Sauteuse vs Dutch Oven: What is the Difference

A sautéuse and a Dutch oven have much in common, but these pans have some distinct differences.

A sautéuse is a covered pan with a wide base and sloped sides for use on the stovetop or in the oven. Suitable for sauce reduction and shallow frying. A Dutch oven is similar but deeper, with straight sides. Suitable for casseroles, stews, frying, and one-pot meals. If made of cast iron, both can withstand high heat.

In this comparison article, I refer to enameled cast iron Dutch ovens and, as some call, a sauteuse oven, as the two are the ones I use during my cooking process. Both types of cookware can be made from different materials like stainless steel, ceramic, and nonstick coating.

They are also known by various names, including French ovens, stock pots, soup pots, and all-in-one pots, and are good alternatives if a heavier pan of cast-iron construction is not for you.

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What Is a Sautéuse?

A sautéuse is a large pan from the French word for sauté pan or frying pan. The size and material of this pan can vary, but it is always designed with a large, flat base and sides that slope gently upward.

This gives you a deep pan for cooking in, while the sloped sides make it easy to use a spatula or whisk. Any dish that needs a lot of stirring is best cooked in a sautéuse because you can thoroughly stir the food inside without fighting with the pan’s angles. It is easy to sweep foods down to the base to mix them.

Sautéuse pans are designed to be used on the hob and then transferred to the oven. They generally have a well-fitting lid to trap moisture in, but the sides are not enormously deep, and if you want to make a dish with a lot of liquid, choose a different pan.

What Is a Dutch Oven?

Dutch ovens are similar, but the sides are much more angular and tend to be much deeper. This makes it hard to use a spatula or a whisk inside a Dutch oven but gives you much more scope for creating moisture-rich dishes. Casseroles and stews are delicious when cooked in a Dutch oven.

A lot of people opt for Dutch ovens, and they are popular for use on campfires as well as in the kitchen. This means they are a piece of particularly adaptable equipment, and you can fit whole meals in them.

Like the sautéuse pan, a Dutch oven is designed to work on both the stove and oven. You can transfer the pan between the two. Many Dutch ovens are made of cast iron but are not material-specific, and other materials could be used.

Which Is Easier to Use?

This depends on what you are trying to make, unfortunately, and some chefs swear by having both pans available to them. A sautéuse may be easier if you make shallow fried foods because you can get the spatula to toss them around.

Similarly, a Dutch oven will be easier for making liquid dishes. Both pans are quite heavy, but most designs feature two handles, making them easy to hold and much more stable in your hands. They are comfortable gripping and can easily be slid in and out of the oven.

There is not much between the two because it depends on your decision. A Dutch oven and a sautéuse can be very useful in the kitchen. They are non-fuss, versatile pieces of equipment that serve various purposes.

What Can You Cook in a Sautéuse?

A sautéuse is your best choice if you are making sauces. The pan has rounded sides, so you can easily lift the sauce away and minimize the risk of burning it. The rounding makes it easier to whisk ingredients in and ensure they are evenly distributed.

The edges may not be as deep as a Dutch oven’s sides, but they are still reasonably deep, which can help reduce splatter if you’re cooking foods that spit. You get quite a lot of volume in the pan even though it’s not tall, so you can simmer stocks in it for a long time, especially if you put the lid on.

You can steam foods nicely in a saute pan because it retains moisture. Put the lid on, add the liquid, and let the food inside gently steam for as long as necessary. If you are slow-cooking anything, this method gives you good heat distribution and minimal risk of burning the food.

You can also reduce these flexible pans, this time by leaving the lid off. Because the pan has a lot of contact with the stove, the liquid will quickly evaporate, which is ideal if you’re reducing foods or cooking something like rice, where you want to make sure the liquid boils off.

What Can You Cook in a Dutch Oven?

A Dutch oven has even more uses, although the steeper sides make it a little more difficult to cook sauces in because it’s trickier to get a whisk into all the corners of the pan. However, it can still be done.

Dutch ovens, including casseroles, soups, stews, braised meats, baked pasta dishes, and more, are ideal for cooking. You can even bake bread in a Dutch oven; their ability to conduct heat evenly makes a delicious loaf that everyone will enjoy.

Fried food is also possible in one of these clever pans, and if you don’t have a deep fryer, it’s probably the answer to any frying you wish to do. Because the heat conduction is so even, you don’t need to worry about the meat getting overcooked in places and undercooked in others, making cooking much more relaxing.

In short, you can make almost anything in a Dutch oven, and they are popular worldwide.

Which Is More Versatile?

Both pans are pretty versatile, and you can use whichever suits you, but on the whole, a Dutch oven probably wins on versatility. This is simply because it has deeper sides, so it’s easier to cook liquids in it. A sautéuse may not be suitable for stews and soups.

However, both can be used for most kinds of cooking, and they are a great option if you often want to cook on the hob and then transfer the dish to the oven to finish baking.

Which Is More Expensive?

The prices for both kinds of pans can vary greatly depending on the material used for the pan and the size and brand you buy. Dutch ovens cost between $25 and $350, an enormous range. The higher-priced pans tend to be cast iron enameled ones, which are considered superior.

You can generally buy sautéuse pans for as little as $35, but they range to about $250 or $300 again. They are often a little cheaper than Dutch ovens, but this will depend on your chosen brand. Le Creuset is particularly famous for producing sautéuse pans, which cost approximately $240 each.

Therefore, both can be purchased cheaply or expensively and which you should opt for depends on your budget and how high quality you like your kitchenware.

Resource: Why is Le Creuset so Expensive, and is it Worth the Price

Can You Use a Sautéuse Like a Dutch Oven?

This will depend on what you are cooking. The two kinds of pans can sometimes be used interchangeably. If you are making a dish that contains a lot of liquid, a sautéuse pan will not be ideal because it doesn’t have enough depth. In such cases, you couldn’t swap it for a Dutch oven.

Equally, if you want to make a sauce or fry things that need regular moving with a spatula, you will find a Dutch oven less convenient than a sautéuse. You can probably still use a Dutch oven for this purpose, but it won’t be as easy, and you might have more problems with sticking food.

Do You Need Both Kinds of Pans?

This depends on how much cooking you do and how varied your dishes are. If you focus predominantly on stews and soups, you might have little use for a sautéuse, and vice versa if you do a lot of frying.

However, if you vary your dishes a lot, you may find it surprisingly useful to have both a sautéuse and a Dutch oven. You can then pick whichever is best suited to the dish you are currently making or use them in conjunction with each other if that works better.

If you are on a tight budget or short of space in your kitchen, a Dutch oven will probably prove a slightly more versatile and useful piece of equipment, but you should weigh up the pros and cons before deciding.

Sauteuse, Dutch Oven, Stainless Steel Pan Comparision Table

Trying to find the best sauteuse pan for your needs. This quick reference comparison table breaks down the differences between the two most popular materials in this type of iron cookware. As a further comparison, I have added a clad stainless steel saute pan.

	Le Creuset Sauteuse Pan	Le Creuset Dutch Oven	Stainless Steel Pan
Made In	France	France	Clad is made in Canonsburg, PA handle is made in China
Uses	Sautéing, simmering, frying, searing, browning, reduction, size-appropriate baking, and roasting	Slow Cooking, sautéing, simmering, frying, searing, browning, reduction, baking, roast	The shape of the signature Le Creuset Dutch oven is that of a classic iron oven. This is a versatile shape with a flat bottom, straight sides, integrated handles, and, and heavy lid.
Dishes	Casseroles, sides, soups, frying,	Stews, soups, casseroles, stocks, sauces, frying, deep frying, roasts, bread	The shape of the signature Le Creuset Dutch oven is that of a classic iron oven. This is a versatile shape with a flat bottom, straight sides integrated handles heavy lid.
Design	Clad tri-play stainless steel with aluminum core for quicker heating. Its versatile pan includes a large cooking surface and rounded, easy pour edges. The long handle, helper handle, and high rounded sides open you up to the types of dishes you can prepare.	The shape of the Le Creuset sauteuse makes it look like a shallower Dutch oven, but for the rounded base and sloping sides.	Clad tri-play stainless steel with aluminum core for quicker heating. Its versatile pan includes a large cooking surface and rounded easy pour edges. The long handle, helper handle, and high rounded sides open you up to the types of dishes you can prepare.
Interior & Exterior Finish	Sand-colored interior enamel and bright-colored enamel exteriors	Sand-colored interior enamel and bright-colored enamel exteriors	All-Clad tri-play stainless steel exterior with aluminum core
Height	5.79 inches	5.6 inches (plus different sizes)	6 inches (plus different sizes)
Lid	Heavy and tight-fitting	Heavy and tight-fitting	Stainless steel lids
Ergonomic Handles	Large loop handles	Curved small handles	Long handle and helper handle
Weight	3.5-quart weighs 10.1 pounds	3.5-quart weighs 8.75 pounds	4-quart weighs 3.93 pounds
Heat Sources	Electric, gas, ceramic, halogen, glass, induction	Electric, gas, ceramic, halogen, glass, induction	Electric, gas, ceramic, halogen, glass, induction
Oven Safe	Yes	Yes	Yes
Performance	Heats up slowly like all cast iron. High heat retention and even heating	Heats up slowly like all cast iron. High heat retention and even heating	Heats up fast with the aluminum core at high temperatures
Dishwasher Safe	Yes, hand washing is recommended for maintaining the enamel surface	Yes, hand washing is recommended for maintaining the enamel surface	Hand washing is recommended for maintaining the surface
Maintenance	No	No	No
Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime	Limited Lifetime
Price	Expensive	Expensive	Affordable to Expensive

Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Sauteuse 3-1/2 Qt

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Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven, 3.5 Qt, Flame

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All-Clad D3 3-Ply Stainless Steel Fry Pan

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Get the Best Price

Of course, you can go to the Le Creuset or the Sur la Table website, but why not check out my article Best Prices for Le Creuset: Locations, Sales, Clearances? Sales can be found there all year round, not just on Black Friday.

Alternatively, my articles Why are Dutch ovens so expensive and how much do Dutch ovens cost: price comparisons are great reads.

What is the Difference Between a Sauteuse and a Braiser?

The main difference between a sauteuse and a braiser is the size and shape of each piece of cookware, even though they are of the same capacity. For example, a Le Creuset 3.5-quart sauteuse measures 9.5 inches and 3 inches high, while a Le Creuset 3.5-quart braiser measures 13.6 inches in diameter and 4.6 inches high.

Wrapping Up: Sauteuse vs Dutch Oven

A sautéuse and a Dutch oven may look quite similar, but they are different enough that many chefs like to have both options.

A sautéuse has sloped sides that make it easier to cook sauces and whisk together ingredients, and the wide base is perfect for browning meat. A Dutch oven is a versatile, deep, and wide pan that can cook a whole range of meals.

One-Pot Cooking Rocks!