A curved bottom, flared lip, and wide mouth are all features that make a saucier one of the most unique—and secret chef weapon—pans on the market. While it may seem like a specialty item found only on the line in restaurants, sauciers really couldn’t be more versatile—hence why they're beloved by chefs and home cooks alike.
Sauciers got their start in French kitchens, where they’re a foundational tool for all of the many sauces that accompany France’s rich dishes. But sauciers are also great for risotto, curry, pasta, and sweet sauces, too—in many cases, they may just replace your saucepans for good. Here's how to pick out the best size saucier so you're ready to cook whatever comes along.
What Is a Saucier?
The most notable and recognizable feature of a saucier is its curved bottom, which help to guide the spoon as you're stirring. This prevents clumping, scorching, and ingredients from getting stuck in corners.
This shape is further amplified by our 5-ply Stainless Clad construction, providing even heating with no hot spots to watch out for. The curved base also comes in handy if you’re reducing sauces, as it gives you more surface area to work with than a straight-sided Saucepan.
Another thoughtful design feature is the flared lip, which solves the frustrating problem of having liquids dribble down the sides when you’re pouring. Instead, sauces and other liquids flow smoothly into just about any container. The wide mouth is ideal for stirring and whisking, giving you ample space and keeping the motions fluid.
What Is the Best Size Saucier?
As with all cookware, the best size for you depends on a variety of factors—including how many people you're typically cooking for, what your kitchen storage looks like, and what your preexisting cookware collection looks like.
Below, you'll find 3 of the most common sizes for sauciers and who (and what) they're best for.
2 Quart Saucier
Benefits: Smaller size means more concentrated heat on the cooking surface, perfect for roiling boils for grain bowls or slow simmers for caramel.
Best for: 1-2 people in a small kitchen. Perfect accompaniment to a large saucepan, Dutch Oven, or other pot.
Our smallest saucier, the 2QT may not be great for large dinner parties but it’s ideal for smaller portions meant for two (or just you). You can use it to boil grains or make a quick brown butter sauce; but better yet, it’s the perfect size for sweet sauces—caramel, ganache, or even jam are all right at home in this pan.
The 5-ply construction keeps the heat distribution even and hot-spot free, while the rounded walls make sure that none of your dairy or sugar-based sauces get stuck. Plus, the fluted lip makes pouring and decanting easier than any saucepan.
3 Quart Saucier
Benefits: An in-between size lets you cook large or small amounts of food and can even be used for one-pot meals.
Best for: Small families or those who cook for multiple people. An extremely versatile size, this works well with any preexisting cookware collection and can be used as a substitute for a saucepan.
The most common (and our most popular) saucier size, the 3QT makes 2-3 servings of food. With a cooking surface diameter of 7", you even have enough room to sear meat for sauce, too. This slightly larger version is a favorite for making risotto—because of the cladding process, the heat is distributed evenly between both the rounded bottom and the sides, and the wide mouth gives you plenty of room to stir or whisk.
This size is often used by professional chefs to finish pasta on the line. When the pasta is nearly al dente, place it directly in your sauce-filled saucier along with some pasta water. The starch from the cooking water helps the sauce emulsify and as the pasta finishes cooking, it absorbs even more flavor.
This is the most versatile size for home cooks and is a great way to see all of the features the saucier has to offer.
5 Quart Saucier
Benefits: A large pan means you can cook large amounts of food, and high walls contain family-size amounts of sauce or broth.
Best for: Large families or those who regularly cook for a lot of people. This size can be used as a substitute for a rondeau, large saucepan, or even a Dutch oven.
The 5QT saucier has all the functionality of the 3 QT, only bigger. With a cooking surface diameter of 8.75", it’s great for searing larger quantities of meat and making a beautiful bolognese or red sauce to feed a crowd. Since it can get quite heavy when it’s full of food, this size features a side helper handle to distribute the weight and help you carry it from stovetop to table.
The copper version of this saucier is also available at a slightly larger 5.2QT size. It features a 9-inch cooking diameter and our proprietary Stay-Cool handle. Copper has superior heat responsiveness, which would make it a great choice for large batches of jam or jelly. Copper cookware is frequently used in high-end restaurants and it is a gorgeous addition to any home kitchen as well.
Ready to Shop?
If you don’t already have a saucier in your kitchen, then it’s time to fix that. The unique shape and features make it a versatile piece of cookware that will improve your technique and the dishes you make in it. The saucier is one of our favorite pans, and we think once you start cooking with it, you’ll love it too.
