Sous Vide Broccoli (The BEST Broccoli)

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Sous Vide Broccoli is the best way to prepare your broccoli! If you’ve ever struggled with overcooked and mushy broccoli, you’ll want to try cooking it in a sous vide!

It’s tender, vibrant and packed with nutrients. Like these sous vide carrots we're also in love with.

Don’t get me wrong! I still love broccoli prepared in other ways. This Instant Pot broccoli has a lemon butter sauce that’s just incredible, and this roasted frozen broccoli makes a perfect last minute side dish, as well as this ultra easy air fryer broccoli. 

But when it comes to this sous vide recipe, I love how it locks in broccoli’s nutrients. Since it cooks in a sealed bag, there’s nowhere for the nutrients to escape, making this broccoli one healthy side dish!

And ultra, ultra easy to make, which is also a plus!

You should also try this sous vide asparagus - it's basically poached in butter and just delicious!

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator. This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.

Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.

To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking."

What is the Water Displacement Method?

The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).

Use a clip (I use binder clips) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.

Tools Used

• Anova Precision Sous Vide Cooker
• 12 quart container
• Vacuum sealer
• Vacuum seal bags
• 4 ounce canning jars

Other sous vide recipes to try

• Sous Vide Whole Chicken
• Sous Vide Duck Breast
• Sous Vide Soft Boiled Egg
• Sous Vide Scallops

Why this recipe works

1. The sous vide cooking method allows you to cook food in a water bath with a controlled temperature, so you don’t have to worry about overcooking your broccoli. The days of limp and mushy broccoli are over!
2. It’s a super easy side dish for busy weeknights. The broccoli requires just five ingredients and very little prep time. You can even cook it in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer.
3. The sous vide method actually locks in the nutrients of the broccoli, so it maintains its vibrant green color and nutritional benefits!

Ingredients

You’ll need 12 ounces of fresh broccoli for this recipe. I used pre-cut broccoli florets because it's super convenient, but you can also buy a head of broccoli and chop it into florets. Whatever you choose, make sure the broccoli is deep green in color and doesn’t have any brown or yellow spots on it. 

The broccoli is tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest before getting sealed up in the vacuum seal bag. For the best flavor, make sure you’re using a good quality olive oil. You can also substitute butter for some extra richness.

We love to serve this broccoli with freshly squeezed lemon juice. I don’t recommend the bottled juice as it just doesn’t have the same flavor.

Besides, you’re using lemon zest for the broccoli, so you might as well juice the lemon to reduce any waste!

Step by step instructions

Place the broccoli in a bowl with the olive oil, pepper, lemon zest and salt and toss to coat the broccoli.

Place it in a vacuum seal bag and vacuum seal to remove the air. (Or use the water displacement method referenced above).

Heat a water bath to 185F degrees and cook the broccoli for 45 minutes.

Remove the bag from the water and place immediately in an ice bath to stop the cooking.

Remove the broccoli from the bag and serve with fresh lemon juice and additional salt to taste, if necessary.

Expert tips

1. If the bag fills with air before the broccoli is cooked, just cut open the bag and reseal it with the vacuum sealer.
2. If the bag floats, weigh it down with something heavy or drape a wet towel over the top.
3. For the best results, use a good quality olive oil for the broccoli. You can also substitute butter, if you prefer.
4. To ensure even cooking, try to arrange the broccoli in a single layer, as much as possible, in the vacuum sealed bag.

Common questions

Make ahead and freezing instructions

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.

To reheat, place the bag of broccoli in a 150F degree water bath for 5 minutes, or until heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave, but just use 20 seconds at a time to avoid overcooking.

Make it a meal

Sous vide broccoli is a versatile side dish. Here are a few recipes we love to pair it with:

• Pan Roasted Grapefruit Chicken Thighs
• Buttery Roasted Turkey Thighs
• Air Fryer Baked Potato
• Instant Pot Wild Rice
• Spicy Braised Green Beans

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!