Ladle with Holes: What Is It Called and How Do You Use It?

See that ladle with holes hanging by your stove? Most people call it a ‘slotted spoon’ or a ‘strainer ladle,’ and it’s one of those underappreciated kitchen tools that quietly saves you a lot of hassle. Instead of scooping up a bunch of broth with your dumplings or oil with your fried chicken, the holes or slots let the liquid drain away—leaving you with just the good stuff.

If you’ve ever fished out boiled eggs or strained peas with a regular spoon and ended up with a soggy mess, you know why this tool exists. It’s not only about tidiness, either. Using the right tool can actually make your food taste better—imagine crisp fries that don’t get soggy from extra oil.

There’s more than one kind, too. Some have straight slots, others circular holes—a detail that might seem tiny, but can actually make quite a difference depending on what you’re straining. Stainless steel versions last forever and clean up easily, while plastic ones are gentler on your non-stick pans. It’s these little details that can turn an annoying cooking step into a quick, smooth process.

• The Correct Name
• How It’s Different from a Regular Ladle
• Popular Uses at Home
• Tips for Picking the Right One
• Hidden Hacks Every Cook Should Know

The Correct Name

If you’re hunting for the official name of a ladle with holes, most cooks and kitchen stores call it a slotted spoon. Sometimes, you’ll also see it labeled as a “strainer ladle” or a “perforated ladle” on packaging. All these terms mean the same basic thing: a large spoon or ladle with holes or slots designed to let liquid drain through while catching solids.

But here’s where it gets interesting—there’s a small but real difference between some styles. A slotted spoon usually has long, narrow slots, while a perforated spoon or ladle is covered in little round holes. Both do the job of draining, but those slots versus holes can affect how fast the liquid escapes or how much food falls through. Big kitchens or restaurant supply shops get picky about these names, but most folks use them pretty much interchangeably at home.

The term "strainer ladle" pops up when the tool looks more like a ladle (deep bowl with a handle) than a classic slotted spoon (flatter and more shallow). In Asian cooking, you’ll find strainers that look like wire mesh baskets on a handle—these aren’t quite the same, but often get lumped in together by people shopping online. If you want to be technically accurate but still speak plain English, just call it a slotted spoon if it’s shaped like a spoon, or a strainer ladle when it looks like a small ladle with holes.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the terms and where you’ll see them:

Bottom line: if you ask for a slotted spoon at any kitchen store, you’ll get what you need. If you want to get nerdy or you’re shopping for a very specific recipe, watch for those little differences so you grab the best tool for your kitchen.

How It’s Different from a Regular Ladle

At first glance, a ladle with holes (yep, the ladle with holes) and a regular ladle look pretty similar. They both have long handles and deep bowls. But the main thing that sets the two apart is what happens when you scoop. A regular ladle is designed to hold and transfer liquids—think soups, broths, and stews. It’s like a scoop that acts as a cup for your food. A slotted or strainer ladle, though, lets liquid drop right through, which is perfect when you just want the solid bits—like veggies, pasta, or fried food—without the splashy mess.

The shape of the holes, and even how many there are, makes a real difference. Most slotted ladles have slots or circular holes to drain as fast as possible. A regular ladle has a solid bowl, so when you want to serve soup, that’s your go-to. If you’re fishing out poached eggs from simmering water, though, you’d grab the perforated ladle to shed the water quickly.

“A slotted spoon or strainer ladle is essential for separating solid food from liquids—no serious home cook should go without one,” says chef Michael Symon, author of ‘Fix It with Food.’

If you’re wondering why the design actually matters, here’s a quick look:

One other thing to know: slotted ladles handle hot liquids just as well as the regular ones, but since they don’t trap all the liquid, you’re less likely to spill or splash. And for anyone who’s counted calories, using one with holes actually helps cut out a surprising amount of fat by letting oil drain away from fried food—sometimes up to 20% less oil per serving compared to scooping with a standard ladle, according to real-world cooking tests.

• Use a regular ladle for serving soups and punch.
• Grab a slotted ladle for poached eggs, pasta, or meat from a stew when you want to leave the juice behind.

So, if you’ve been using your regular ladle for everything, you’ll notice the upgrade right away once you try the right tool for the job.

Popular Uses at Home

If you peek into most kitchens, you’ll spot a ladle with holes or a slotted spoon hanging out with the spatulas and tongs. This tool isn't just for restaurants or chefs—it’s right at home in daily cooking. Let’s break down what you can actually do with it, and why it’s so darn handy.

First up, draining boiled foods. When you’re making pasta, gnocchi, or dumplings, a slotted spoon lets you scoop out individual portions straight from the pot, without dumping everything through a colander. A lot of folks use it to grab veggies from boiling water for that perfect, crisp-tender texture. The holes make it easy to leave the hot water behind.

Then there’s deep frying. After frying chicken tenders, churros, or onion rings, you don’t want them swimming in oil when they hit your plate. The ladle with holes lets you lift them right out, with most of the grease draining right back into the pan. That means less mess and crispier results.

• Scooping poached eggs—avoids breaking the yolk and leaves excess water behind.
• Fishing out bones or bay leaves from soup before serving.
• Serving fruit salad or canned fruit—lets the syrup drain away.
• Removing scum or foam from broths or jams.

For households where texture matters, parents use slotted spoons to serve up things like peas or corn without splashing leftover cooking liquid onto little plates. Even prepping salad toppings, like marinated olives or pickles, is easier—no one likes a soggy salad.

It’s not just a niche gadget. If you cook, this tool will earn its spot in your utensil jar faster than you think.

Tips for Picking the Right One

Choosing the best ladle with holes comes down to a few key things: material, handle comfort, hole size, and how easy it is to clean. If you pick the wrong one, you’re probably stuck with extra work or scratched pans. Let’s break it down so you don’t waste money on the wrong tool.

For starters, stainless steel is the go-to for most cooks because it holds up forever and doesn’t pick up food odors. Plastic or silicone ones are gentle on non-stick pans but usually don’t handle hot oil or boiling water as well. If you use a dishwasher, make sure yours is labeled as dishwasher-safe—some plastics can warp.

• Handle Comfort: A slip-proof or ergonomically shaped handle matters if you’re stirring for a while or fishing things out of hot pots. Some handles even have thumb rests for extra grip.
• Hole Shape and Size: For big items like dumplings, go with bigger, widely spaced holes. Finer slots are better for peas or corn. Widely spaced holes drain faster, but too wide and you’ll lose small pieces.
• Length: If your pots run deep, get a long-handled one—nobody wants a steam burn.
• Cleaning: Simple designs with fewer joints and seams are easier to clean, and you aren’t stuck picking bits of food out with a toothpick.

According to a survey by Good Housekeeping in 2024, nearly 73% of home cooks reach for their strainer ladle at least twice a week. That’s not a tool you can afford to overlook.

If you cook often, it’s worth investing in a quality ladle with holes—it turns simple draining and serving tasks into a breeze, says Chef Rose Tran, head instructor at City Kitchen Lab.

Don’t get stuck with something that melts or cracks after a month. Pick what matches how you really cook, not just what looks trendy at the store.

Hidden Hacks Every Cook Should Know

Alright, so everyone knows you can use a ladle with holes (yep, that’s the slotted spoon or strainer ladle) to fish things out of boiling water or hot oil. But there are a bunch of other tricks up this tool’s sleeve that people usually miss.

First off, if you ever need to separate poached eggs from their simmering water without wrecking the delicate whites, the holes in your ladle make it a breeze. Just scoop, give a little tilt, and let the water drain away—no egg yolks rolling off a flat spoon.

Here’s one most people overlook: need to get the scum or foam off the top of a soup or stock pot? Skim it off using your ladle with holes and watch how much easier it is than tipping a big spoon. Professional kitchens do this all the time. Gordon Ramsay once said,

“A proper strainer ladle can make or break the final look of your broth. No one likes messy soup.”

If you bake, try dusting baked goods with powdered sugar or cocoa by lightly tapping it through your ladle with holes. It works like a quick sifter—no extra gadgets needed, no clumps on your cookies.

• For blanching vegetables, use it to quickly remove veggies from boiling water and plunge them into an ice bath for perfect color and texture.
• Rinsing canned beans? Just pour them into your ladle over the sink and let the liquid run out, no need for a messy strainer.
• When deep-frying, scoop up fries or nuggets and let the oil drain right back in the pot, keeping your plate grease-free.

If the handle of your ladle tends to slip into pots, grab a silicone band or even a rubber band from your junk drawer, wrap it around the handle, and it’ll grip the edge of your pot—no more fishing out metal handles from hot soup.

Little tweaks like these don’t just save you time. They also keep your kitchen disasters to a minimum. Sometimes, it really is about having the right tool and knowing a couple of insider moves.