If you’ve never eaten sous vide salmon, prepare to be wowed. This is not the dry, stringy salmon you’ve had at wedding buffets. The buttery texture will convert even the finicky. This is the ideal way to enjoy salmon, but if you prefer a firmer, more traditional texture and opaque color, cook the salmon for the same amount of time at 60°C.

The finished salmon gets served over a bright Mediterranean salad—arugula, cherry tomatoes, olives, and fresh basil—with a simple lemon-herb vinaigrette. It’s the kind of dish that looks elegant but comes together in under an hour.

Chef Griffin

Sous Vide Salmon with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette • Mediterranean Style

Sous vide salmon with lemon-herb vinaigrette served over arugula, cherry tomatoes, olives, and fresh basil. Perfectly cooked, buttery salmon in under an hour with classic Mediterranean flavors.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the brine

2 cups water
¼ cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar

For the salmon

2 pounds salmon fillet pin bones removed, skin on or off, cut into 4 equal pieces
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
For the lemon-herb vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

4 cups baby arugula or mixed greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
¼ red onion thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh basil leaves torn
2 tablespoons capers optional
Flaky sea salt for finishing

Method

Brine the Salmon

Preheat your sous vide water bath to 52°C (125.5°F).
While the water is heating, combine the water, salt, and sugar in a wide bowl and stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
Place the salmon pieces in this brine and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Remove the salmon from the brine and rinse it under cold running water to wash off the excess. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.

Cook the Salmon

Rub the salmon pieces evenly with the canola oil.
Place the salmon in a single layer in a gallon-size freezer-safe ziplock bag and seal using the water displacement method.
When the water reaches 52°C (125.5°F), lower the bagged salmon into the water bath (making sure the bag is fully submerged) and cook for 20 minutes.
When the fish is done, it will have turned an opaque pink and will be very delicate, so handle it with care or it will fall apart.

Make the Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

While the fish is cooking, make the lemon-herb vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, and oregano until well combined.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set the vinaigrette aside.

Finish and Serve

When the salmon is ready, gently remove it from the bag and transfer it to a platter or tray.
If the salmon pieces were cooked with the skin on and you would like to serve them without the skin, it is extremely easy to remove it now. Simply pull it off, starting at one edge and lifting it off in one piece.
In a large bowl, combine the arugula, cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, and torn basil. Add capers if using.
Just before serving, toss the salad with the vinaigrette, starting with half of the vinaigrette and adding more to taste. If you like salads lightly dressed, you won’t want to use all of it.
To serve, arrange the salad on four individual plates, place the warm salmon on top, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Notes

Sous Vide Temperature:

52°C (125.5°F): Buttery, custardy texture – very delicate and moist
60°C (140°F): Firmer, more traditional texture with opaque color
Cook time stays the same (20 minutes) for either temperature

Brining:

The brine seasons the salmon and prevents albumin (the white ooze) from appearing on the surface
It’s optional but recommended – makes a noticeable difference in appearance
20 minutes is enough; don’t go longer or the salmon gets too salty

Skin On or Off:

Skin protects the salmon during cooking
If using skin-on, it peels off effortlessly after cooking
Skin-off works fine too

About the Salad:

Arugula provides peppery bite that cuts through rich salmon
Cherry tomatoes add sweetness and acidity
Kalamata olives bring briny, savory depth
Fresh basil is essential – don’t skip it
Capers are optional but add nice pops of brine

Olive Oil:

Use good extra-virgin olive oil for the vinaigrette
The oil is a primary flavor, not just a vehicle
Fruity, peppery Greek or Italian olive oil works best

Active Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes to brine
Sous Vide Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour

Do-Ahead Strategy

This isn’t a dish I recommend cooking in advance, unless you intend to serve it cold. If you do, remove the fish from the water bath and immerse it in an ice water bath for 15 minutes, or until completely cold, and then store in the bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Cold sous vide salmon is excellent—the texture stays buttery and the fish holds together well. Serve it chilled over the salad with the vinaigrette.

Why brine?

Brining the salmon before cooking not only seasons it but also prevents the flesh from releasing albumin, the unappetizing-looking white ooze that often besmirches the exterior of cooked salmon. The brine is optional, but it’s quick and effortless to include, and once you try it with the salmon, you may just want to use it when cooking other types of fish, too.

Why Sous Vide for Salmon?

Traditional cooking methods—pan-searing, roasting, grilling—rely on high heat applied to the outside of the fish. This inevitably means the outside overcooks by the time the center is done. You get a gradient of doneness: dry edges, perfect middle, potentially raw center.

Sous vide eliminates that entirely. At 52°C (125.5°F), the salmon cooks evenly throughout. Every bite has the same buttery, custardy texture. The fish stays incredibly moist because it never exceeds the target temperature.

The result is salmon that melts on your tongue—rich, tender, and perfectly cooked edge to edge.

As plated:

The recipe as written makes a beautiful main course
The bright, acidic vinaigrette cuts the richness of the salmon
Arugula and fresh vegetables add crunch and freshness

Other serving ideas:

Serve with crusty bread to soak up the vinaigrette
Add crumbled feta cheese to the salad
Serve over orzo or couscous
Pair with roasted potatoes and lemon wedges
Serve family-style on a large platter

Wine pairing: Crisp white wines work best—try Vermentino, Greco di Tufo, or a dry rosé from Provence. The acidity in the wine mirrors the lemon vinaigrette and cuts through the rich salmon.

Variations

Different herbs:

Use fresh oregano instead of dried
Add fresh dill for a Greek touch
Try fresh thyme or rosemary (use sparingly)
Mix in chopped fresh parsley

Add crunch:

Toasted pine nuts
Sliced almonds
Crispy chickpeas
Toasted breadcrumbs with garlic

Different greens:

Mixed spring greens for milder flavor
Spinach and arugula blend
Butter lettuce for delicate texture
Add radicchio for bitter contrast

Make it heartier:

Add cannellini beans to the salad
Serve over farro or quinoa
Include roasted red peppers
Add marinated artichoke hearts

Different vinaigrette:

Red wine vinegar instead of lemon
Add anchovy paste for depth
Use sherry vinegar for complexity
Add a touch of honey for sweetness

Sous Vide Salmon with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette • Mediterranean Style