What's the Difference Between the Cooking Terms "SAUTE” and “SWEAT”?

Ask the Chef | Tips and Techniques

When reading soup or stew recipes, I have seen different terms used for cooking the vegetables at the beginning. Many times, the recipe says to “saute” the vegetables. A couple of times, I’ve seen the term “sweat”. Is that really a cooking term and is there a difference between “saute” and “sweat”?

-- Question from LCK Cooking Class Participant

Cooking methods and terminology used in written recipes can vary depending on the country, author, and if the recipe is aimed at use in a home or commercial kitchen. Saute and sweat are two good examples of that. They are clearly defined methods taught in culinary schools and commonly used in recipes written for professional kitchens. Yet, not as much for home kitchens. Many home recipes simply say “cook” in place of either of these terms or use the term “saute” interchangeably rather than distinguishing between the two.

So, what is the difference?

Both of these methods refer to cooking ingredients on the stovetop. They often refer to cooking aromatic vegetables that form the base of a dish, such as onions, carrots, and celery. As we look at each term and method more specifically, I think the differences will become clearer.

SAUTE - photo: Canva

SAUTE

Ever seen a chef flipping vegetables into the air from a hot pan? That is one way to saute. The term comes from the French verb sauter, which means “to jump”.

Saute means to cook food in a shallow pan with a small amount of fat over medium-high to high heat. The food is in almost constant motion in the pan either by flipping the pan or using a utensil to move it around. Short rest periods are allowed between flips or movements so that ingredients brown.

The saute method is commonly used with vegetables, but also with proteins such as fish, seafood, tofu, tender meats, chicken, and pork. Larger cuts of meat and those that are less tender do not do well with this method.

In the case of vegetables, sauteing browns the outside while keeping the inside tender but not limp. It quickly removes moisture, adds color, and builds and deepens the flavor of the ingredients and final dish. When sauteing proteins, they are left undisturbed for a longer time than vegetables so that they brown or form an outer crust before flipping or moving around.

The saute cooking method can be one step in a larger cooking process (such as at the beginning of a stew) or the stand-alone cooking process (such as sauteing vegetables for a side dish or seafood for an entree).

SWEAT (vegetables) - photo: Canva

SWEAT

The term sweat does not exactly conjure up a flattering image that we wish to connect with cooking. If you are not familiar with it as a cooking technique, you definitely are not alone! When I ask cooking class participants if they know the term, very few do. Yet, many of us have been doing it all along when cooking a soup, stew, or braise, and probably have not realized it.

Think of this method as the opposite of sauteing. Sweat means to gently heat vegetables (such as those previously mentioned diced onions, carrots, and celery) in a small amount of oil, stirring frequently until they are soft and tender but not browned. It is done at a medium to medium-low temperature which allows moisture to release so that the food cooks in its own juices while the flavor is infused into the oil. Sweated vegetables oftentimes melt into the finished dish deepening the flavor profile.

This process is completed in the early stages of a recipe before other ingredients are added. A good visual sign that the vegetables are properly sweated is that they have shrunk, are glistening and soft around the edges, and onions are translucent. This signals that it’s time to move on to the next step of the recipe.

As a cheat sheet of sorts, here’s a quick summary of the similarities and differences between the cooking terms saute and sweat.

SIMILARITIES

Both processes:

• are completed in pans on the stovetop

• build flavor

• can be done in a small amount of oil

DIFFERENCES

Saute:

• is done at a higher heat

• can be one step in a recipe or a sole cooking process

• browns food

• quickly cooks ingredients to tender-crisp stage

• can be done with vegetables and proteins

Sweat:

• is done at a lower heat

• is one step in the early part of a recipe

• does not brown food

• gently cooks ingredients until soft and translucent

• is usually done with vegetables

YOUR TURN

I am curious. Were you familiar with the cooking terms “saute” and “sweat” before reading this post? Tell me about it in the comments section.

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