Saute Pans
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In classic French Cuisine, the Sautoir Pan and the Sauteuse Pan are both used for sautéing. They both come in various sizes and configurations but the Sautoir has straighter sides and the Sauteuse has more rounded, sloping sides. Both can be used to sauté and therefore can both can be called Sauté Pans and help create considerable confusion in the culinary world. Now add in Skillets, frying pans, fry pans, omelet pans, and the like and watch the confusion ratchet up ten notches.

Adding to the problem is that the pan manufacturers don’t have a common standard name and they market all of the above in similar shapes and sizes. Honestly, it may have been clear at one time, but today it is kind of a mess out there.


Our straight answer, and how we will define it at Smart Kitchen, is that if the pan in question has straight sides and a heavy bottom and at least one long handle, it is a Sautoir Pan.

If the pan in question is round and has flared, outward sloping sides and at least one long handle it is a Sauteuse Pan. Both can be used to sauté and as such are both Sauté Pans. What matters ultimately is your end result. Saute Pans of certain shapes and constructions, whatever their common name, do better in certain situations.