
A sauté pan is a versatile piece of cookware that can be used for a variety of dishes. It is a hybrid between a saucepan and a frying pan, with a large surface area, straight sides, and a helper handle. Sauté pans are typically deeper than frying pans, which have curved, slanted sides, and are perfect for making sauces and stews. They are also great for browning meat and shallow frying. The straight sides of a sauté pan make it easier to keep liquids in the pan and prevent spillages. While sauté pans can be used interchangeably with frying pans for basic dishes, the former is more versatile and can handle a greater volume of liquid or ingredients.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sides | Vertical, straight |
| Diameter | Large |
| Handle | Long, well-balanced, comfortable |
| Surface area | Large |
| Volume | High |
| Weight | Heavy |
| Lid | Tight-fitting |
| Material | Stainless steel, aluminium core |
| Heat | Even |
| Uses | Shallow frying, searing, browning, braising, boiling, making sauces, stews, warming gravies and jus |
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What You'll Learn
- Saute pans are versatile and can be used for shallow frying, searing, braising, boiling, and stewing
- They are a hybrid of frying pans and saucepans, with the benefits of both
- Saute pans have straight sides, which provide a larger surface area and prevent spillages
- They are great for browning and caramelisation due to their shape and larger surface area
- Saute pans are typically made from stainless steel or aluminium, which makes them durable and responsive to temperature changes

Saute pans are versatile and can be used for shallow frying, searing, braising, boiling, and stewing
Saute pans are a hybrid between a saucepan and a frying pan. They are highly versatile and can be used for a wide variety of dishes. Their straight sides and greater usable surface area make them ideal for searing large steaks or browning chicken thighs. The straight sides also make them less likely to slosh sauces over the hob.
The straight sides of a saute pan also allow you to fit a higher volume of liquid, making them perfect for shallow frying, braising, boiling, and stewing. For example, you can shallow-fry chicken cutlets, potatoes, and fritters, braise greens and cabbage, boil pasta, asparagus, or green beans, and stew chicken in wine. Saute pans are also great for warming through sauces, gravies, and jus. When browning meat, ensure the pan is very hot, add a little oil, space the meat chunks, and leave until caramelized.
The tall sides of a saute pan can make it feel cramped when cooking something that needs to be flipped with a spatula. In such cases, a frying pan may be preferable. Saute pans are also not ideal for crepes or similar dishes because of their size.
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They are a hybrid of frying pans and saucepans, with the benefits of both
A sauté pan is a hybrid of a frying pan and a saucepan, combining the benefits of both. It is a versatile piece of cookware that can be used for a wide variety of dishes. Sauté pans have a wide, flat bottom and relatively tall, vertical sides. This gives them a greater usable surface area than a frying pan of equal diameter, making them ideal for searing large steaks or browning chicken thighs. The straight sides also make it easier to keep liquids inside the pan and prevent spillages, making them perfect for cooking sauces, gravies, and stews.
Sauté pans typically have a fitted lid, which helps to minimize evaporation and makes them suitable for shallow-frying or braising. They are also responsive to temperature changes, heating up and cooling down quickly, giving greater control over cooking. The handles of sauté pans are designed to be comfortable and well-balanced, making it easy to move the pan around or transfer it into and out of the oven.
The weight of a sauté pan can be a consideration, as they are significantly heavier than equivalent skillets due to their wide base. This weight is not a problem when the pan is sitting still on the stovetop or in the oven, but it can make shaking or tossing the pan more difficult. Some sauté pans have curved sides, which can make it easier to sauté diced vegetables with a rolling, 'flipping' motion.
Overall, a sauté pan is a valuable addition to any kitchen, offering the benefits of both a frying pan and a saucepan. It is a versatile and durable piece of cookware that can be used for a wide range of cooking tasks, from searing and browning to sauce-making and shallow-frying. With its responsive temperature control, comfortable handles, and spill-proof design, a sauté pan is a useful tool for any home cook.
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Saute pans have straight sides, which provide a larger surface area and prevent spillages
Saute pans are a hybrid between a saucepan and a frying pan. They are a versatile addition to your kitchen and can be used for a wide variety of dishes.
Saute pans have straight sides, which provide a larger surface area than a frying pan of equal diameter. This makes them ideal for cooking large steaks, browning chicken thighs, or any other task that requires more space. The straight sides also prevent spillages and splashes, making them perfect for cooking sauces or dishes with a lot of liquid.
The straight sides of a saute pan also allow you to fit a higher volume of liquid, and the tight-fitting lid minimizes evaporation. This makes it ideal for shallow-frying, braising, or any dish that requires a lot of liquid. Saute pans are also great for making sauces, stews, and warming through liquids like sauces, gravies, and jus.
The larger surface area of a saute pan means you can cook more food at once. For example, you can fit 12 pieces of chicken in a 12-inch saute pan, while the same size skillet can only fit about 10 pieces. This makes saute pans very efficient for cooking large quantities of food.
Overall, the straight sides of a saute pan provide a larger surface area, prevent spillages, and allow for a higher volume of liquid, making them a versatile and efficient choice for many different types of dishes.
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They are great for browning and caramelisation due to their shape and larger surface area
Saute pans are a hybrid between a saucepan and a frying pan. They are versatile and can be used for a variety of dishes. They have vertical sides, straight or tall, which provide a greater usable surface area than a frying pan of equal diameter. This makes them ideal for browning and caramelization.
The larger surface area of a saute pan means that you can fit more food in a single layer, which is necessary for effective sauteeing. This is particularly useful for browning large cuts of meat, such as steak or chicken thighs, as the straight sides give you more space to work with. The straight sides also help to prevent splashing and spillages, which is perfect when cooking with sauces.
The wide, flat bottom and tall sides of a saute pan also allow for a higher volume of liquid, which is useful when shallow-frying foods such as meatballs or braising chicken thighs in wine. The depth of the pan helps to prevent oil splatter when frying, and the weight of the pan can be balanced by an extra handle on the opposite side of the main handle. The larger surface area also helps to accommodate larger recipes, such as when you need to cram a huge mound of spinach into the pan.
The straight sides of a saute pan also prevent condensation and allow excess humidity to evaporate. This is essential for the Maillard reaction to occur, which is the reaction that gives browned and caramelized foods their distinctive flavour.
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Saute pans are typically made from stainless steel or aluminium, which makes them durable and responsive to temperature changes
A saute pan is a hybrid between a saucepan and a frying pan. It is a versatile addition to a kitchen, and can be used for a wide variety of dishes. Saute pans are typically made from stainless steel or aluminium, which makes them durable and responsive to temperature changes.
Saute pans are often deeper than frying pans and have straight sides and a helper handle. They are usually made with a lightweight aluminium core that offers excellent heat conduction. This is surrounded by stainless steel, which ensures superior circulation and retention, resulting in faster 360-degree heating. This combination of materials makes the pans highly durable and quick to heat.
The straight sides of a saute pan give it a greater usable surface area than a frying pan of the same diameter. This makes it ideal for browning meat or cooking with sauces. The straight sides also help prevent splashing.
Saute pans are typically used for shallow frying and braising, while skillets are better for searing and sauteing due to their sloped sides, which allow for more evaporation. Saute pans are also good for boiling pasta, cooking sauces, braising greens, and boiling vegetables.
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Frequently asked questions
A sauté pan is a type of cookware with a wide, flat bottom and tall, vertical sides. It is typically used for sautéing, which involves cooking ingredients in a small amount of fat over moderate heat.
While both can be used on the stovetop, sauté pans have vertical sides, whereas frying pans tend to taper out. This makes frying pans ideal for quick cooking methods like stir-frying. Sauté pans have a larger surface area, which is useful for searing and browning.
Sauté pans are extremely versatile and can be used for a wide variety of dishes. They are particularly useful for cooking food in liquid bases, such as braising, and for shallow frying. You can also use them for searing, browning, and simmering sauces.
Sauté pans come in various materials, including stainless steel, non-stick, and ceramic. The material you choose depends on the types of food you cook and your preferred cleanup method. For easy cleanup, non-stick and ceramic are great options, but they should not be used over high heat.
Yes, many sauté pans are oven-safe, allowing for a seamless transition from stovetop to oven. This makes them ideal for dishes that require finishing in the oven, such as a frittata or casserole.











































