sauté

American  

[soh-tay, saw-] / soʊˈteɪ, sɔ- /

adjective

1. cooked or browned in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.

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verb (used with object)

sautéed, sautéing

1. to cook in a small amount of fat; pan-fry.

noun

1. a dish of sautéed food.

sauté British  

/ ˈsəʊteɪ /

verb

1. to fry (food) quickly in a little fat

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noun

1. a dish of sautéed food, esp meat that is browned and then cooked in a sauce

adjective

1. sautéed until lightly brown

   sauté potatoes

Etymology

Origin of sauté

1805–15; < French, past participle of sauter to jump (causative: to toss) < Latin saltāre, frequentative of salīre to jump

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Explanation

To saute is to cook food over high heat, usually in butter or oil. Many recipes begin by instructing you to saute onions and garlic in olive oil. You can saute vegetables, meat, fish, or tofu. The quick, hot method of cooking browns the outer layer of food and keeps the inside flavorful. Sometimes saute is used as an adjective — you might buy your friend who loves to cook a fancy saute pan for his birthday. In French, the word sauté means "jumped" or "bounced," which also describes the way food jumps around the pan when you saute it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sauté sautéed sautéing

If I’m really feeling it, I’ll sauté spinach and kale and put it in there.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Start by heating your cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

The first step is to sauté leeks and garlic in olive oil, butter and, crucially, a bit of white miso.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

But with you, it’s, ‘Well, can I sauté it in brown butter?’

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2024

All we need to do is sauté olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, chopped parsley, and tomatoes together in a pot, and prepare spaghetti to go with it.”

From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket

Tuesday calls for something fresh and fiber-rich: sautéed kale and Swiss chard.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Its signature breakfast included two sausages, two rashers of bacon and two fried eggs, with sautéed potatoes, baked beans and a grilled tomato for good measure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Matijevich prefers using fresh clams, which are added after the carrots, celery and leeks have been sautéed.

From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2026

My favorite meal is gambas à guilho: shrimp sautéed in garlic and olive oil.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

I run toward the smell of sautéed garlic as fast as my legs will take me, but I can hear my sister’s parting words through the noisy sizzle.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Steaming, microwaving, or quick sautéing tends to preserve nutrients best.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Having dishes prepared in the same kitchen sections slows things down, so the options needed to vary between broiling, sautéing and frying shrimp, and options with or without pasta.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

My favorite way to cook frozen peas is sautéing them in a hot pan alongside butter, minced garlic, finely chopped onions and lemon juice.

From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2025

Roasting and sautéing are the most popular methods used to enhance Brussels sprouts’ earthy, nutty and sweet flavor.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 14, 2023

In sautéing all these they must be often stirred, as you want them well cooked and yet not very brown.

From Choice Cookery by Catherine Owen

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