From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (2024)

If you’ve yet to hear about this buzzy cooking technique, sous vide (pronounced soo-veed) is a method of cooking food in a vacuum sealed pouch immersed in water. Sounds weird, right? But there’s a method to the madness. The idea is that the temperature is steadily controlled, ensuring evenly cooked food, while the vacuum-sealed bag keeps the marinade inside.You can do it with a machine, or without. It’s also pretty foolproof– you can’t over cook anything because the water won’t rise past a certain temperature. I’m a nervous meat cooker so this is big time for me. Plus, it’s great for meal prep. Most of the following recipes can be frozen once they are in the air-tight bag, ready to cook whenever you need them. I used to think that sous vide was limited to steak (if you don’t have a grill, this is a great way to make a steak), but recently learned that it can also be used for all sorts of meats and even veggies.

The sous vide possibilities are actually pretty endless.So, if you haven’t tried the sous vide technique, this is your sign. Read on for 12 sous vide recipes to get you started.

Sous Vide Recipes With Meat

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (1)

Sous Vide BBQ Chicken from Whitney Bond

Why We Love It: This sous vide recipe is a shortcut that every entertainer needs to know about. All you have to do is throw some BBQ sauce in with the chicken breasts and let the sous vide work its magic. Ninety minutes later you have juicy BBQ chicken that your guests will think you spent all day marinating. The best part? While the chicken is cooking, you can put all of your finishing touches on the rest of the meal so that when the timer goes off, dinner is served.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (2)

Sous Vide Teriyaki Salmon from Simply Recipes

Why We Love It: If you’ve ever cooked salmon, you know that it’s a hard fish to perfect. Preparing it in the sous vide takes away all of that stress, plus every part of the fish will cook the same amount. It has a super simple yet flavorful marinade with ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and all those yummy Teriyaki ingredients. I personally serve over a bed of rice for a delicious and filling meal.

Get the recipe here.

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Sous Vide Steak from Fit Foodie Finds

Why We Love It: This is your guide to making a restaurant-grade steak at home. I love this recipe because the seasonings are kept simple, but decadent enough to make it truly taste professional. Once it’s in the sous vide, you have plenty of time to finish up work and then all it needs is a quick sear in a cast iron skillet. Steakhouses beware, you might never leave home for a steak again.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (4)

Sous Vide Sesame Chicken from Simply Recipes

Why We Love It: Introducing a healthier alternative to your favorite takeout Chinese food. Sesame Chicken would definitely be a part of my last meal, and I love that this recipe swaps the fryer for the sous vide. It is so juicy and tender that you don’t even realize it isn’t fried. The long cooking time gives you plenty of time to prep the delicious sauce, too.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (5)

Mongolian Sous Vide Flank Steak from Fit Foodie Finds

Why We Love It: With only 15 minutes of prep, this recipe can either sit in the sous vide for five hours, or 24 hours. Your choice. The flank steak comes out so tender and the Mongolian beef sauce comes together with just the sous vide juices and cornstarch. Delicious, healthy, and easy.

Get the recipe here.

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Sous Vide Brisket from Platings and Pairings

Why We Love It: This recipe post may have coined my favorite way to describe sous vide recipes: “set it and forget it.” You’re definitely going to clock some hours with this one, but the result is oh so worth it. The brisket sits in the sous vide for over 24 hours, but once it’s in, you can just relax and enjoy. The seasonings are super simple, too, so it’s a stress-free recipe all around.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (7)

24-Hour Sous Vide Ribs from Fit Foodie Finds

Why We Love It: Don’t let the phrase “24-hour” scare you. If you’re going to make ribs, you have to do it right. Plus, this recipe only entails 20 minutes of actual prep. Using the sous vide ensures that the ribs are cooked perfectly and fall off the bone every time. If you’re entertaining with this recipe, it allows you to get all of the work done ahead of time and just throw the ribs on the grill when the guests arrive.

Get the recipe here.

Vegetarian Sous Vide Recipes

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (8)

Sous Vide Glazed Baby Carrots from Thyme and Joy

Why We Love It: We’ve had lots of cooked carrot debates over here at Camille Styles, mostly because of their texture. There’s nothing worse than a warm, mushy carrot, in my opinion. However, making them in a sous vide allows you to cook them to perfection: tender, but not mushy, and firm, but not crunchy. Plus, cooking them in the bag allows them to soak up their own natural juices that can otherwise escape.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (9)

Garlic Herb Sous Vide Potatoes from Izzy Cooking

Why We Love It: Potatoes will always and forever be my favorite side dish, and using the sous vide as step one is perfect for chopped potatoes or mashed potatoes. After they are finished cooking in the sous vide, you can either sear them to give them a crispy outer layer, or mash them up. It takes all the guesswork out of boiling them and makes the potatoes deliciously fluffy.

Get the recipe here.

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Sous Vide Carrot Ginger Soup from Platings and Pairings

Why We Love It: Carrot and ginger are a match made in heaven. Perfect for chilly days inside, just set the ingredients in the sous vide and get ready for a healthy, cozy night in. Not only is the color of the soup itself so pretty, but the lime crema topping gives it major presentation points. This soup will definitely be on repeat this fall.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (11)

Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites from Copy Kat

Why We Love It: This might be the most creative of all the sous vide recipes I have seen. With this recipe, you prepare the egg mixture in a blender and then pour it into separate jars. The jars are both the vessel that you use to cook in the sous vide, and the perfect mold for the bites. Back in 2019, Camille published her own Egg Bite recipe that actually shows you how to make them without a sous vide machine, too. These are a brunch must-try.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (12)

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup from Simple Bites

Why We Love It: Sous Vide soup? A combo of my favorite things. With fall finally here, I’m constantly craving butternut squash soup and this recipe makes it so easy. Butternut squash and apples are both in their prime season, so there’s no better time to try this out. I also always love a soup with a long prep because it makes that first spoonful so rewarding… even when the sous vide did all the work.

Get the recipe here.

From Soups to Steaks, 12 Sous Vide Recipes That Make Cooking a Decadent Meal, Deliciously Easy (2024)

FAQs

Why is sous vide bad? ›

Toxin production occurs while in the anaerobic environment provided by sous vide packaging, which can then cause severe illness if strict temperature control is not maintained.

What is a disadvantage of sous vide? ›

If you're not careful about cooking times (as specified by the product manufacturer), your food can become contaminated. In addition, if your food is not properly vacuum sealed, or your food becomes contaminated during prep, cooking sous-vide poses an additional threat.

How many steaks can you sous vide at once? ›

Sous vide temperatures are safe for extended periods of time, but they are low enough that a steak cannot actually overcook. When you are on the last step of the process, you may have seven or eight steaks in the bath simultaneously–which by now will be full to the brim. The Norwood method!

How do you make sous vide steak more flavorful? ›

Q: Can I add aromatics, like herbs or alliums, to the sous vide bag? Yes, you can. I like to add thyme or rosemary sprigs, along with sliced shallots or garlic cloves, to the bags with my steaks during cooking. Adding the same aromatics to the pan as you sear the steaks will bolster that flavor.

Can you use Ziploc bags to sous vide? ›

Ziplock and Glad brand bags are made from polyethylene plastic, and are free of BPAs and dioxins. A good rule of thumb is that when a bag is rated as microwave safe (which requires FDA approval) you can use it for sous vide. Even Dr. Schaffner agrees.

Can you overcook steak in sous vide? ›

For example, many chefs recommend that sous vide steak should not be cooked for longer than four hours because the connective tissue begins to break down and the steak can become mushy. If the recipe says to cook something for between one and four hours, it's probably not recommended to cook it for 12.

How long do you sous vide a steak for? ›

Strip and Ribeye Steak
Preferred DonenessTemperatureTime
Very rare to rare120°F / 49°C to 128°F / 53°C1h to 2h 30m
Medium-rare129°F / 54°C to 134°F / 57°C1h to 4h
Medium135°F / 57°C to 144°F / 62°C1h to 4h
Medium-well145°F / 63°C to 155°F / 68°C1h to 3h 30m
1 more row

Do chefs like sous vide? ›

The Precision

This is where sous vide really comes into its own, allowing chefs an unparalleled level of control over their dishes. With a traditional oven or grill, the temperature will invariably vary by a couple of degrees throughout the cooking process.

What is the best meat to sous vide? ›

The best meat to sous vide for 48-72 hours at 135°F (57°C) is beef brisket, while pork shoulder can be cooked between 24-36 hours at 165°F (74°C). Results are always tender and juicy, making for perfect leftovers in sandwiches, tacos, or any other dish calling for shredded meat.

Should you season steak before or after sous vide? ›

Ideally, season your steak 30 minutes or even a full day before you plan to cook it (a dry brine is amazing for steak!). Even if you don't have this kind of time, I find it's best to season steak before sous viding. You can lightly season again before searing if you wish, but this usually isn't necessary.

What is the best beef to sous vide? ›

Most beef cuts can be cooked sous vide, including larger, tougher cuts such as Short Ribs or Chuck Roast, but rich, well-marbled cuts such as Strip Steak also really benefit from this preparation.

Should I add butter to sous vide steak? ›

Here at Sous Vide Tools we often like to add a small amount of butter to the bag and find that for best results, flavoured butter works really well to add a little something extra during the cooking process. Our preference is to place butter into the bag itself, rather than on top of the product.

Should I marinate a steak before sous vide? ›

Another thing to note is that cooked meat doesn't absorb marinades, and the outside of meats cook in roughly 5 to 10 minutes sous vide, so you always want to marinate first before sous vide cooking — even if you leave the marinade in the bag.

Why is my sous vide steak rubbery? ›

On average, fat will begin to render around 130 F and, if not done properly, is the real reason your sous vide meat is rubbery. Because you're cooking the steak low and slow for that optimal tenderness, it's easy for temperatures to not become hot enough to get that crispy edge you crave.

Is sous vide carcinogenic? ›

Not if you use sous vide bags. If you ignore all the warnings that came with your sous vide machine, and cook something sous vide in a plastic bag that contains BPA, then maybe. But the biggest cancer risk in your sous vide steak comes from the final sear, not the hours sous viding.

Does sous vide destroy nutrients? ›

Both of them require high temperature (around 100°C) and the presence of oxygen which can lead to a decrease in nutritional substances and can influence the activity and bioavailability of active compounds. Therefore, under sous‐vide cooking is a possible strategy to avoid loss of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.

Do sous vide bags leach chemicals? ›

No. The bags sold for sous vide cooking are free of phthalates , BPA , and other hormone-disrupting chemicals. So too are most, if not all, plastic ziplock-type freezer bags, which can alternatively be used when the food is not going to be stored afterwards, since you don't need a perfect seal.

Is sous vide bad because of plastic? ›

The EEP recommends the use of appropriate plastic bags for sous vide that follow current FDA guidelines and are free of BPA and phthalates. Bags and pouches used in sous vide should be made of food- grade plastics such as high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, and polypropylene.

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