Cooking salmon can be a tiny bit challenging, as there is a fine line between the heavenly moist, flavorful cooked salmon we all want. And the dry, chewy result we try to avoid. That’s why I wholeheartedly recommend following this recipe using Sous Vide to cook salmon. This technique will guarantee you a perfectly buttery, delicate, and definitely delicious Salmon dish.
Some tips to consider
- During the cooking of the salmon, some white liquid will ooze off the surface. Don’t worry. This is completely normal while cooking it. You can either leave it or wipe it off with a paper towel when cooking is done. You can also try to minimize it by leaving your salmon piece for 10 minutes in a salt solution composed of 1 tablespoon of salt in a cup of water.
- You can freeze this meal by sealing off the salmon pieces in a vacuum bag and leave it in the freezer.
- It’s essential to season the salmon generously before and after the Sous Vide step. This will enhance the natural steak flavor and tenderize it.
- You can Sous Vide frozen salmon simply by increasing cooking time by 30 minutes.
- You are free to use skin-on or skinless salmon. However, the skin has many great health benefits, in addition to the fact that it preserves the moisture in the meat while cooking it. You can easily peel it before searing the meat as it becomes soft. You can also sear it and turn it into crispy chips!
- You have other seasoning options for this recipe, like using dill instead of garlic with the rest of the ingredients. Or you can even marinate the salmon in a mix of honey and garlic for 30 minutes before using the Sous Vide.
- It’s best to cook this salmon at 130°F (54°C) to retain the tenderness, texture, and flavor of the fish so it doesn’t become chewy. However, you are free to cook it to any doneness you prefer.
Here’s a Temperature/texture guide for you
Sous Vide Salmon Temperature | Texture |
105°F (41°C) | Resembles the sashimi |
110°F (43°C) | Very soft, still tastes raw |
115°F (46°C) | Soft and a bit flaky |
120°F (49°C) | Very tender, moist, and slightly flaky |
130°F (54°C) | Moist, tender, firm and so flaky |

How to Cook Sous Vide Salmon
Ingredients
- 3 Salmon fillets (skin-on preferred)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 Lemon
- ½ teaspoon of flaky salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- Chopped herbs for garnishing
Instructions
- To prepare the Sous vide, you will first need to fill its container with water, then adjust the temperature to 135°F (57°C). Leave it to preheat.
- Season your Salmon filets by rubbing ½ tablespoon of olive oil on both steak sides. Sprinkle the salt and pepper generously on both sides. Add the finely chopped garlic on top.
- Add on top fine slices of lemon.
- Place the salmon fillets in a zip-lock bag. Make sure they are spread in one layer.
- Now, for the ‘Water displacement’ technique, close the bag containing the salmon completely except one corner to allow air to come out. Dip the bag in a water filler container, keeping the zip-line above the water surface. Close the zip-line completely.
- Dip the bag completely into the sous vide container. You can use sous vide weight magnets or kitchen metal tongs to make sure the bag doesn’t float on the surface
- Leave it to cook for 45 minutes in the case of a 1.5-inch thick piece and only 30 minutes for 1-inch thick peace. If it’s 2-inch thick, cook it for 1 hour.
- Remove the salmon pieces from the bag using a fish spatula when the time is done.
- Remove excess moisture from the salmon with a paper towel. Sprinkle some salt and pepper according to taste.
- On a hot iron skillet, put on a medium-high flame, sprinkled with the rest of the olive oil, sear your salmon for 1 minute with the skin side facing the pan and 15 seconds on the other side.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

Hi, I’m Julie, the passionate foodie and founder of Juliesfamilykitchen.com. I created this blog out of a drive to prove someone wrong, and then I realized how much I truly enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. In my free time, when I’m not running around after my kids or spending quality time with my partner, you can usually find me in the kitchen experimenting with new dishes.