Sautéing cooks food in a small amount of fat in a hot pan. For vegetables, the aim is quick cooking with some surface colour while retaining the texture your recipe needs.
Choose a roomy pan
- Use a wide frying pan, a spatula and a suitable cooking oil. Cut vegetables to a reasonably even size and dry their surfaces.
Step by step
Warm the pan and oil
Set the pan over medium-high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat its base. When the oil moves freely, add a small piece of vegetable: it should sizzle. Smoking oil is a signal to lower the heat, not to add food immediately.
Give the vegetables room
Spread the vegetables in a loose layer. Work in batches if they form a deep heap. Add firm vegetables before tender ones when their cooking times differ; garlic usually needs less time than onion or carrot.
Let the surface cook, then turn
Allow contact with the pan long enough for some colour to develop, then stir or turn. Adjust the heat if edges scorch before the centres soften. Taste or pierce a piece to check its texture.
Finish when the texture suits the dish
Remove the vegetables when they are cooked to the recipe’s intended tenderness. Residual heat continues softening them, so avoid leaving a finished batch in the hot pan.
Why vegetables release a pool of water
Some vegetables naturally release considerable moisture. A crowded pan makes evaporation harder. Remove part of the batch and let the liquid evaporate; simply adding more oil will not dry the pan.
When to use gentler heat
If the recipe asks for onions to soften without colouring, use gentler heat. Slow caramelised onions are another technique and take more than a quick sauté.
