven, gently lower wings into oil with skimmer to avoid splashing.
  7. Transfer wings to large mixing bowl and toss with half of gochujang sauce.
  8. Place wings on sheet pan lined with parchment and bake in oven for 10 minutes.
  9. After baking, return wings to mixing bowl and toss with remaining sauce.
  10. Make dipping sauce in small bowl by combining remaining 1 teaspoon gochujang with mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce.
  11. Sprinkle wings with sesame seeds and scallions. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with any remaining sauce.
  12. Serve with mayo dip, cucumber sticks, and pepper slices.

3. Gourmet Garlic and Herb Wings

Gourmet Garlic and Herb Wings

Think your restaurant is too upscale to put wings on the menu? Check out our gourmet wings recipe and you might change your mind. These wings are roasted, not fried, and covered in a delicious butter and herb sauce.

Recipe by: Ronne Day, WebstaurantStore Food Stylist

Yield: 2 - 6 servings

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tablespoons green olive tapenade or finely chopped olive bruschetta
  • 4 large garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
  • 1 Tablespoon tarragon, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
  • 1/2 Tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds chicken wings
  • 1 Tablespoon shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons white balsamic glaze
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • Flaky sea salt
  • Lemon wedges

Directions

  1. Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Make glaze in small saucepan. Whisk apple juice, wine, and olive tapenade over high heat and bring to boil.
  3. Lower to simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 1 cup (30 to 45 minutes). Transfer to refrigerator to cool.
  4. In small bowl, combine garlic, tarragon, basil, salt, pepper, and oil. Toss wings in mixture until fully coated.
  5. In separate small bowl, combine shallot, balsamic glaze, smoked paprika, and salt. Allow to sit for 5 minutes while flavors develop. Add butter and stir to combine. Set aside.
  6. Place wings on large sheet pan lined with parchment and baker's rack.
  7. Roast wings for 10 minutes, then brush with glaze. Return to oven and brush with glaze every five minutes, rotating pan each time, until glaze is gone and wings are deep golden brown (about 20-25 minutes).
  8. Transfer wings to large bowl and toss with butter-shallot mixture until wings are fully coated. Place wings on serving platter, sprinkle with tarragon and flaky sea salt. Garnish with the lemon wedges and serve.

Buffalo wings are a crowd-pleasing appetizer option, and they're very easy to make. Deep fry the wings, toss with the sauce of your choice, and serve! Try our wing recipes to add a little something extra to your typical hot wing order.

Posted in: Kitchen & Cooking Tips|Recipes|By Michale LeRoy
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