Sweating

Sweating gently heats vegetables, most often onions and other aromatics, in a small amount of oil or butter over low heat, stirring and turning them frequently so the liquid they release evaporates while the vegetables themselves soften, and sometimes turn translucent, without browning. Unlike sauteing, which uses higher heat specifically to brown food, sweating deliberately avoids color, and a cook may add salt partway through to help draw moisture out of the vegetables faster. It commonly serves as a preliminary step before the vegetables go into a liquid-based dish such as a soup, stew or sauce; the same technique is known in Italian cooking as soffritto, where it forms the base of dishes such as risotto.