Sautéing or sauteing (UK: /ˈsoʊteɪ.ɪŋ/, US: /soʊˈteɪ.ɪŋ, sɔː-/; from French sauté [sote] 'jumped, bounced', in reference to tossing while cooking) is a method of cooking that uses a relatively small amount of oil or fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Various sauté methods exist.