Sauté Pan Guides

The one-pan dinner pan

A sauté pan has straight, relatively tall sides, a wide flat base and usually a lid. Compared with a skillet of the same rim diameter, it offers more flat cooking area and holds more liquid, which makes it ideal for braising chicken thighs, shallow-frying cutlets, simmering sauces, finishing pasta in sauce and making risotto.

Sauté pans are sized by capacity: a 3-qt suits 2–4 people, and 4–5 qt suits families. Clad stainless sauté pans build fond and can go into the oven to braise (D5 and Copper Core listings: 600°F). A hard anodized nonstick sauté pan like the HA1 4-qt is easier for sticky dishes.

Read next

• Sauté pan vs skillet The full comparison with a recipe guide.
• Oven-safe temperatures For stovetop-to-oven braises.
• Nonstick vs hard anodized For nonstick sauté pans.

Do you need one?

If you only own one pan, a 12" skillet with a lid covers most cooking. A sauté pan becomes valuable when you make saucy, braised or shallow-fried dishes regularly, and most cooks who own one use it weekly.

Stainless or nonstick sauté pan?

A clad stainless sauté pan is best for braises and pan sauces because it builds fond and can go into a hot oven. A hard anodized nonstick sauté pan is easier for sticky sauces, rice dishes and quick cleanup, but keep it to moderate heat and within its listed oven rating. If you only buy one, stainless is more versatile.

Sauté pan techniques

Sear uncovered to brown, then add liquid and cover to braise. Shallow-fry with about a centimeter of oil; the straight sides keep it contained. Finish pasta directly in the sauce for better coating.