Name: Mussels in White Wine Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 4 Tablespoons shallots, (roughly chopped); 4 Tablespoons garlic cloves, (chopped); 1 generous pinch sea salt; 1 generous pinch black pepper, freshly ground; 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 4 pounds mussels, (scrubbed); 8 ounces dry white wine, (such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Chablis); 4 ounces vegetable broth (or chicken broth); 3 Tablespoons butter, (cut into pieces); ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, (coarsely chopped); 4 slices thick rustic bread; 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 Tablespoon garlic, (chopped (or 1 tsp garlic powder))

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Steamed Mussels in White Wine Sauce is a classic recipe with simple ingredients that are table-ready in just 20 minutes

This dish looks fancy but it’s a simple recipe to prepare!

Pair these delicious mussels with plenty of rustic toasted garlic bread for dipping in the delicious white wine garlic sauce. It’s the ideal dinner but also makes a great appetizer.

Ingredients Needed

Plan on 1 pound of mussels per person, for a main course, or 1/2 pound per person for an appetizer portion. See the exact quantities in the recipe card below.

Mussels – we used 4 pounds for this mussels recipe. See below for choosing the best mussels and how to clean them
Olive Oil – we chose extra virgin olive oil
Shallots and Garlic Cloves – Both of these aromatic add traditional flavors
Salt, Black Pepper, Italian Seasoning, Red Pepper Flakes – we use sea salt
Dry White Wine – such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or a crisp Chardonnay. This is the primary steaming liquid for white wine mussels so pick one you would actually drink, as well.
Vegetable Stock or Chicken Stock – both work well for additional cooking liquid
Butter – unsalted is best, but it’s okay to use salted if that’s all you have on hand
Fresh Parsley – be sure to use flat-leaf fresh parsley for a great pop of color and freshness
Rustic Bread – crusty bread with garlic, for dunking, is a must for getting every last drop of all the garlicky white wine broth!

Make the Garlic Bread First

Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
Prep the garlic bread by brushing with olive oil and topping with chopped garlic.
Cook bread while steaming the mussels so that everything is ready to serve at the same time.

How to make Steamed Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Prep the mussels and other ingredients

Clean and scrub the mussels under very cold water in a colander and drain.
If any mussels are open tap the open shells lightly and if they do not close discard them. See below for more details about choosing and cleaning mussels.
Chop the shallots, garlic, and parsley leaves. Cube the 3 tbsp of butter.

Cook the Mussels

In a deep large pot or Dutch oven (with a lid), heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until it is shimmering.
Add the chopped shallots, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring to coat.
Sprinkle in salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes, until garlic is golden, stirring to prevent burning.
Add the cleaned mussels and stir gently to coat in the garlic mixture.
Pour in the broth and white wine, stir again to coat, and then cover with a lid.

Steam for 5-7 minutes on medium-high heat. Check to make sure the mussels have popped open, and if needed cover and cook another 1-2 minutes.
Turn heat to medium and scoop mussels out with a slotted spoon, evenly dividing them into 4 wide bowls for serving.
Stir parsley and butter into the broth. Cook for about 2 minutes to melt butter
Pour or ladle sauce evenly over the bowls.
Remove bread from the oven and serve a slice alongside each bowl.
The other serving option is leaving them in the large pan and serving at the table, or putting all of the mussels in a large bowl for the whole table.

Choosing and Cleaning Mussels

There is so much to love about mussels. They are quick-cooking, versatile, readily available, and one of the least expensive seafood. Also, they are simply delicious!

Grocery Store Bought:

When buying mussels look for shells that are wet, shiny, and clean, and smell like the sea. The shells should be closed, and not chipped. A good fishmonger should pick over the shells to be sure they are closed.
Mussels are best stored in mesh bags. If they are in a plastic bag be sure to open it once home so the mussels can “breathe” and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24-hours. Cover with a damp paper towel.
Most mussels sold at the market are farm-raised mussels and have been cleaned and debearded, but you should always rinse them in cold water to remove any remaining sand or debris.
If the shell is open tap it lightly with your fingernail, if the hinge of the shell closes it is still alive and okay to use. Otherwise, discard it. If in doubt, always toss it out.
If they need to be debearded (the fibers from around the shell) simply tug the fibers with your thumb and forefinger and discard them.

Fresh Mussels (Wild Mussels):

If you are lucky enough to get fresh live mussels you’ll need to soak them in very cold water before using them. Peak season is October through March. Wild mussels are sandy and still bearded!
If any of the mussel shells are open tap lightly, if the hinge of the shells closes it is still alive. Otherwise, discard open mussels because they are dead and should never be eaten.
Place mussels gently in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes. This will help the bivalves filter out some of their sand. Scrape off any barnacles with a firm brush and remove the beard.
Place cleaned mussels in a bowl of fresh cool water for an additional 10 minutes and then give them a final rinse before cooking.
For further info check out this detailed step-by-step from Global Seafoods

2 bowls of cooked mussels with garlic bread

Leftovers and Storage

REFRIGERATOR: Store leftovers in an airtight container for one day. Gently reheat.

What is Moules Marinières?

This is it! The French name translates to “mussels fishermen style” and is popular in the Northern regions of France (and in Belgium).
This preparation is traditionally mussels steamed with a dry white wine and aromatics, such as onion, shallots, and garlic. Parsley is usually part of the dish as well.

Variations

Keep it Pescatarian – use vegetable broth (instead of chicken broth) to keep this easy recipe meat-free
Add french fries for dunking for a moules frites version
Creamy Mussels – to make a white wine cream sauce whisk in 1 cup of heavy cream with the butter before serving, or try coconut cream
Mussels over Pasta – Serving these delicious mussels over pasta makes this a full dinner. Boil 3/4 pound of your favorite spaghetti or linguine. Add the mussels sauce into the pan and stir until the pasta is well coated. Transfer to serving bowls and top with the steamed mussels
Lemon Juice – a squeeze of lemon juice or sprinkling of lemon zest at the end of cooking is always a good idea with seafood recipes

Your Sommelier Recommends

A simple and smart pairing is to use the wine varietal used in making the dish.

For these savory mussels, a beautiful pairing could include a Sauvignon Blanc, an unoaked Chardonnay, a crisp Chablis, or a Chenin Blanc.
Looking for an old-world French wine? You can’t miss with a Pouilly-Fuissé or a Sancerre.

Looking for other simple savory seafood ideas?

Steamed Clams with Garlic Butter and Wine are similar and a simple weeknight dinner
Miso Glazed Seabass (or use cod) has a delicate flavor but is easy to make
Step-by-step for Perfect Pan Seared Scallops
Sheet Pan Asian Salmon with Asparagus ready in just 30-minutes on one pan

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5 from 1 vote

Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Steamed Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinières), and crusty garlic bread, are ready in 20 minutes. Add fries for Moules Frites.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Belgium, French

Servings: servings

Calories: 412kcal

Author: Cyndy Ufkes ~ The Art of Food and Wine

Equipment

1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven with lid

Ingredients

For Mussels

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons shallots, roughly chopped
4 Tablespoons garlic cloves, chopped
1 generous pinch sea salt
1 generous pinch black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed
8 ounces dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Chablis
4 ounces vegetable broth or chicken broth
3 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Garlic Bread

4 slices thick rustic bread
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon garlic, chopped (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

Instructions

Garlic Bread:

Preheat oven to 375℉.
Brush the olive oil on the bread slices and spread with garlic.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes while preparing the mussels. Bread should be toasted and crusty.

Mussels:

Clean and scrub mussels under very cold running water. If any mussels are open tap them lightly and if they do not close discard them.
In a large, deep pot, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until hot and shimmering.
Add shallots and sauté for one minute, stirring constantly. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 more minutes, until garlic is golden, stirring to prevent burning.
Add the cleaned mussels, stir gently to coat in the garlic mixture and pour in the broth and white wine, stir again to coat, and then cover the pan.
Steam the mussels for about 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat, or until they open up. Check to make sure the mussels have popped open, and if needed cover and cook another 1-2 minutes.
Turn the heat down to medium.
Using a slotted spoon transfer the mussels into 4 serving bowls. Always discard any mussels that don't open.
Add the butter and chopped parsley to the broth and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine, until the butter is completely melted.
Spoon the broth over the mussels into each of the four bowls.
Remove the garlic bread from the oven and serve alongside the mussels.

Notes

VARIATION: If you want creamy mussels whisk in 1 cup of cream along with the butter.
Always discard mussels that don’t open after cooking.
Store leftovers for 1 day in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Ingredients Needed

Make the Garlic Bread First