Goodbye dry salmon! This easy sous vide salmon is buttery, tender, and always perfect. The best part? It’s almost hands-off! Set it, forget it, and enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home with minimal effort.
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Why this is the best sous vide salmon recipe
I’ll be honest—I used to avoid cooking salmon because it always turned out dry or overcooked. But then I discovered sous vide, and wowzers, it changed everything! This method locks in moisture to get the most tender, buttery salmon with zero guesswork. No more hovering over the stove or second-guessing if it’s done. Just set it, let it cook, and get on with your day.
The best part? It pairs with fresh, bright sides. I love serving it with this Pearl Couscous Mediterranean Salad—a crunchy and refreshing mix of chewy couscous, crunchy veggies and a hint of sweetness from dried cranberries. Add a side of sautéed bacon green beans or my garlic mashed potatoes and you have a complete meal that’s easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for company.
If you’ve never tried sous vide before, this is the recipe to start with. Once you taste salmon this good, you’ll never go back!
Recommended Tools
- Sous Vide Immersion Circulator – I have the Anova precision cooker
- Zipper-lock bags (freezer bags) or Sous-vide bags
- Vacuum Sealer (optional) while you don’t need one they do make it much easier!
- My favorite Sous Vide cookbook!
Ingredients for Sous Vide Salmon & Substitutions
- Olive Oil – Brushed on for searing after cooking. You can also use avocado oil or any neutral oil.
- Salt & Pepper – Season simply with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, but feel free to use lemon pepper or smoked salts, you get the idea.
- Salmon – I used fresh, skin-on fillets about 1 inch thick. (Check below for cooking frozen fillets.)
- Garnish – Fresh lemon slices and sprigs of dill for a bright, fresh finish.
- Dill Sauce – A creamy mix of mayonnaise, plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and onion powder, dried dill, and fresh dill.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Success Tips for the Best Sous Vide Salmon
Below are a few tips I’ve learned after making this dozens of times, I hope they help you too!
- I used 1-inch thick salmon fillets—adjust the cooking time for thicker or thinner cuts.
- Use a large pot or any container deep enough to submerge the sous vide bag fully.
- Use a chip clip or binder clip to secure the bag to the side of the pot, keeping it away from the circulator.
- For the best crispy skin, pat the salmon dry after sous vide, then place it skin-side down in a hot cast iron pan.
- Searing is optional but adds great texture and flavor. Unlike other meats, salmon is delicate—so it’s best to only sear the skin side to keep it tender.
How to Make Sous Vide Salmon with Dill Sauce
Step 1 – Prep the Sous Vide
Fill a large pot with water and set the sous vide wand to 122°F (50°C). It will notify you when it’s ready.
Pat the salmon dry, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place fillets in a ziplock bag with a lemon slice and fresh dill. Remove air using a vacuum sealer or the water displacement method (see below).
How to do the water displacement method
After setting the salmon and other ingredients into the bag, seal it, leaving one corner open. Then, lower the bag into the water bath, pushing it slowly and carefully to remove the air. Before it submerges completely, seal the last corner. Now, your bag should look like you used a vacuum sealer machine!
Step 2 – Sous vide salmon
Submerge and sous vide the salmon fillets in the preheated water for 40 minutes.
Step 3 – Make the dill sauce
Meanwhile, mix mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and fresh dill in a small bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 4 – Quick sear, garnish, and serve!
Once the salmon reaches temperature, remove it from the sous vide bath and let it rest for 5 minutes. Carefully take it out of the bag and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to dry—this helps get that crispy skin.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Sear the salmon skin-side down for 30-60 seconds until crispy.
Serve immediately with dill sauce, a fresh lemon wedge, and a sprig of dill.
Alternative sous vide salmon cooking temperatures
Here is a quick guide based on your desired doneness and texture of salmon:
- Decrease the temperature to 109.9° F (43.3° C) for a heated through with a sushi-like texture.
- My preferred temp: 122° F (50° C) yields a soft texture, fully cooked – my husband loved it this way!
- Increase temperature to 126.5° F (43.3° C) for a slightly more firm texture.
- Flakier and firmer texture; increase to 140° F (60° C) but still moist!
I’ve been having tons of fun experimenting with my sous vide machine! It’s an effortless way to get a delicious dinner on the table or provide an impressive meal for friends and family.
If you’re looking for more fool-proof sous vide recipes, try my Sous Vide London Broil, Sous Vide Chicken Breasts, and Sous Vide Boneless Ribeye Steak– Yum!
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Can I Brine Salmon Before I Sous Vide?
Yes! Brining enhances flavor, firms up the texture, and helps prevent the white albumin from appearing.
Quick Brine Recipe:
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Dissolve the salt and sugar in water, then pour it into a ziplock bag with the salmon. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, then drain. Add oil to the bag, coat the fish, and sous vide as usual.
Substitutions for Salmon Sous Vide
This dill sauce is delicious– However, you can get creative with different sauces and flavors!
- Creamy and Cheesy – Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
- Fresh and Herby – Nut-Free Basil Pesto Sauce
- Sweet and Tangy – Homemade Honey Teriyaki Sauce
- Light and Garlicy – Easy Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- Flavorful and Refreshing – Homemade Blender Salsa
- For extra citrus flavor, sprinkle the salmon fillets with fresh lemon zest.
- Chipotle pepper is another excellent seasoning for the tender salmon if you prefer a little more flavor.
Make-Ahead Sous Vide Salmon
Sous vide makes meal prep easy! After cooking, chill the vacuum-sealed salmon in an ice bath, then store it in the fridge (up to 4 days) or freezer (1 month). If freezing, remove as much air as possible. This prevents overcooking when reheating!
How to Reheat this Sous Vide Salmon Recipe
Keep your salmon tender and flavorful with these easy methods:
- Sous Vide (Best Method): Let salmon sit at room temp for 10-15 minutes. Heat water to 122°F (50°C), keep it vacuum-sealed, and reheat for 10-15 minutes. Pat dry, then sear the skin for 1-2 minutes if desired.
- Oven: Bake at 275°F (135°C) for 10-15 minutes, loosely covered with foil.
- Pan: Heat with a little oil over medium heat, cooking 2-3 minutes per side.
- Microwave: Cover with a damp paper towel and heat on medium power for 1-2 minutes, checking to prevent overcooking.
- Cold Option: Skip reheating—enjoy it cold in a salad!
Frequently Asked Questions
Seasoning is never required, but it is the best way to enhance the flavor of the fish. Salmon is packed with delicious flavor, so salt, pepper, citrus, and fresh herbs usually do the trick. However, you can also use your favorite salmon seasoning from the grocery store.
It’s best to cook sous vide salmon between 115-125°F to preserve moisture and texture.
While the final salmon should reach an internal temperature of 145°F, you can make the fillets at a lower temperature for a longer cook time for extra tender and flaky fish. Use a meat thermometer to check the doneness.
It’s always possible to overcook salmon with all the cooking methods. However, the sous vide method is known for being challenging to overcook foods due to its precise cooking temperature. Leaving the salmon in the water bath for too long can make the fillets mushy and overcooked, so follow the recipe instructions closely.
Vacuum sealers are extremely helpful but not necessary when cooking sous vide. Instead, you can use the displacement method to get as much air as possible from the plastic bag before adding it to the water bath.
How to Sous Vide Frozen Salmon
No need to thaw! Just follow the same steps as fresh fillets but increase the cook time to 70 minutes. For fillets thicker than 1 inch, add a few extra minutes.
What to serve with Salmon Sous Vide
Salmon pairs well with just about anything! Keep it simple with steamed or roasted broccoli or air-fried asparagus, or go for something heartier, like roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes. For a low-carb option, try this broccoli cauliflower casserole.
And if you love bread (because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), serve it with easy yeast rolls, a quick 4-ingredient Irish soda bread, classic Challah bread, or super simple 2-ingredient biscuits!
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil olive oil, avocado oil or other neutral oil may be used
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 salmon fillets 1 inch thick
- 4 lemon slices
- 4 sprigs fresh dill Fresh dill is best for this recipe, in a pinch sprinkle dried dill over the top.
Lemon Dill Sauce
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise use a high-quality mayonnaise, I love Chosen Avocado Mayo
- 6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt whole fat
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ cup fresh dill minced
Instructions
- In a large pot, fill with warm water and set the sous vide machine to 122° F (50° C) — *see notes for different cooking temperatures.
- Brush the salmon (4 fillets) with olive oil (1 tsp), and season with salt (1 tsp) and pepper (¼ tsp).
- Place it in the bag and put a lemon slice and dill sprig on top. Release all the air out of the bag and seal it. If you are having trouble getting all the air out, use the displacement method (see notes). Alternatively, you can use vacuum seal bags with a sealer.
- Cook the salmon in the water bath for 40 minutes.
Prepare lemon dills sauce
- While the salmon is cooking, prepare the dill sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayo (¾ cup), yogurt (¾ cup), lemon juice (1 TBL), garlic powder (½ tsp), onion powder (¼ tsp), dried dill (1 tsp)and fresh dill (¼ tsp) and stir until smooth and incorporated. Refrigerate until needed.
- After the cooking time, carefully take the salmon out of the bag and set on a plate. Preheat a skillet to very hot (over medium-high heat), and sear the salmon, skin side down, for 30-60 seconds. **This is optional, the salmon will be fully cooked when it comes out of the sous vide bath, if you sear in skillet, it's to crisp the skin.
- Serve with lemon dill sauce, a wedge of lemon and a sprig of dill.
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Notes
Sous vide salmon cooking temperatures
Here is a quick guide based on your desired doneness and texture of salmon:- Decrease the temperature to 109.9° F (43.3° C) for a heated through with a sushi-like texture.
- My preferred temp: 122° F (50° C) yields a soft texture, fully cooked – my husband loved it this way!
- More firm texture; increase temperature to 126.5° F (43.3° C) for a slightly more firm texture.
- Flakier and firmer texture; increase to 140° F (60° C) but still moist!
- My salmon fillets were 1 inch thick; cook time will vary depending on thickness.
- We cooked fresh salmon; you can also start with frozen salmon. Frozen salmon at 1 inch thick will cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes.Searing is optional, but gives a great crust and added flavor,
- Typically with sous vide recipes, we sear both sides of the meat, but in this case with salmon being so delicate and not wanting to overcook, we only seared the skin side.
- Displacement method: Seal all but one corner of the bag containing the salmon. Lower it into the water bath, using a spoon, gently push the bag further in so the air in the bag naturally works its way out. When almost fully submerged, seal the corner.
Storage Tips
Store leftover salmon and dill sauce separately in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days, see below for tips on reheating. See post for make-ahead and reheating tips! EXPERT TIPS:- Patience is Key: Unlike traditional cooking methods, sous vide requires patience. Allow the salmon to cook for the recommended time (usually 30-60 minutes), ensuring it reaches the desired internal temperature without rushing the process.
- If you’re making ahead, once cooked, rapidly chill the salmon in an ice bath for a few minutes. This halts the cooking process and prevents the fish from becoming
overcooked while maintaining its delicate texture. - Finishing touches- Searing the meat in a hot skillet or grill adds that extra depth of flavor and gives a nice caramelized crust on the meat.
- Get Creative! Pair your sous vide salmon with complementary flavors such as our
creamy dill sauce, citrus-infused salsa, or a fresh herb salad to elevate the dish further.
Nutrition
Dannii
Salmon and dill is such a delicious flavour combination and this was such an easy way to cook it.
Thank you so much!
TAYLER ROSS
This is my new favorite salmon recipe! Super flavorful and perfectly flaky!
Glad you liked it Tayler!
dana
What a beautiful sauce! We love salmon and I’m a huuuuuge dill fan so this was a hit.
So glad to hear that Dana, thank you so much!
Sky
My salmon turned out perfectly cooked! The dill sauce was a delicious addition to the dish. I will definitely be making this recipe again.
So glad to hear that Sky! Thanks!!
suja md
This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
Thank you!
Laura Johnson
This salmon was incredible! Love the flavors!
So glad you loved it!! Thanks Laura!
Laura Ashley Johnson
This dish felt so light and springy! Love the flavors!!
Amazing aren’t they!?