The Best Frank's RedHot Sauce Flavor, According To Our Taste Test

Shopping for hot sauce is serious business. After all, there are several factors to consider as you weigh your options such as heat level, flavor complexity, and texture — the ideal hot sauce should also have decent value for money. For these reasons, Frank's RedHot sauces tend to be a favorite for the Tasting Table team. Yet, with so many different flavors to choose from, it can be tough to know which bottle is best. Luckily for you, we've done the work of taste-testing each sauce and have definitively decided that the one flavor that ranks above the rest is Original.

The first of many Frank's RedHot sauce concoctions, Original proves to be the most irresistible flavor, time and time again. Although this could have something to do with nostalgia, the appeal of the condiment likely stems down to its simplicity. Made with just a handful of ingredients (cayenne peppers, vinegar, garlic, salt, and water) the crimson-colored sauce teems with nuanced complexity as it's tangy and subtly salty all while remaining richly savory. That said, the hot sauce also boasts a pleasantly fiery kick that lingers on the palate ever so briefly, making it an approachable condiment for heat-seeking fiends and the spice-cautious alike.

Despite that it might not be the hottest of hot sauces, the mellowed zestiness of Frank's RedHot Original allows itself to be used both generously and frequently since it won't overpower whatever it's added to, making the glossy sauce a winner in our books, yet again.

Beyond batches of buffalo wings and scrambled eggs, the reality is that Frank's RedHot Original is the ultimate secret weapon for any dish or recipe imaginable. Not only does it give everything from popcorn to stir-fry to tacos a kiss of heat, it also manages to compliment the earthiness of roasted potatoes or umami of sliders, just as it can heighten the tang of briny oysters or salinity of lard-laced crostini. The versatile hot sauce is even able to offset the richness of cheesy casseroles or scoops of vanilla ice cream with its acidic punch.

Aside from its incredible lip-licking flavor profile, the success of Frank's RedHot Original also lies in its smooth and silky texture. Interestingly, while the hot sauce is able to coat the palate in lusciousness, it's not very heavy. In fact, it's quite thin. Evidently, this gives the hot sauce the benefit of being easily whisked into recipes like hollandaise, ranch dressing, chicken noodle soup, or a Bloody Mary — something that can't always be said of Frank's RedHot varieties with denser or more textured consistencies.

Perfect as Frank's RedHot Original may be (in our humble opinion, of course), it does lend itself wonderfully to customization. For example, flavors can be boosted by mixing the sauce with more cayenne or garlic, even melted butter or fresh parsley work. But, we're pretty confident that you won't need to mess with this classic, anyway.