With the vast variety of frypans, woks, skillets, saucepans and other cookware available, ever wished you could combine them into an all-in-one cookware for everything? The saute pan comes close to doing just that!
The saute pan is essentially a cross between a frypan and a saucepan. It has a wide cooking surface for searing like you would with a frypan, and deeper rims for liquids like the saucepan (the best of both worlds!). The saute pan can be used for both dry heat cooking and liquid cooking, allowing you to cook a wide variety of foods conveniently in the same pan.
What is Dry Heat Cooking and Liquid Cooking?
The saute pan is designed to accommodate both dry heat cooking and liquid cooking methods:
- Dry Heat Cooking: Dry heat cooking includes sauteing, searing, pan frying, roasting, grilling, broiling, rotisserie cooking, grilling, and more. This method is when heat is transferred to the food through direct contact or hot air circulation without excess liquid. Dry heat cooking is essential when caramelising and browning foods.
- Liquid Cooking: Liquid cooking is when heat is transferred to food through liquids such as water, wine, broth, or steam. Examples of liquid cooking include boiling, simmering, braising, stewing, poaching, steaming, pot roasting, and more.
The Saute Pan Can Do (Almost!) Anything
Perfect for sauteing, simmering, searing, braising, and frying, the saute pan is also great for boiling stews, soups, reducing liquids for sauces, and more. Most oven safe saute pans are well suited for cooking recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven. Need to create a beautiful sear on your steak and then finish cooking it in the oven? Your saute pan is the cookware for the job!
Make frittatas, pastas, steak, cornbread, braised lamb, and much more in a saute pan. The versatility of the sauté pan also means you’ll save on storage space as you won’t need as many different cookware sets or pieces taking up precious space in your kitchen. Don’t want to wash a million dishes after a meal? Serve your dishes right in your beautiful saute pan after cooking to keep dishwashing to a minimum. With these features and more, there’s no doubt that the saute pan with lid combination makes the ultimate cookware for any kitchen.
How Do I Identify a Saute Pan?
Identifying a saute pan is easy – usually it comes with deep, straight rims, a large cooking surface, long handles, a helper handle, and a lid. Here’s why these features matter when considering a saute pan:
- Deep, straight rims: The deeper rims will hold your liquids and ingredients securely in the pan and keep them from sloshing and spilling all over your kitchen counters, creating a huge mess in the process. The straight rims create a straight angle, providing a bigger cooking surface.
- Large cooking surface: The generous cooking surface of a saute pan means it can fit more food, saving you time to complete other tasks. Sear steaks for dinner with vegetable sides or fry eggs and sausages for breakfast, the large cooking surface will help you do more with less time.
- Long handles and helper handles: Manoeuvring your pan from the stove to the oven and then to the table is easier with a saute pan’s helpful handles. The longer handle also keeps your hand far away (and safe) from heat sources as you stir your dish.
- Saute pan lid: The lid serves 2 functions, locking in heat to maintain optimal heat retention and preventing excessive liquid evaporation to create moist and delicious dishes.
Is a Saute Pan the Same as a Chef’s Pan?
A saute pan may look similar to a chef’s pan, so it’s safe to assume they can be used interchangeably right? Not exactly. The differences between these two pans are subtle, but it makes them better suited for different purposes.
The chef’s pan has a deeper, sloped rim that tapers to the base to create a wider opening with a narrow base, making this cookware ideal for evaporating liquids for flavoursome sauces or custards. Additionally, the angled rim on the chef’s pan makes it easier to saute ingredients than the saute pan while its narrow base allows your utensils to reach every corner of the pan to whisk and stir liquids evenly and efficiently. However, with its narrow base, there is less cooking surface to work with when it comes to searing bigger cuts of meat. In this case, the advantage for searing meat goes to the saute pan.
Saute Pan vs. Sauteuse Pan
A sauteuse is sometimes confused with the saute pan due to their similar names and functions. However, the small variance between a saute and a sauteuse pan makes a big difference when cooking different dishes.
The sauteuse pan is designed with deeper rims than the saute pan with a large surface at the base, two loop handles for easy food transfer, and a lid just like the saute pan. The deeper rims make the sauteuse pan more suited for stews, soups, searing, slow braising and deep-frying. The lack of a long handle indicates it is not designed for flipping foods.
Which Saute Pan Size is Right for Me?
In general, saute pans in Australia are measured in diameter and litres with a focus on the litre capacity due to the fact that many use them for liquid-based recipes.
Saute pans are available in sizes ranging from 1.8L to 6.6L with the most common saute pan size measuring 2.8L and 5.7L. But which saute pan size should you choose for your kitchen? Take into consideration the type of recipes you usually make, the size of your household, and how comfortable you are with heavier pans:
Choosing a large saute pan
Benefits of a large saute pan
- Larger cooking surface to cook more food in a shorter amount of time
- Ideal for cooking family sized dishes, stews, soups, braised meats, pasta, stock, and more
- Great for bigger families or cooking for parties
Negatives of a large saute pan
- Takes longer to heat up
- Heavier and thus more difficult to manoeuvre
- Takes up more storage space
Choosing a small saute pan
Benefits of a small saute pan:
- Does not take long to heat up
- Sufficient for a smaller household
- Ideal for cooking smaller batches of vegetables, rice, eggs, a single piece of chicken, and more
- Lighter and easier to store
Negatives of a small saute pan:
- Limiting in terms of recipes you can make
- Not suitable for making bigger batches of food for more people or food prep
We recommend that if you’re cooking for 1-3 persons it's worth investing in a 2.8L saute pan while a larger pan like the 4.7L is perfect for cooking more food without being too heavy, ideal for parties and family gatherings. Investing in a larger saute pan can also allow you to batch cook your meals for a week or enjoy leftovers you can reheat the next day.
Which Saute Pan Material is Right For Me?
Saute pans are available in a variety of materials and finishings to cater to different needs and preferences. The most commonly seen saute pan materials are stainless steel, aluminium with a non-stick coating, and enamelled cast iron. The saute pan material you choose will affect the way you cook and how you clean and maintain your cookware:
Stainless Steel Saute Pans
Stainless steel saute pans are great for boiling and reducing liquids, making jams, caramels, searing meat, sauteing vegetables, and more. Keep a lookout for those with a copper or aluminium core to ensure even heat conduction.
Pros
- Highly durable
- Able to respond to any changes in temperature quickly
- Conducts heat evenly
- Safe to use in the dishwasher or with metal utensils
Cons
- Requires a lot of oil to ensure food releases easily
- Easily stained by fingerprints and smudges
Non-stick Saute Pans
non-stick saute pans are best for preparing delicate ingredients such as fish and eggs without needing too much oil and reduce likelihood of sticking. They're usually the most popular choice for an everyday pan due to their convenience in being easy to clean.
Pros
- Heats up quickly as they conduct heat efficiently
- Generally lighter and easier to manoeuvre than cast-iron or stainless steel
- Non-stick coating makes them super easy to clean!
Cons
- Not safe for use in the dishwasher
- Not suitable for use with metal utensils, nylon or silicone utensils are better
- non-stick coatings wear over time
Enamelled Cast Iron Saute Pans
Cast iron saute pans are great for searing meat, cooking beef stew, braising meat, pan-frying burgers, and more. They conduct heat better than any other material and if used correctly can last a lifetime!
Pros
- Suitable for all heat sources including induction, oven, and on the grill
- Superior heat retention - keeps food warm long after heating.
- Free from toxins, non-reactive with acidic foods
- Does not rust, so wont require seasoning like raw cast iron pans.
- Will last multiple lifetimes if used correctly.
Cons
- Heavier due to the cast iron construction so may be difficult to manoeuvre for some users.
- Can only be used on low to medium heat to prevent burning of the enamel coatings.
- Not dishwasher safe
- Not safe to use with metal utensils due to the delicate enamel coatings.
Our Favourite Brands of Saute Pans:
- Woll - Professional quality cast aluminium cookware made and developed in Germany for an outstanding cooking experience each time you cook. The brand’s removable handle range makes stovetop to oven cooking easy, while their diamond reinforced non-stick coating is hard-wearing with superb non-stick performance, heat resistance up to 400°C, and oven-proof up to 250°C (excluding detachable handles)––surpassing most non-sticks in the market.
- Scanpan - Best known for their pressure cast aluminium cookware with PFOA-free non-stick coating, the Danish brand offers even and efficient heat conduction and cookware that is guaranteed not to warp. The brand’s Stratanium+ non-stick coating is also metal utensil safe and is one of the most durable and resistant in the market.
- Le Creuset - French made enamelled cast iron cookware with consistently excellent cooking performance while being easy to clean, long lasting, and resistant to stains. Each cast iron cookware from Le Creuset boasts superb craftsmanship, gorgeous aesthetic, and the durability to last a lifetime, making them a worthwhile investment. The brand also makes 3-ply stainless steel cookware that is hard wearing and heats up quickly, high quality stoneware cookware, and the recently updated non-stick range that is 4x stronger for greater durability and easier food release for effortless cleaning.
- Swiss Diamond - Originally a research company, this Swiss company is now renowned for developing one of the highest quality non-stick coatings with real diamond reinforcements. The brand’s PFOA-free non-stick coating offers the option of healthier cooking with less oil and boasts a durability that is unsurpassed even by the best offerings of other European cookware brands like Woll and Scanpan.
How to Identify a High-Quality Saute Pan?
- Is your saute pan heavy-gauged? Heavier gauged pans distribute and retain heat better, and are less likely to wrap and dent.
- Is your saute pan responsive to heat? A good quality pan should be responsive to changes in temperature – heating up and cooling down quickly as needed.
- Are the handles on your saute pan sturdy, heat-proof, and secure? A properly secured handle should be fastened properly with no loose parts regardless if they’re welded, riveted, or screwed. Your handles should also stay cool as you cook to keep your hands safe, and be heat-proof to offer the convenience of stovetop to oven cooking.
- Does your lid fit your pan securely and is it heat proof? As with all pans with lids, a lid that fits snugly on your saute pan is more efficient in retaining moisture than a loose one. The handle on your lid should also be heat-proof for dishes that require oven cooking.
How to Care for Your Saute Pan
To keep your saute pans lasting for as long as possible, it’s important to clean and maintain them properly. Different pan materials will require different methods of cleaning and care. When cleaned improperly, your sauteing pan might be damaged, shortening its lifespan. These simple tips might help:
- Read the cleaning and care instructions for your pan - Usually, your pans will come with specific instructions on how to care for your pan. Follow the instructions for cleaning and caring to keep your pans pristine.
- Clean your pans as soon as possible - The longer you wait to clean your pans, the tougher the stains will become. If there are any stubborn stains, soak your pan with dish soap and water to loosen them up.
- Stainless steel pans - Wash your stainless steel saute pans with dish detergent and a nylon sponge (avoid abrasive scrubs) to keep them looking great! To prevent stains and water spots build up, wash your pans as soon as possible after use.
- Aluminium Non-Stick Saute Pan - Your non-stick saute pans are easy to clean thanks to its non-stick coating. More often than not, hand washing with dish soap and hot water will do.
- Enamelled Cast Iron Saute Pan - The enamel coating on your pan makes it easy to clean with just dish detergent and a nylon sponge. Avoid abrasive brushes. However, if the stains on your pan are especially stubborn, boil hot water with your pan and scrape its surface with a wooden spatula.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a sauté pan used for?
A deep saute pan can be used for dry heat and liquid heat cooking methods, making it perfect for sauteing, simmering, searing, braising, frying, and also great for boiling stews, soups, reducing liquids for sauces, and more. If you have an oven safe saute pan, you can also use it for recipes that call for stovetop to oven cooking.
Is a sauté pan the same as a frying pan?
While a saute pan may look similar to a frypan, these two pans are not exactly interchangeable. The saute pan’s wider opening is similar to a frypan, however the rims of a saute pan are straight and deep in comparison to the more shallow and slanted rims of a frypan. The frypan’s lighter weight makes sautéing, shaking, and manipulating the pan easier, but the saute pan is more versatile - its ability to sear food and cook liquid-based dishes makes it an arguably better pan.
What's the difference between a saucepan and a sauté pan?
The deep vertical sides of saute pans are reminiscent of saucepans, making them ideal for stews, soups, pastas, and other sauce-heavy dishes. While the taller rims of saucepans and smaller cooking surface allows them to hold liquids better, the larger cooking surface of the saute pan allows it to cook more than just liquid-based dishes - braise meats, make pasta, sear meat, and much more.
What is considered a sauté pan?
A saute pan has vertical, deep rims for cooking liquids, a wide and flat cooking area for searing large pieces of meat, a long handle to keep hands away from heat as you cook, a helper handle for easy food transfer, and a lid to seal in heat and moisture.
What is the difference between a wok and a sauté pan?
Woks have sloping rims that create a wide opening with a narrow base. The shape of the wok makes shaking food easier than the saute pan. Made for high heat cooking, the wok makes flash-cooking foods a breeze, which is particularly ideal for Asian cuisine like stir fried dishes, fried rice and noodles dishes. However, a wok is also larger than a saute pan, making it harder to store than a saute pan.
Why Shop for Saute Pans at Everten?
We proudly stock saute pans and chef pans designed and manufactured with the highest standards. Find saute pans from popular brands such as Chasseur, Le Creuset, Scanpan, Swiss Diamond, Woll, De Buyer on Everten. Our simple search enables you to filter by colour, size or material to allow you to shop online with ease. We also offer express shipping options for saute pans along with an easy returns policy should you have a change of mind.
At Everten, we also pride ourselves on our excellent customer service, and we are always happy to assist you over the phone, through emails or via Live Chat. Our dedicated customer service team is here to assist you each step of the way. We all love kitchen and homeware products, we know our stuff, and if there is a question we don't know the answer to, we will search for the answer for you. Most importantly, we love to help our customers!
