There are some questions that haunt us. Questions that we worry we’ll never find the answer to. Is there an afterlife? Will I ever find the love of my life? Why do Canadians drink milk from bags? The list goes on and on. I don’t know about you, but there’s one question in particular that has vexed me for years: Is it possible to sous vide green beens? It’s a question that never seems to go away for those of us bothered by it. Thankfully, you’ll never have to wonder again. I got proactive about my desire to solve this quandary and now you can benefit. The following article is the result of my study, and you may be shocked by the results!
While sous vide technique of cooking is mostly used to prepare tender meats and fish, vegetables cooked in a temperature controlled water bath are no less delicious. It might not be the most common use of sous vide, but that doesn’t make it any less effective. In fact, it’s a perfect way to add a little unexpected snap to your favorite veg. The most popular veggies to prepare with this method are those who are tough and crunchy when raw, such as the all-around favorite green or string beans. Green beans prepared sous vide keep all their nutrients, melt in your mouth and, most importantly, have a mouthwatering flavor.
Once you’ve sampled green beans prepared through sous vide, you’ll never even consider eating them prepared any other way. You’ll find yourself scraping non-sous vide green beans off of you plate and cursing anyone who dared to prepared them in a less satisfying matter. So, how do you sous vide up the green beans of your dreams? Let’s find out by taking a look at some of our favorite recipes for sous vide green beans! These beans will change your life.
Sous Vide Szechuan Style Green Beans
Ingredients
- 5 oz (or 150 grams) of the freshest green beans that you can find.
- 2 tsp of sriracha sauce.
- 1 tsp of sesame oil.
- 1½ tsp of ginger, freshly minced.
- 1½ tsp of garlic, minced to perfection.
- ½ tsp of dried onions.
- ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes.
Instructions
Set the sous vide water bath to 180 degrees Fahrenheit or 80 degrees Celsius. Add all of the ingredients, except for those luscious green beans, into a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients together with a fork to combine. Place the green beans into a quart sized zip-top bag. Add the sauce mixture and gently combine it with the green beans until they are thoroughly coated. Using the water displacement method, vacuum seal the bag. Place the green beans into the water bath and cook for 30 to 40 minutes (the slight variation in time accounts for the varying thickness of the beans, so you can adjust that cooking time based purely on the girth of your beans). Use tongs to remove the green beans from the bag and place them carefully onto a plate. Sauce up those beans with the reserved liquid in the bag as desired. That’s it. Simple, yet delectable!
Sous Vide Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ medium shallot that has been both peeled and diced.
- 2 cups (or 300 g) of fresh green beans that have been trimmed and cut into small pieces.
- 7 ounces (or 100 ml) of condensed cream of mushroom soup.
- 1 egg that has been thoroughly beaten.
- 1/4 cup (or 60 ml) of panko breadcrumbs.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- 1 can (2.8 ounces or 78 g) of crispy fried onions.
Instructions
Fill and preheat your sous vide oven to 185 degrees Fahrenheit/85 degrees Celsius. Put all of the ingredients, except for the crispy onions, into a large food-grade cooking pouch. Then take some time to massage the bag until all of the ingredients are evenly combined. Vacuum seal the pouch and submerge it into in the water bath to cook for a full two hours. Once that time has passed, remove the pouch from the water oven and spoon the warm mixture into a serving dish. Finally, sprinkle the crispy onions over the top of the beans as a tasty accent and serve your creation to a delighted crowd who will never forget them.
Sous Vide Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) of fresh slender green beans that have been washed and trimmed.
- 1 medium to large onion that has been finely diced.
- 2 slices bacon that have been diced down to small pieces.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
Fill and preheat your sous vide oven to 185 degrees Fahrenheit/ 85 degrees Celsius. Season the beans with salt and pepper, then mix with them with the diced onion and put the whole mixture into a cooking pouch. Add the diced bacon to the mixture and then vacuum seal the bag. Submerge the bag of deliciousness in the water oven to cook for a full hour. Remove and serve straight from the pouch, either as a standalone dish or a side dish to sous vide boneless pork chop. This tasty treat won’t soon be forgotten by anyone who enjoys a tasty bag of beans (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?!).