Sear vs Sauté: What’s the Difference?

The difference at a glance

Searing uses extreme heat to quickly create a crust on the surface. Sautéing is a gentler, constant-movement technique meant to cook the food through.

What does Sear mean?

verb · /sɪər/

To cook the surface of food quickly over very high heat, creating a browned, flavorful crust through the Maillard reaction while keeping the interior moist. A foundational technique for meat, fish, and vegetables.

Sear in a sentence

She waited until the pan was smoking before she added the steak — a proper sear required heat you could feel across the kitchen.

Don't move it. Let it release. The pan will tell you when it's ready. That's the whole lesson of the sear.

What does Sauté mean?

verb / adjective · /ˈsəʊ.teɪ/

To fry food in a small amount of very hot fat or oil, tossing or stirring frequently so it cooks evenly without stewing. The word comes from the French for 'to jump' — describing the way food moves in the pan. Sautéing requires heat, speed, and attention.

Sauté in a sentence

She sautéed the mushrooms in butter until they released all their water and turned golden.

In under three minutes, he had sautéed the shrimp to perfection — fragrant, bouncy, barely cooked.

Frequently asked questions