What Is Sous Vide? (Plus, 3 Delicious Recipes to Get You Started!)

You may have started seeing "sous-vide" foods all over the place. (Even at mainstream coffee shops!)

That said… do you secretly scratch your head every time you see it?

Well, that's more than understandable!

Sous-vide cooking used to be mainly a chef thing, which is why you probably never heard of it before. But it's become quite trendy lately—and there’s a good reason why! It makes food taste ridiculously good. And the good news is that it’s not nearly as complicated as it sounds. Here’s everything you need to know and some easy recipes to get you started.

MORE: Richard Blais' Sous-Vide Turkey Breast and Legs

WHAT IS SOUS VIDE?

Sous vide is, as you may have guessed, French, and it quite literally means "under pressure."

But in this case, we're talking about a sous-vide gadget, which has been around since the '50s. It keeps the water in a pot temperature-controlled, which gets you tender, perfectly prepared food.

As chef Geoffrey Zakarian explains, "We put stuff in a bag, we put seasoning in the bag, we drop it in this water, the water is circulated at [the temperature of your choice], and then it cooks perfectly. It doesn't move!"

MORE: What's the Difference Between a Slow Cooker and a Pressure Cooker?

So, for instance, if you're cooking a chicken at 165 degrees, it stays at 165 degrees. So if you come home an hour late, no worries! Your food isn't overcooked.

Pretty genius, right?

"We cook like this in the restaurant," he adds. "This is how we can cook stuff ahead of time and get your food so perfect when you order it."

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO COOK SOUS-VIDE?

Just a big pot or plastic tub, zip-top plastic cooking bags (that's what you'll pop your food inside to immerse under the water) and a sous-vide stick, which hooks onto the rim of the pot to keep that water temperature controlled. (Geoffrey actually modeled his own on the show!)

MORE: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner with Gwyneth Paltrow

WHAT ARE A FEW SOUS-VIDE RECIPES I CAN GET STARTED WITH?

Ready to try the sous-vide technique for yourself? Geoffrey whipped up a breakfast, lunch and dinner option for us — which we're sharing with you!

BREAKFAST: Weekend Eggs

Rachael Ray Show

Sous vide helps you get your eggs egg-actly the way you want ‘em.

LUNCH: Tomato Soup

Rachael Ray Show

Using San Marzano tomatoes, which are both sweeter and less acidic than others -- ideal for soup!

DINNER: Chicken Chimichurri

Rachael Ray Show

Because you can cook it at a lower temperature and still make it safe to eat, sous vide promises you the TENDEREST chicken you’ve ever tasted.