Sous vide broccoli is a quick and easy side dish that will have the whole family asking for more. Perfectly cooked broccoli tossed in garlicky oil, it doesn’t get better than that!
You ever look at food in the grocery store and think “can I sous vide that?”.
Some people bring grocery lists to the store, I bring a notebook to jot down my ideas so that my big brain doesn’t forget them before I get home.
No. 1 –> New to sous vide cooking, check out my Sous Vide 101 post for more information!
No. 2 –> Don’t discard the stem. The broccoli stem is delicious, all you’ve gotta do is peel the the fibrous skin and slice into rounds. Cook it with the florets, you’ll love it. Trust me.
No. 3 –> If you don’t want garlic-infused oil on your garlic, feel free to skip those steps for a plain but perfectly cooked broccoli.
Broccoli: Shocking, I know! For this recipe, we want fresh, firm broccoli. Try to choose a crown that is a deep green throughout and skip any that look like the florets are yellowing or browning.
Olive oil: We’re using olive oil in this recipe as a vehicle for more garlic flavour and to add richness to the broccoli itself. Steamed broccoli is good until you toss it in oil, then it’s great.
Garlic: Sautéing the garlic in the olive oil before tossing with the broccoli adds flavour to the oil as well as gives the broccoli that pan-fried deliciousness.
Add the broccoli to a vacuum seal bag and vacuum seal. Add to water bath and weigh it down with sous vide magnets and/or a ceramic plate or bowl. The broccoli will want to float! Add the bag to the preheated water bath and cook for 30-60 minutes.
How to make sous vide broccoli
- Preheat sous vide water bath to 185f.
- Wash and prep broccoli, chop each broccoli crown into quarters. Discard the bottom third of the stem, and peel the remaining stem and slice into 1/2 – 3/4″ rounds.
- Put the broccoli into a vacuum seal bag and seal.
- Once the water bath reaches temperature, place the broccoli in the water bath and cook for 35 minutes. You may have to weigh down the bag to keep it submerged.
- Meanwhile, slice the garlic cloves into thin slices, then add the olive oil and garlic cloves to a cast-iron skillet over low heat.
- Heat the oil and garlic until the garlic darkens and becomes fragrant. Strain out the browned garlic and set aside.
- Remove the broccoli from the water bath and dump the contents of the sous vide bag into the preheated skillet.
- Toss the broccoli to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste, top with the browned garlic.
- Serve hot.
Make ahead / leftovers
Sous vide broccoli is a great make ahead recipe!
Simply make an extra bag of broccoli, and once the broccoli is done in the sous vide, drop it into an ice bath for 10 or so minutes to cool it quickly before placing in the fridge for later use.
To use, you can reheat for a few minutes in the sous vide, or pan fry with some olive oil and garlic, or even toss in olive oil and broil it in the oven on a cookie sheet for a few minutes.
If you’ve got leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, pan fry, or broil until heated through.
This recipe can still be made, no problem! Use the water displacement method to remove air from your bag.
Run a couple inches of water in your sink. Add all of the broccoli to a freezer duty ziplock bag, then submerge the bulk of the bag into the water, keeping the sealing zipper out of the water. Once the weight of the water has pushed out the air, zip the bag closed.
If you’re using the water displacement method, you will most definitely need to weigh down your bag to keep it submerged in the water to ensure even cooking.
Richard Bais Demonstrates Sous Vide Broccoli
FAQ
How many minutes to cook broccoli?
What vegetables are best cooked sous vide?
How long do you sous vide Broccoli?
For broccoli with a bit of a bite, sous vide at 180 degrees F for 30 minutes. For more tender broccoli, sous vide at 185 degrees F for 30 minutes. You can also play with temperatures in between. If you already sous vide, you likely have all of these items in your kitchen already. If not, it’s time to get some equipment! Here’s what you’ll need:
How can one store broccoli and for how many days?
Broccoli can be stored in a cool, dry place for perhaps a week. Then it can be frozen. For this, it is recommended to keep it cooked, either boiled or sautéed.
Can You sous vide Broccoli in advance?
You can make sous vide broccoli in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer. This makes it perfect for meal prep! To do this, follow the recipe instructions up to the ice bath and let the broccoli fully cool in the bath. Place the bag of broccoli in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How do you prepare a sour vide Broccoli?
Sous Vide Broccoli is the best way to prepare your broccoli. It’s tender, vibrant and packed with nutrients! Place the broccoli in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest and toss to coat the broccoli. Place a in vacuum seal bag and vacuum seal to remove the air (or use the water displacement method).