Simple Sauté Bases

Editorial guide from Empório Portugal for cooking, choosing ingredients, and creating Portuguese experiences with more safety and context.

Cultural Context

Almost all Portuguese cuisine starts with onion, garlic, and olive oil — the sauté defines the sweetness, depth, and color of the broths.

From caldo verde to duck rice, the translucent point of the onion is a silent reference for those who cook well.

Practical Explanation

Heat olive oil without smoking, add onion and garlic in the right order, and keep medium heat until translucent — not golden — unless the recipe calls for color. Partial salt helps extract water without burning.

Step by Step

1. Cut onion into thin half-moons and garlic sliced or chopped.
2. Heat olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat.
3. Add onion first; stir occasionally.
4. When it starts to become translucent, add garlic for one minute.
5. If using bell pepper or carrot, add before the onion browns.
6. Partial salt at this stage helps soften.
7. For soups, add hard vegetables right after the base sauté.
8. For rice, keep the base without strong color before adding the rice.

Tips from Empório Portugal

• A wide pot spreads heat and prevents burning.
• Burnt garlic is bitter — always add it after the onion.
• Portuguese olive oil with a fruity profile enhances the natural sweetness of the onion.

Common Mistakes

• High heat that burns garlic in seconds.
• Onion too thick — takes longer and may caramelize unintentionally.
• Too little olive oil, resulting in a dry and sticky sauté.

Possible Substitutions in Brazil

• Green onion and leeks work in milder variations.
• Mild commercial olive oil increases quantity without bitterness.

Frequently Asked Questions