This recipe for Mussels in White Wine Broth is easy enough to prepare to be a weeknight dinner but is also great for weekend entertaining. Mussels are pretty inexpensive and our guests have always been quite impressed with this quick and easy dish.
I think most people are intimidated by the thought of cooking seafood and cannot fathom that this recipe really is as easy as I say. Generally, this dish is served as an appetizer. However, you may turn this into a meal by adding some crusty French bread, steamed vegetables, and a salad.
This dish is also wonderful served over pasta. It seems no one can resist soaking up every last bit of the juices with the crusty bread though when we serve this dish. Our recipe calls for the mussels to be steamed in a bit of white wine but you can omit the wine altogether and replace it with another liquid and still have a flavorful dish.
Instead of wine, you can substitute chicken broth or fish stock, bottled clam juice, or even water with a squeeze of lemon juice as your steaming liquid.
Remember: there is no right or wrong here. It’s all a matter of taste! Do what you like!
It’s always been my opinion to use recipes as a jumping off point and tailor them to your liking.
As a main course, plan on at least one (1) pound per person or 1/4 to 1/2 pound per person as an appetizer.
Mussels in White Wine Sauce
To cook the mussels, I am using a flat-bottomed, tall-sided Saute pan or Paella pan. It has a tight-fitting lid perfect for steaming seafood in a lite broth.
Interested in some other Seafood Recipes? Check these out:
Steamed Mussels in White Wine Sauce
Mussels are sweeter than clams and readily take on the flavor of the broth they are cooked in.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 lbs of fresh mussels
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2 cups chopped sweet onions
- 3 Tbsp garlic , minced
- 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley , chopped
- 3 cups light white table wine (like Pinot Grigio)
- 2 tsp fine kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl and cover with water and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels are free of any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each one. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels under running water. Discard any dead mussels, mussels with broken shells or shells which are not tightly shut.
- In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until they are translucent. Add the parsley, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large shallow bowl and serve hot.
Notes
For spicy mussels: add 1 tsp of dried crushed red pepper and simmer when you add the wine and parsley.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy, and is sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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Made the recipe as written and we were thrilled with the results. Thanks for making fancy cooking so easy to follow.
Can I omit the wine?
You certainly can. Either replace it with water, chicken or seafood stock in it’s place.