Steamed Mussels in White Wine

By
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
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Updated on 02/17/23
Steamed mussels in white wine

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
931 Calories
32g Fat
41g Carbs
109g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 931
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 41%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 285mg 95%
Sodium 1772mg 77%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 109g
Vitamin C 89mg 443%
Calcium 173mg 13%
Iron 31mg 172%
Potassium 1359mg 29%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Steamed mussels with white wine is a classic dish and it's incredibly easy to make. The recipe below will serve four people for dinner.

The mussels' natural juices combine with the white wine and butter to make its own sauce, and it really is a heavenly, golden elixir of which you'll want to savor every last drop. To that end, I like to serve the mussels in wide bowls with crusty bread (like this classic French baguette) for soaking up the sauce, but you can serve them with pasta or even rice.


The recipe doesn't call for salt because the mussels are naturally briny. Also, while it's traditional to use shallots with mussels, it's fine if you use onions.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds fresh mussels

  • 1/2 cup white wine

  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, not chopped or minced

  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

  • Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for steam mussels
    The Spruce

  2. Sort, scrub, and de-beard the mussels. Rinse with cold water.

    Mussels in colander

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Combine the wine, garlic, shallots, and black pepper in a wide stock pot or soup pot and bring to a boil over high heat.

    Shallots and onions
    The Spruce

  4. Add the mussels and cover the pan with a tightly fitting lid. Lower heat to medium-high and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until most of the mussels have opened. Don't overcook, or the mussels can become rubbery.

    Cover the pan
    The Spruce

  5. Stir in the butter and parsley and stir until the butter melts into the liquid.

    Steamed mussels in white wine
    The Spruce

  6. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

    Squeeze lemon juice
    The Spruce

  7. Serve in large bowls with the cooking liquid, along with plenty of crusty bread for soaking up the fragrant sauce. A separate bowl for the empty shells will also come in handy.

Tip

  • For mussels in cream, reduce the wine to 1/4 cup and add 1/2 cup of heavy cream.