Steamed mussels with white wine and garlic is an easy one-pot meal ready in 20 minutes! Aromatic vegetables are cooked with fresh mussels for a light appetizer or meal. Check out the essential tips for perfect cooking every time.
Steamed mussels prepared Provencal-style for a taste of southeastern France. This seafood delicacy comes together with the help of white wine and garlic. It’s a simple dish to make as long as you follow some key preparation steps to ensure that the mussels are delicious every time.
With just a few simple ingredients, this steamed mussels recipe makes for the perfect light appetizer, or it can be combined with pasta for a hearty entree. All you need is a big pot, and we are ready to go!
How to make steamed mussels
It seems like enjoying a big bowl of mussels only happens when you are out at a fancy restaurant. Let’s save some money and make this at home. There are endless flavor combinations, here are some basics to make the most epic steamed mussels.
Purchasing
The most important thing to do is to make sure you are purchasing live mussels. To check, lightly tap the open mussels with your fingers to see if they close. Some will already be closed and are alive, do not discard. The mussels should have a light ocean fragrance and not a strong fish-like smell. Make sure to discard any with broken shells.
Once purchased immediately take them out of the plastic bag, store the mussels loose in a bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel or cloth. Drain any expelled liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Do not soak mussels in water or clean them until ready to cook.
Cleaning
You do not need to soak the mussels before cooking, the freshwater can kill them. Instead, right before cooking clean them by running under cold water. Scrub the shells with a brush if you have one, or use your fingertips to remove any excess dirt. You may notice a fibrous brown string coming out from the side, this is the beard (byssal thread) of the mussel and it’s inedible.
Remove the beard by pulling it towards the hinge and outwards of the shell. Some mussels will already come debearded. Note that once the beard is removed, the shellfish will only be alive for a short period so cook immediately.
Cooking
Steaming mussels is a delicious and fast way to cook shellfish using a moist heat cooking method. Using a large high sided pan or pot fitted with a lid, you can first build the aromatic flavors to infuse into the steam and broth. Add mussels, cover and cook over medium-high heat. The liquid will turn into steam when the heat is above 100 °C (212 °F) in the covered pot.
The mussels take about 6 minutes to cook, or until they open. You can check about 3 minutes into cooking, stirring to distribute the ingredients and then recover for a few more minutes. Once the mussels open they are ready to eat, do not overcook as they can become very tough. You can discard any unopened shells. The cooked mussels add a savory seafood flavor to the broth from the juices during steaming.
I’ve also used this steaming technique to make wonderful seafood dishes like my San Francisco Cioppino. You’re going to be amazed at how versatile steaming can be to help create delicious seafood and shellfish meals!
To enhance the flavor of the steamed mussels, I added fresh flavors with a French twist. Butter, shallots, garlic, chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, and white wine, create a light and savory broth. I like to toast baguette slices to dip and for a crunchy texture to the dish.
You may combine any ingredients to the broth, like red wine, leeks, onions, chorizo, saffron, or even coconut milk and curry for Thai flavored mussels. What kind of steamed mussels with you cook? I’d love to hear in the comments section below!
More seafood recipes you might like
Types of mussels to purchase
The most common variety of mussels found at your local market are Pacific green-lipped (New Zealand), and the Atlantic blue mussel. You can find the green-lipped in specialty seafood markets or Asian grocery stores. They are tan and green, and about 3 to 4 inches in length with a more robust and heartier texture. Most commonly you will find the blue mussel, it has a dark almost black shell, with a blue-tinged lip and 2 to 3 inches in length with tender meat and sweet flavor. They both can be prepared using the same cleaning and cooking method, just visually check for the shells to open for doneness.
Steamed Mussels with White Wine and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh mussels, cleaned with beard removed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup shallots, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup roma tomatoes, ¼-inch dice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, add more to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
- ½ cup white wine, chardonnay or dry white wine
- 4 wedges lemon
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Wash mussels under cool running water. Scrub the outside and debeard the mussels if present, pull fibrous beard towards the hinge of the shell to remove and discard.
- In a large shallow stockpot heat butter over medium-high heat.
- When butter starts to foam, add shallots and garlic. Stir and cook until shallots are transparent and garlic is soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, stir and cook, about 2 minutes.
- Add wine, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, stir to combine.
- Quickly add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover and steam for 3 minutes. Carefully open the lid and stir mussels.
- Cover and steam until mussels are opened up and cooked, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Taste the sauce. If desired, season with remaining lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper to taste. Top mussels with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Equipment
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Mike says
Made this today for my wife and some friends. Big hit. Cut up some sweet bread to mop up all the sauce after the Mussels were gone. We will use this recipe again. Thank you for sharing!
Mike says
Made this today for my wife and some friends. Big hit. We will use this recipe again. Thank you for sharing!
Jessica Gavin says
Great to hear that you enjoyed the steamed mussels recipe, Mike!
Inna Lopez says
I have been using this recipe for about 15 years and have loved it every time!!! I just made it again tonight and everyone loved it Again just as the first time!!! Amazing recipe, thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much! Appreciate you following along after all these years.
Lydia Alvarez says
Omg..this is my go-to recipe..it’s packed with delicious flavor..the sauce is OUTSTANDING with spaghetti or a nice piece crusty bread to mop up all that delicious sauce..yum!!! 😋WOW.. gonna make some right NOW!!! 😋Thanks Jessica..😏
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! You’re welcome, Lydia.
Bill says
Followed your recipe exactly. It was easy to follow and ingredients were on hand at local supermarket.
Sauce had tons of flavour and mussels were perfect.
I prefer a little more sauce for dipping and added a splash of stock when i made it a second time (for company). Rave reviews!
A great recipe, thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, great job making the mussels, Bill!
Leah says
Wow! So delicious. I made this recipe using a 454g box of Whole Cooked, All Natural, PEI mussels that I had in the freezer. I don’t normally buy the all natural ones, so looked for a recipe that I thought would be similar to the ones I normally buy, in a white wine and herb sauce. I followed the recipe to a tee (minus the shallots which I didn’t have), but halved it, for two. I served it over linguine and it was soo good! I think the lemon it was made it. Super easy and healthy too (excellent source of protein and high in Vit A and iron). I will definitely be making it again using the same, all natural mussels. No need to buy the flavored ones again. Thank you for sharing.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for sharing your recipe experience making the mussels, Leah! Sounds like you rocked it! Love how you made it an entree.