Boas Comidas

Glossário Culinário

Sautéing

Técnica

Sautéing means cooking ingredients in a little hot fat, stirring constantly, until they wilt and release aroma. It is the base of countless Brazilian dishes, like rice, beans, farofas and sauces, because the sauté is where a recipe’s first layer of flavor is built.

Characteristics

Sautéing uses a pot or skillet over medium heat, with a thin layer of oil, olive oil, butter or lard. The most common ingredients at this stage are onion, garlic, bell pepper, tomato and green herbs, added in order: first what takes longest to wilt, like onion, and last garlic, which burns easily. The right point is when the onion turns translucent and soft, without browning too much. Unlike frying, sautéing does not aim for a crispy crust, and unlike boiling, it uses little water, only the liquid the vegetables release.

Uses in the kitchen

  • Rice and beans base: onion and garlic sautéed before adding the grain and water.
  • Farofas: vegetables and seasonings sautéed in butter or oil before the flour goes in.
  • Sauces and stews: an initial sauté that later receives tomato, meat or vegetables and the cooking liquid.
  • Everyday vegetables: carrot, zucchini, green beans and collard greens quickly sautéed as a side.
  • Fillings: ground meat and shredded chicken sautéed with seasonings before filling pies and snacks.

Variations

The sauté can vary in fat and seasoning: olive oil with garlic for a Mediterranean profile, butter with onion for milder sauces, or oil with colorau for reddish dishes. Over slightly higher heat and with less stirring, the sauté becomes a stir-fry, with crunchier vegetables. With more liquid and a lid, it approaches a light stew. For fat-free versions, onion and vegetables can wilt in a splash of water or stock, stirring constantly, though the flavor turns milder.

Fun facts

The order of seasonings matters: garlic goes in after onion because it burns in seconds and makes the dish bitter. A pinch of salt at the start helps vegetables release water and wilt faster. An overcrowded pan cools down and ingredients start steaming instead of sautéing, so the ideal is not to overload the pan and keep steady medium heat.

Recipes with sautéing

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