saute
Cook in butter
Sauté is a cooking method where food is fried quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat, typically in a shallow pan.
The technique keeps ingredients moving—the word comes from French for "jumped"—to ensure even browning without burning.
As an adjective, sautéed describes food cooked this way: sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions.
A sauté pan has low, sloped sides that make tossing ingredients easier.
Shallow pan for frying
- olive oilFruit-pressed culinary fat
- butterSolid fat from cream
- garlicPungent culinary bulb
- onionsPungent layered cooking bulbs
shallots · aromatics · deglaze · toss · stir · heat · sizzle · pan
Bright yellow, or precious
- brownedCooked until darker
- caramelizedBrowned through sugar heating
- crispFirm and breakable
- tenderSoft or sore
seared · glistening · sizzling · translucent · wilted · softened · charred · blistered
skillet
Shallow pan for frying
onions · shallots · aromatics · deglaze · toss · stir · heat · sizzle · pan · caramelize
golden
Bright yellow, or precious
- brownedCooked until darker
- caramelizedBrowned through sugar heating
- crispFirm and breakable
tender · seared · glistening · sizzling · translucent · wilted · softened · charred · blistered · glazed
jump
Propel oneself airborne
grand · allegro · plié · relevé · battement · jeté · cabriole
- cookingbaking, chop, boiling, dice, mince
- cooking techniquessear, simmering, boiling, frying, stir-frying
- cooking termsbaste, baking, blanch, braise, roasting
- dance movespirouette, shimmy, waltz, tango, cha-cha
- fryingdeep frying, pan frying, shallow frying, stir frying, flash frying
- heat and fireignite, burn, flame, blaze, combust
- sauteed mushroomsFungi browned in fat
- sauteed onionsBrowned sliced bulbs
- saute panWide, shallow frying vessel
- sauteed vegetablesQuickly fried plant foods
- sauteed spinachGreens briefly fried