A saute pan is a versatile piece of cookware that is used for a variety of dishes and techniques. It is a sort of hybrid between a saucepan and a frying pan, with straight sides that make it better suited for certain tasks that require cooking ingredients in a liquid, such as shallow frying or braising. Here are some of the most common uses of a saute pan:

• Sautéing: This is the stovetop cooking technique derived from a French tradition in which ingredients are cooked in a small amount of fat over moderate heat. A saute pan is ideal for sautéing, thanks to its large surface area and long handle that facilitates the wrist flicking movement associated with the technique.

• Browning meats: A saute pan is perfect for browning meats for stews and casseroles, as well as searing a large steak or browning chicken thighs.

• Reducing sauces and warming through gravies: The straight sides of a saute pan make it ideal for reducing sauces and warming through gravies.

• Cooking risottos and pilafs: The large surface area of a saute pan is useful for cooking risottos and pilafs.

• Sautéing vegetables: A saute pan is great for sautéing diced vegetables with a rolling, ‘flipping’ motion.

• Making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich: The large surface area of a saute pan is perfect for making grilled cheese sandwiches.

• Braising and stewing: The higher vertical walls and larger overall capacity of a saute pan make it better suited for braises, stews, and the like. For this reason, it also comes with a lid, allowing you to trap moisture and heat or prevent liquids from reducing too far.

A saute pan is generally considered to be an essential piece of cookware, and satisfies a specific gap many home cooks have when cooking dishes like dirty rice, braised meats, or pasta. When looking for a saute pan, be on the lookout for materials like triple-layer construction, which refers to a layer of hard anodized aluminum that is clad between two layers of stainless steel.