While it may resemble little more than a shallow pot (or high-sided pan), the saucier is probably one of the most unique—and useful—pieces of cookware you can have in your kitchen. Commonly found in restaurant kitchens, this squat, rounded pot lacks the sharp corners of your typical saucepan, making it ideal for dishes that require constant stirring: think risottos, caramel sauces, and bechamel.
Here, you’ll find some of our favorite recipes for cooking in a saucier, from classic spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce to tender braised squid and grits.
Cacio e Pepe
Timing and technique are particularly crucial with a dish as simple as cacio e pepe, even this one from Miami-based Chef Joe Bonavita: you’ll need to rapidly stir the butter-cheese-pasta water mixture until emulsified, all while keeping your freshly ground black pepper from burning. The curved sides of the saucier make this task way easier—not to mention, the pan’s ample volume allows you to finish your pasta in the sauce, an essential to ensure sauce is evenly distributed and not just spooned over the top.
Tomato-Braised Stuffed Squid with Grits
Chef Jesse Griffiths of Austin’s Dai Due adds a Texas twist to the classic Italian dish of calamari ripieni—aka whole, stuffed squid braised in tomato sauce. Much like polenta, grits require near-constant stirring to keep from burning or sticking, so you’ll definitely want to break out your saucier for maximum success with this recipe.
Strawberry Margarita
Fresh strawberry puree forms the flavor base of these seasonal margaritas, so you’ll need to take extra care not to overcook it. A stainless clad saucier offers optimal heat control along with plenty of room to whisk for 20 minutes straight (yup—the entire time. It’s worth it, we promise).
Breakfast Tacos with Taqueria Salsa
Homemade green salsa is what makes this Tex-Mex taco recipe truly shine—and it couldn’t be easier to make. Using your saucier, simmer fresh tomatillos and serranos until just tender, then blend with lime juice, salt, and avocado to thicken. Drizzle, drip, or dunk to your heart’s content.
Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
If we’re being real, spaghetti and tomato sauce is what we use our saucier for about 50 percent of the time—and this version from Bureau de Poste Chef-Owner Jo Chan is worth making over and over again. As with cacio e pepe, or really any pasta dish, the pan’s ample volume makes it the perfect vessel for finishing the pasta in the sauce.
Apple Cider Cake Donuts with Chai Glaze
A hot apple cider donut straight from the orchard is hard to beat—but this glazed, chai-spiced version is a strong contender when you can't wander to an apple orchard. Audrey Scheib, pastry chef of The Salty Donut, coats homemade donuts in a silky glaze infused with her own blend of chai-inspired spices for an even cozier version of the classic.
Gochujang Mac and Cheese
If you, like us, have better things to do with your time than scraping burnt cheese sauce out of the corners of your pot, then you may want to consider breaking out the saucier for this mac and cheese. This recipe from Rhoda Boone, Culinary Creative Director of Made In Studio, takes inspiration from Korean dishes like tteokbokki, using gochujang to add a touch of brightness to an otherwise dangerously decadent cheddar cheese sauce.
Ready to Cook?
If you’re already the proud owner of a saucier, we hope you found a few new dishes to add to your repertoire. If not, take this list as inspiration: while you could make all of these in a regular sauce pot, our 5-Ply Stainless Clad Saucier offers just a little bit of a boost (kind of like a Tajín rim on a strawberry margarita).
