Sous Vide Green Beans with Garlic & Oil
on Oct 11, 2023, Updated Nov 21, 2023
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Sous Vide Green Beans with incredible flavor and perfect crispy texture! Made with just a few simple ingredients including garlic, this no-fail sous vide recipe makes a delicious side dish to any main meal.
I never liked green beans or string beans until I use the sous vide machine, which never overcooks them. They are the perfect and easiest accompaniment to steak, chicken, or seafood.
Why sous vide green beans?
Green beans can be easily overcooked using traditional methods, resulting in olive-green color and mushy texture, as well as nutrient loss. Sous vide method makes the perfect green beans with a crispy texture and bright green color EVERY TIME!
Green beans are an excellent source of fiber, folate and potassium. They are also rich in iron, protein and zinc. As the green beans are cooked in a sealed bag, they can retain all the nutrients, so you’ll maximize the nutrition benefits with sous vide.
What is sous vide?
Sous vide means “under vacuum” in French. It’s a cooking technique where the food is vacuum sealed in a bag, then cooked to a very precise temperature in a sous vide water bath.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these green beans taste fantastic:
- Fresh green beans: Look for green beans that feel firm and crispy. Avoid the ones with bruises or discoloration. You should be able to snap them easily if they’re fresh.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Olive oil: It adds extra flavor to your green beans, but you can leave it out if you prefer to have a healthier side dish.
- Sea salt and ground black pepper: It’s best to add them after sous vide cooking to avoid discoloring.
Temperature for sous vide green beans
I’ve tested many different temperatures to sous vide cook green beans, and my favorite is 186°F or 86°C.
How long to cook green beans in sous vide water bath
Cooking time depends on your desired texture. To get crisp-tender green beans by sous vide, cook for 30-45 minutes. For a softer texture, cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Cook at 186°F (86°C) for 30 minutes for a crispy texture with a vibrant green color.
- Cook at at 186°F (86°C) for 45 minutes for a tender and softer texture.
Then quickly stir fry with garlic in the end, and season with salt and pepper.
Seal the bag without a vacuum-sealer
A vacuum-sealer works better when sous vide cooking vegetables as it can pull out the air more effectively. But if you don’t own a vacuum-sealer, you can seal the bag using “water displacement” technique with a regular zip-top bag.
Prevent the bag from floating in the water bath
To prevent the vacuum-sealed bag from floating, you can use sous vide weights and place them in the bag with your green beans to weigh down the bag. Alternatively, use heavy kitchen items such as metal tongs and heavy bowls to keep it fully submerged.
What to eat with sous vide green beans?
More sous vide vegetables you’ll love:
If you try this recipe, please let me know how your sous vide green beans turns out in the comments below!
Sous Vide Green Beans Recipe with Garlic & Oil
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large container or pot with water. Attach the sous vide precision cooker and set the temperature to 186ºF/86ºC.
- Wash the green beans and trim the ends.
- Add them into a zip-lock bag, spread out into one single layer.
- Seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique: seal all but one corner of the bag and slowly place it in the water bath. Make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag. (Use a vacuum sealer if you have one.)
- Clip a heavy spoon to the edge of the bag to weigh the bag down. Or use a heavy kitchen item to keep the green beans completely submerged in the water. (Make sure the seams are above the water).
- Cook for 30 minutes if you prefer a crispy texture and bright green color. (Cook for 45 minutes for a tender and soft texture.)
- When the timer goes off, take the bag out and remove the green beans from the bag.
- Add oil to the skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add sliced garlic. Stir fry for a few minutes until golden brown.
- Add green beans, and season with salt and pepper. Stir fry for about 30 seconds. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Store cooked green beans in an airtight container and they can last up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
