sauté

1 of 3

verb

sau·​té sȯ-ˈtā How to pronounce sauté (audio)
sō-
variants or less commonly saute
sautéed also sauteed; sautéing also sauteing

transitive verb

: to fry (food, such as small pieces of meat or vegetables) in a small amount of fat
Sauté the mushrooms in 3 tablespoons of the butter until they are golden.Nika Hazleton

sauté

2 of 3

noun

variants or less commonly saute
: a food that is fried in a small amount of fat : a sautéed dish
In this simple saute, high-quality ingredients make a difference …Elaine Johnson
Starters such as creamed corn risotto with shrimp sautéBruce Feiler
sauté adjective

sauté

3 of 3

adjective

variants or less commonly saute
1
: fried in a small amount of fat
roast beef with sauté potatoes
2
: used in sautéing
a sauté pan
improve your sauté technique

Example Sentences

Verb Sauté the onion and garlic. peppers sautéed in olive oil
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Add cauliflower, 1 cup green onion, carrots and peas, and saute until the cauliflower is slightly tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 11 Mar. 2023 Over medium-low heat, saute the white parts of the scallions and the garlic until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning the garlic. San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2023 Work in batches to saute the three pounds of cremini mushrooms if your skillet is not large enough, or add a second round of mushrooms to the pan once the first has started to cook down. Karoline Boehm Goodnick, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Feb. 2023 Experienced chefs saute in a very hot pan and keep the food in motion. Discover Magazine, 16 May 2011 Always keep onion, celery, and carrots in the vegetable drawer, and saute your onion and celery before adding them to the soup to improve the flavor. Chris Morris, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Jan. 2023 Add the asparagus and saute the slices until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Washington Post, 8 May 2022 In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, saute the onions, carrots and celery in butter until tender. al, 23 Nov. 2022 Dive for scallops off the Barview Jetty and saute them in butter and garlic over a propane stove on the back of a pickup truck. Bill Oram, oregonlive, 25 Oct. 2022
Noun
To prep, say, a chicken saute, the bird goes on one plate, onions and garlic on another, herbs in small bowls. Sheryl Julian, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Jan. 2023 Follow the directions above, start by hitting saute and wait for the insert to heat up. Kate Krader, Fortune, 15 Jan. 2022 Toss in garlic for quick saute, then add all the spices. Amy Drew Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, 10 Aug. 2021 Take-and-heat dinner menu is prime rib with roast cauliflower, mushrooms and ramps; smoked mushroom butter; spring vegetable saute; potato puree; pull-apart rolls; lemon pound cake with blueberry. Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sauté.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from past participle of sauter to jump, from Old French, from Latin saltare — more at saltation

First Known Use

Verb

1834, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1813, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of sauté was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near sauté

Cite this Entry

“Sauté.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saut%C3%A9. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

sauté

verb
sau·​té
sȯ-ˈtā,
sō-
sautéed or sautéd; sautéing
: to fry in a small amount of fat
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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