Sous Vide Brussels Sprouts

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Sous Vide Brussels Sprouts are perfectly tender in the middle and caramelized on the outside! They take just 45 minutes using the sous vide method with a quick sear in the skillet before serving.

With this recipe, you’ll never have overcooked Brussels sprouts again!

I’m all about the side dishes for the holiday season, and these sous vide Brussels sprouts are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas! 

While we still love to serve honey balsamic Brussels sprouts or these sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts, sometimes you just need to free up your oven space, especially around the holidays (you can make these air fryer frozen brussels sprouts too)!

Perhaps the best part about using the sous vide is that you don’t need to keep a close eye on the Brussels sprouts as they cook. The controlled temperature of the water bath ensures they cook perfectly - tender in the middle without getting mushy or too browned on the outside!

For the holidays, these Brussels sprouts pair nicely with this sous vide ham or sous vide turkey thighs along with truffle mashed potatoes and air fryer carrots!

Check out the sous vide brussels sprouts story!

Why this recipe works

1. No more overcooked and mushy Brussels sprouts! It’s so easy to overcook Brussels, and once they get mushy, they’re definitely not appealing. The water bath ensures this doesn’t happen!
2. The sous vide cooks the Brussels sprouts in a sealed bag, so the nutrients and flavor are not lost as the Brussels cook. This method also helps them maintain their vibrant green color!
3. If you like your Brussels sprouts caramelized with crispy edges, no worries! These little cabbages get a quick sear in the skillet before serving.

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 for water bath
• Vacuum sealer
• 16 ounce canning jars

If you don't have a lot of experience cooking sous vide yet, you may want to pop over and read what sous vide cooking is and some tips.

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 for water bath
• Vacuum sealer
• 4 ounce canning jars

If you don't have a lot of experience cooking sous vide yet, you may want to pop over and read what sous vide cooking is and some tips.

Ingredients

For the full list of ingredients and quantities, please see the recipe card below.

You’ll need 1 pound of fresh Brussels sprouts for this recipe. Since we’re keeping them whole, choose Brussels sprouts that are not too big. Smaller ones will cook faster and have a sweeter taste. You should also go for ones that are firm with green and tightly packed leaves. 

To flavor the Brussels sprouts and tame any bitterness that may come out as they cook, you’ll season them with 2 tablespoons of apple juice and 1 tablespoon of grainy Dijon mustard. (I like grainy but you can also use smooth Dijon mustard). 

You’ll also need to add 1 tablespoon of fat or oil to the sealable bag to cook with the Brussels. I prefer to use bacon fat, but you can use butter, duck fat or olive oil.

For searing the Brussels sprouts at the end, I like to use 1 tablespoon of avocado oil as it has a higher smoke point than some other oils.

Lastly, you’ll want to serve the Brussels with crumbled bacon. I usually cook 2 pieces and add it just before serving.

Step by step instructions

Heat a sous vide water bath to 185F degrees.

Combine all the ingredients (except the avocado oil and bacon pieces) in a bowl and toss to coat the Brussels sprouts.

Place in a vacuum sealable bag (or ziplock freezer bag if using the water displacement method).

**While I used a vacuum sealable bag here, I recommend using the water displacement method in this recipe, if you can, as the bag will float due to the gases Brussels sprouts expel during cooking. To avoid having to try and weigh down the bag, you can just open the ziplock slightly at the corner to let the excess air out and close it again.

Cook the Brussels sprouts in the water bath for 45 minutes.

Heat the avocado oil on medium-high heat in a nonstick or cast iron skillet.

Add the contents of the bag and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, until the Brussels sprouts have lightly caramelized on the outside.

Serve immediately sprinkled with bacon pieces. 

Expert tips

1. For even cooking, organize the Brussels sprouts in the sealable bag in a single layer (as much as possible).
2. Make sure your Brussels sprouts are all roughly the same size so they cook evenly. If you have some larger ones, just cut them in half.
3. I cooked mine whole, but if you cut them in half, they may cook a little faster.
4. If your Brussels sprouts are larger, they may take a little longer to cook in the water bath.
5. Be sure to remove air from the bag as this keeps bacteria out.
6. Keep the bag completely submerged in the water. If the bag floats, weigh it down with a sous vide sinker weight or open the bag and release the air.
7. I prefer the water displacement method as it’s easy to open the corner of a ziplock bag to let excess air out and reseal it.
8. If you have oven space, you can broil the Brussels sprouts for 3-5 minutes before serving instead of searing them on the stovetop. 

Common questions

Make ahead instructions

You can make sous vide Brussels sprouts in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To do this, once the Brussels sprouts are finished cooking in the water bath, place them in an ice bath so they cool down quickly. Once fully cooled, keep them in the sealed bag in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To reheat, place the bag in a 185F degree water bath and heat until the Brussels sprouts are warmed through. Then, sear in a skillet with avocado oil and serve with crumbled bacon.

Other sous vide vegetable recipes

• Sous Vide Carrots
• Sous Vide Potatoes
• Sous Vide Broccoli
• Sous Vide Corn on the Cob
• Sous Vide Green Beans

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