Is Frank’s Red Hot Vegan? Can Vegans Use Frank’s Red Hot?

  • By: Daniel B.
  • Date: December 29, 2022
  • Time to read: 5 min.

Answer: Yes. Frank’s Red Hot is 100% vegan, invented over 100 years ago, and has been the #1 American hot sauce brand.

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Is Frank's Red Hot Vegan? Can Vegans Use Frank's Red Hot?

Is Frank’s Red Hot Vegan?

If you want to feel a kick of spices, Frank’s Red Hot is the perfect vegan option with no dairy products, an ideal mix of spices, and a richness of flavors. Frank’s Red Hot products’ wide variety provides a spicy food lover with precisely what’s needed. 

You will find yourself pouring the sauce into every recipe and witnessing your meal turning into a delicious deal. What ingredients are used in the products, how healthy it is, and how have they become top-notch? Let’s find out ahead.

What Is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce Made Of?

Frank’s Red Hot Original was a pure invention of spice lovers with a perfect balance of simple vegan ingredients. Frank’s Red Hot has aged red cayenne pepper, distilled vinegar, water, salt, and garlic powder.

Is Frank’s Red Hot the Same as Buffalo Sauce?

So, is Frank’s Red Hot sauce the same as Buffalo sauce? If yes, then what is the difference between the two sauces?

Well, history is pretty amazing. In 1964, Anchor Bar and Grill in Buffalo, New York, decided to mix Frank’s Red Hot with butter and mix it up with a bunch of wings, and boom, the all-time famous Buffalo wings were invented. 

What Is Buffalo Sauce Made Of?

You will find that Buffalo sauce starts just like its cousin Frank’s Red Hot, with aged cayenne red pepper, distilled vinegar, water, salt, and garlic powder. Two ingredients are added to kick it: natural butter flavor and paprika. Simple yet so delicious and creamy.

Is Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce Dairy-Free?

So what gives the Buffalo sauce its butter flavor, and is it completely vegan? Yes, it is vegan, and the natural butter flavor is the genius engineering of mixed flavors that give it a rich, smooth buttery flavor without any dairy product.

The brand representatives have confirmed that no synthesized milk proteins or animal derivatives exist.

Is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce Healthy?

Sodium Content

One teaspoon has 190mg of salt. 

The above sodium content is 8% of your daily requirement. Like tabasco, you may find other sauces with lower sodium content per serving. Frank’s Red Hot contains significantly less sodium than most hot sauces.

Low Calorie

It is perfect for weight loss as it is 0 calorie sauce considering zero sugar content per teaspoon. 

Vitamins

Cayenne red pepper is one of the key ingredients of Frank’s Red Hot. Unlike most other hot sauces, frank’s red hot provides 2% vitamin A of your daily requirement per serving. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient responsible for better sight, the immune system, and the proper functioning of several vital body organs. 

Scoville Heat Units

Capsaicin is an essential component of chili peppers that constitutes a pepper’s heat. It has a lot of health benefits. The quantity of capsaicin makes the pepper hotter with high SHU. Frank’s Red Hot provides a moderate 450 SHU, lesser than most other hot sauce brands.

Is Frank’s Red Hot the Same as Sriracha?

The main ingredients of sriracha sauce are red cayenne pepper, salt, distilled vinegar, water, and garlic powder. So what is the difference between the two sauces?

Sugar is the main ingredient that makes sriracha unhealthy compared to Frank’s Red Hot. Yes, sriracha has 5g of sugar per serving. 

Moreover, the heat content of sriracha sauce is mainly from jalapenos pepper up to 2500 SHU.

How Do You Thicken Frank’s Red Hot?

You will find a few options to thicken your sauce without losing its original flavors. You must be careful what you add, as few recipes may break down the ingredients into acidic components that make the sauce thin. Here are some go-to options for thickening:

Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum is a famous industrial food additive used as a thickener and stabilizer of food. It is prepared by fermenting a carbohydrate and may have health benefits.  

Add the xanthan gum into your sauce, stir it without providing any heat, and your sauce is ready to serve.

Reduction

The best and simplest option for thickening any sauce is reduction. For reduction, you must simmer your sauce on low heat until the excess liquid evaporates. Stir it frequently to prevent it from burning. Simmer it and reduce it to your desired thickness. You don’t need to add any ingredients. 

Blending

If you want to give a little twist to your sauce while thickening it, add fruits for a hint of sweetness. You can also add vegetables of your choice and blend them. You may also use this process while reducing the sauce. 

Is Frank’s Red Hot WHOLE30 Compliant?

The Whole30 program is an elimination diet in which you must cut out certain foods, like dairy, carbs, sugar, grains, etc., for 30 days.

If you wonder if Frank’s Red Hot is Whole30 compliant or if you will have to hold onto your spice thirst, then here’s the good news for you. 

Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo sauce is Whole30 compliant. You might doubt it due to the butter flavor, but as mentioned earlier, it is added with a mix of different flavors, and there is no dairy in the sauce.

Do You Need to Refrigerate Frank’s Red Hot?

The sauce has a shelf life of 24 months and does not need refrigeration if you prefer your sauce to be at room temperature. However, you may refrigerate the flavors and freshness for better quality and perseverance.

Can Hot Sauces Go Bad?

Generally, any hot sauce has a great shelf life due to vinegar and cayenne pepper. An open bottle has a shelf life of 3-5 years, and an unopened bottle may last longer.

But it is hazardous to use if you notice any difference in the sauce’s flavors or fermentation mold around the bottle’s opening. Discard the bottle if you notice any of the signs mentioned above.

Frank’s Red Hot Alternatives

Barbecue sauce is the best go-to option if you want something milder.

If you want something spicier, go for the tabasco sauce as it has a high heat of up to 5000 SHU, mostly from tabasco peppers, and has no sugar, unlike the sriracha sauce. 

Endnotes

Frank’s Red Hot products are purely vegan and can give you a good punch of heat. The sauce has a low SHU rating, which benefits people with low spice tolerance. It was invented over 100 years ago and still has the position of America’s #1 hot sauce brand.

The absence of sugar makes it a healthier option than other sauces. A long shelf life makes it easy to take care of it and pour it into your recipes whenever you want finger-licking meals. But if you want to experience something new, you may substitute it with tabasco sauce, barbecue sauce, or sriracha sauce.