--- title: "Sauté pan: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "A sauté pan is a wide pan with tall, straight sides and a lid, for searing then simmering and for pan sauces. Here is how it differs from a skillet." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/saute-pan" --- # Sauté pan A sauté pan is a wide pan with tall, straight sides and a lid, for searing then simmering and for pan sauces. Here is how it differs from a skillet. Also called Saute pan. A sauté pan is a wide, flat-bottomed pan with straight sides about 6 to 8 cm (2.5 to 3 in) high, a long handle, and usually a lid. Large ones have a small helper handle on the other side. It sits between a [skillet](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/skillet)and a pot. The wide base browns food well, and the tall sides hold liquid, so you can sear chicken and then simmer it in sauce in the same pan. ## How to use it Good jobs for it: * Searing meat or vegetables, then adding stock or tomatoes to simmer or [braise](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/braise) with the lid on. * [Shallow-frying](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/shallow-fry), where the tall sides cut down on splatter. * Making a [pan sauce](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pan-sauce) after searing. * Cooking greens that wilt down from a large pile. * Finishing pasta in its sauce. A 28 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in) pan holding about 3 to 4 liters (3 to 4 quarts) suits most home cooking. Heat it with a little oil before adding food, the same as a skillet. ## Substitutes A large, deep skillet works for most recipes, though liquid evaporates faster and it can spill when shaken. A wide [Dutch oven](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/dutch-oven) works for searing then simmering, though the higher sides slow browning. ## Common mistakes * Overcrowding the pan. Food releases water and steams instead of browning. Leave space between pieces. * Trying to toss food. Despite the name, the straight sides make it hard to flip food the way chefs do to [sauté](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/saute). A sloped skillet is easier for that. * Covering the pan while searing. Steam builds and stops the crust from forming. Add the lid only once the liquid goes in. * Using a pan with a plastic handle in the oven. Check the handle before braising. ## In recipes "Large straight-sided pan" or "deep frying pan with a lid" in a recipe means a sauté pan. The French _sauteuse_ has sloped sides and is closer to a deep skillet, but many recipes use the names loosely. ## Recipes made with it 65 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/instant-pot-bolognese-1-7.jpg)Bolognese Saucewww.skinnytaste.com · 115 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/pasta-with-bolognese-sauce/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/Chicken-Cacciatore-3.jpg)Chicken Cacciatorewww.skinnytaste.com · 55 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-cacciatore-43-pts/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/lamb-kheema-07.jpg)Lamb Keema with Peaswww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/lamb-kheema-with-peas/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MustardandHerbCrustedChickenBreast.jpg)Mustard & Herb Crusted Chicken Breastswww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/mustard-herb-crusted-chicken-breasts/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Pastelon-28Plantain-Lasagna29.jpg)Turkey Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Lasagna)www.skinnytaste.com · 95 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/turkey-pastelon-sweet-plantain-lasagna/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/spaghetti-squash-primavera.jpg)Spaghetti Squash Primaverawww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/spaghetti-squash-primavera/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Chicken-Sausage-Brown-Rice-Stuffing-with-Celery-and-Mushrooms.jpg)Chicken Sausage Brown Rice Stuffing with Celery and Mushroomswww.skinnytaste.com · 55 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-sausage-brown-rice-stuffing/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/SLOW-COOKER-TURKEY-PUMPKIN-WHITE-BEAN-CHILI-7.jpg)Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chiliwww.skinnytaste.com · 245 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/crockpot-turkey-white-bean-pumpkin/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/SalmonBowl-0013-s.jpg)Seattle Asian Salmon Bowlwww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/seattle-asian-salmon-bowl/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cilantro-lime-cauliflower-rice.jpg)Cilantro Lime Cauliflower "Rice"www.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/cilantro-lime-cauliflower-rice/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2019/03/linguine-with-clams.jpg)Linguine with Clamswww.onceuponachef.com · 30 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/linguini-with-clams.html) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Harvest-Salad.jpg)Harvest Kale Salad with Roasted Winter Squashwww.skinnytaste.com · 50 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/harvest-kale-salad-with-roasted-winter-squash/) ## Related terms * [SkilletA skillet is a frying pan with low, sloped sides for searing, frying and sautéing. Here are the materials, sizes and how to choose the right one.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/skillet) * [SautéTo sauté is to cook small pieces of food quickly in a little hot fat over fairly high heat, tossing or stirring so they brown lightly and cook evenly.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/saute) * [Shallow-fryShallow-frying cooks food in about 1 cm of hot oil in a pan, so it comes halfway up the sides. You turn it once for a crisp crust on both sides.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/shallow-fry) * [Pan sauceA pan sauce is made in the pan you seared meat in. Deglaze the browned bits, reduce, and finish with butter. It takes about five minutes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pan-sauce) * [BraiseBraising browns meat, then cooks it slowly, covered, in a small amount of liquid until tough cuts turn tender and the liquid becomes a rich sauce.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/braise) * [SaucepanA saucepan is a deep, round pan with straight sides and one long handle, for sauces, grains, eggs and reheating. Here is how to pick a size.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/saucepan) [More in equipment](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/equipment)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)