pan-fry

verb

ˈpan-ˌfrī  pan-ˈfrī 

variants or less commonly pan fry or panfry

pan-fried also pan fried or panfried; pan-frying also pan frying or panfrying; pan-fries also pan fries or panfries

transitive verb

: to cook in a frying pan with a small amount of fat

Pan-fry the onions until golden-brown.

The fish fillets may be baked or pan-fried.

Examples of pan-fry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Traditional recipes bread and pan-fry eggplant rounds before layering into a casserole, but this is not truly necessary. — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Get the recipe > These Arizona favorites are wrapped in bacon and pan-fried until crispy before being tucked into soft bolillo-style rolls and piled high with sautéed onions, onion, tomato, avocado, and a homemade jalapeño sauce. — Ryan McCarthy, Saveur, 2 Sep. 2026

Thick slices of day-old brioche soak up a rich vanilla custard of eggs, milk, and cream before being pan-fried in butter until crisp and deep golden outside, while staying tender and custardy within. — Alexia Duchêne, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026

Cube and pan-fry firm tofu until golden, crumble into scrambles or tacos, marinate and bake, or add to curries and stir-fries. — Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 15 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

panfry

verb

pan·​fry ˈpan-ˌfrī  pan-ˈfrī 

panfried; panfrying

: to cook in a frying pan with a small amount of fat