Red Lentil Buffalo Sauce
Hi hello! Happy Monday. Today, we are talking about Ryan’s favorite condiment, and how to make it happen at home with one of my favorite ingredients.
BUFFALO SAUCE!
…made with red lentils. Heh? I know.
It took a while for me to love split red lentils, because they’re different from their black, green, and brown counterparts. When I cooked them for the first time, I didn’t understand why the result was so…mushy. After several tries and some long-overdue google searching, I learned that split red lentils break apart when they’re cooked.
Once I let them be who they were meant to be, we became the best of friends.
The soft texture and mild taste of cooked red lentils makes them an easy, healthful addition to this buffalo sauce. The lentils negate the need for a thickening agent like cornstarch or flour, while adding a little boost in protein, and that hard-to-achieve bright orange/red color. I’ve made this sauce a couple times, and came up with the spice/ingredient list below while taste-testing it next to a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce (Ryan’s favorite). I honestly prefer the red lentil version, and I feel good knowing that I control everything that goes into it. Red lentils also cook up quickly, so you can make the sauce in the time it would take you to go to the store to buy a bottle.
Use this buffalo sauce as a dip for veggies, or on sandwiches, salads, or pizzas!…and/or check back tomorrow for my new favorite use for this magic sauce.
Red Lentil Buffalo Sauce
Spicy, tangy buffalo sauce with a kick of protein from red lentils! Easy to make and home, and way better than the stuff from the bottle.
Yield: 1 1/4 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup split red lentils, picked through and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups water (for cooking the lentils)
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
- Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. The lentils will break apart and become mushy - that's the goal! Rinse and drain thoroughly.
- Combine the lentils in a blender with all other ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust heat/spice levels as needed.
I am so excited to try this out on everything – looks amazing!
Super interesting! I bet this would be an amazing sauce over a plate of roasted veg — maybe cauliflower? NOM.
I’m guessing this should be kept in the fridge, but how long will it last, do you think?
Yes, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. I would guess it would keep for about 5-7 days.
This is genius! Love a healthy spin on my families FAVORITE sauce!
Hi Katie, lentils are my favorite, love this!
I’m BEYOND excited about this! I’ve been searching for a healthy buffalo sauce forever! What kind of “hot sauce” did you use? i definitely want to make this asap :) Thank you!
I used Louisiana’s Pure Crystal Hot Sauce – Frank’s Red Hot would work too. You just want a thinner consistency hot sauce (vs. Sriracha). Hope you love it!
Mine is super watery, not like in your photos…wondering how to thicken it up, maybe I’ll add some tomato paste? The only thing I subbed was maple syrup for the brown sugar. I can’t imagine that making that much of a difference?
Hmm…did you drain the lentils thoroughly after they cooked? That’s all I would think could make a difference in consistency.
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What a great idea! I’m definitely trying this.
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I love this…it’s now my go to sauce!
Hooray! Thanks for the comment!
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