Steamed Mussels in Garlicky Wine Broth
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Steamed mussels in a buttery, garlicky white wine broth make for a simple yet elegant dinner. Don’t forget the crusty bread to soak up every last drop of that briny, flavorful sauce!
(America’s Test Kitchen, 2020)
Mussels are easy to make and inexpensive to buy, making them a simple yet elegant option for dinner or an appetizer. In this recipe, they’re steamed in a briny, garlicky, buttery wine broth that practically begs to be sopped up with crusty bread. The recipe is adapted from Foolproof Fish: Modern Recipes for Everyone, Everywhere by America’s Test Kitchen, a gorgeous and practical cookbook packed with seafood recipes and expert tips.
While this is a classic mussels recipe, the cooking method is different than the norm. Instead of cramming the mussels into a Dutch oven or pot on the stovetop, they’re steamed in a roomy roasting pan in a blazing-hot oven. This ensures all the mussels, no matter their size, cook evenly. After 15 minutes, every mussel—big or small—gently opens, releasing its juices into the wine broth to create an irresistible sauce.
Table of Contents
“The mussels turned out perfectly and we loved that delicious broth! This was my first time making mussels and the information in your recipe really helped me.”
What You’ll Need To Make Steamed Mussels In Garlicky Wine Broth
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Adds richness to the broth while helping cook the garlic and red pepper flakes without burning.
- Garlic: Infuses the dish with savory, aromatic flavor that complements the mussels and wine.
- Red pepper flakes: Adds a hint of heat to balance the richness of the butter and wine.Dry white wine: Provides acidity and a bright, crisp flavor to the broth. Use a dry wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Choose a bottle that’s inexpensive but still good enough to drink.
- Fresh thyme and bay leaves: These herbs infuse the broth with earthy, aromatic flavors.
- Mussels: These shellfish soak up the flavorful broth while releasing their own briny essence. Most farm-raised mussels are already scrubbed and debearded, but it’s still a good idea to give them a rinse under cold water. Discard any that remain open after tapping or have cracked shells. To keep mussels fresh, store them in the refrigerator in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel—never in an airtight container, as they need to breathe. If they come in a mesh bag, it’s fine to leave them in that.
- Butter: Adds richness and gives the broth a silky, luxurious texture.
- Fresh Parsley: Provides a fresh, herbaceous finish that lightens the richness of the dish.
- Crusty bread: Perfect for soaking up the flavorful wine-butter broth.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Most markets sell farm-raised fresh mussels, which are easy to clean—in fact, they are usually already scrubbed and debearded. However, it’s still a good idea to clean them prior to cooking. Simply put them in a colander and run them under cold running water, using your hands or a scrubbing brush to remove any sand or debris. If beards (the little tuft of fibers the mussel uses to connect to rocks or pilings) are present, cut or scrape them off with a paring knife, or use your fingers to pull them sharply down toward the hinged point of the shells.
The mussels should be tightly closed. If you see a mussel that is open, tap it gently against the counter; in a live mussel, this will trigger a reaction to close its shell. If the mussel doesn’t slowly close, it has died and should be discarded. Discard any mussels with cracked shells as well.
Set a large roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Do not brown.
Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves and boil until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.
Stir the salt and mussels into the cooking liquid.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil (remember the edges of the pan will be hot) and transfer to the oven.
Roast until the majority of the mussels have opened, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and place a dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it’s hot. Discard any unopened mussels.
Using a wooden spoon, push the mussels to the edges of the pan. Add the butter to the center and stir until melted.
Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and stir in the parsley.
Spoon the mussels and wine broth into bowls and serve with bread.
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Oven-Steamed Mussels with Garlic and White Wine
Steamed mussels in a buttery, garlicky white wine broth make for a simple yet elegant dinner. Don’t forget the crusty bread to soak up every last drop of that briny, flavorful sauce!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1½ cups dry white wine (see note)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Brimming ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded (see note)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
- Set an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500°F.
- Set a large roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Do not brown. Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves and boil until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the salt and mussels. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil (remember the edges of the pan will be hot) and transfer to the oven. Roast until the majority of the mussels have opened, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and place a dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it's hot. Discard any unopened mussels. Using a wooden spoon, push the mussels to the edges of the pan. Add the butter to the center and stir until melted. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and stir in the parsley. Spoon the mussels and wine broth into bowls and serve with bread.
- Note: When a recipe calls for dry white wine, the best options are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or unoaked Chardonnay. Select a bottle that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink.
- Note: Most markets sell farm-raised mussels, which are easy to clean — in fact, they are usually already scrubbed and debearded. However, it’s still a good idea to clean them prior to cooking. Simply put them in a colander and run them under cold running water, using your hands or a scrubbing brush to remove any sand or debris. If beards (the little tuft of fibers the mussel uses to connect to rocks or pilings) are present, cut or scrape them off with a paring knife, or use your fingers to pull them sharply down toward the hinged point of the shells. The mussels should be tightly closed. If you see a mussel that is open, tap it gently against the counter; in a live mussel, this will trigger a reaction to close its shell. If the mussel doesn’t slowly close, it has died and should be discarded. Discard any mussels with cracked shells as well.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (2 servings)
- Calories: 693
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 55 g
- Sodium: 1,351 mg
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I can’t wait to try these. Would it be OK to double the sauce? We like a lot of broth or would that be too much liquid to cook the mussels? Thank you.
Hi Mary, it would be fine to double the sauce. Hope you enjoy!
Easy and so delicious! The broth is perfect for dipping bread, the mussels tender and flavorful. Wonderful recipe, thank you!
Hi Jenn, I’d like to try this recipe however I don’t have a large roasting pan. Instead, I was thinking of using a large Le Creuset dutch oven (7.25 Quarts/6.7 L) and cooking on the stove top. Would this work? Would I have to prolong the cooking time?
Thanks for tips and advice.
Hi Caroline, I’m not 100 percent sure if that pot will be big enough, but if it is, it should work. And cooking them on the stove should be doable. The cooking time may be a little longer so keep an eye on them. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!
I am really looking forward to trying this recipe this weekend! My question is can you add cream with/instead of the butter?
Sure, I think that should work. Please LMK how they turn out!
I didnt have white wine so I had to substitute for some chicken stock and apple cider vinegar but they still turned out delicious.
Our family likes these mussels a lot, but the mussels that get the most raves are in Jenn’s cookbook, Mussels with Thai Green Curry Broth. Super easy, super quick, super tasty! Make sure you have a baguette handy for the broth! Even my 4-yr old granddaughter digs in!
Where is this green Thai curry recipe?? Cannot find it in the search tool.
Hi Karen, If you have my first cookbook, it’s on page 124. If you don’t have the cookbook and would like the recipe, just email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com.
I love this recipe. I find it helpful to strain the broth at the end to remove any sedimemnt that may have been released from the mussels. As soon as mussels are opened, I remove them and strain the broth. Return to the pan and reduce a little before adding butter and parsley. Broth is rich and silky and you’ll want to drink what’s left!
If the mussels were cleaned properly there should be little or no sediment.Why strain out all that wonderful flavor? If you are worried about sediment I would suggest leaving that last little bit of broth in the pan as the sediment will have fallen to the bottom.Hope this helps.
Great recipe! Makes me feel like I am in a coastal town on vacation.
I love to order mussels at a restaurant, but I’ve never made them. I so appreciated the description of how to tell if the mussels were good or not. The preparation was so much easier than I imagined. The sauce is flavorful and the dish came out perfect. I will definitely make it again.
Yummy, easy and tasted like I ordered from a restaurant. Another five star recipe.