Making mussels at home feels fancy, but is actually so easy! This recipe for steamed mussels packs in flavor thanks to a delicious dry white wine mussels broth loaded with fresh herbs and lemon juice! Make sure you scrub the shells well to avoid sand in your mussel broth – and discard any unopened mussel shells for safety!

Mussels Cooked in White Wine Broth

Have you cooked mussels before? They’re perfect for date-night or when you’re having company over and want a dish that’s fancy AND easy. They’re also quite affordable, which is a major bonus point because it’s easy to eats pounds and pounds of mussels. I can eat 2 pounds of mussels alone!

Coking fresh mussels is so easy – and you can enjoy them as an appetizer or make them into a full meal. I enjoy them most when I cook them in a white wine broth and serve them with a dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvigon blanc. Plus, crusty bread on the side for dipping!

Not only is cooking them at home easy and fun, it’s way more delicious! Just wait until you get a taste of this white wine sauce. Loaded with lemon juice, shallots, and garlic… you won’t want to try any other steamed mussels recipe. Try serving it with my Caesar salad for a full meal!

White Wine Mussels Recipe

• Butter: Unsalted is best, but salted will work too; just eliminate the salt called for. At least until after you’ve taste-tested. And don’t use all butter or olive oil; the combo that adds great flavor!
• Olive Oil: Use whatever you have on hand, but I do prefer extra virgin olive oil. Don’t sub canola oil or vegetable oil.
• Shallots: Adds incredible flavor, but white onion will work as a sub.
• Garlic: Use the best FRESH garlic you can get your hands on. Garlic powder is not an option here! 
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Omit if you’re absolutely against spice, but I promise, it’s not going to make this dish spicy. If you love heat, add more than called for.
• Lemon: You’ll use the lemon juice and the lemon zest! So choose a nice plump lemon with firm skin. I like to grab an extra lemon or two, so I can cut them into wedges and serve them on the side as a garnish. Extra lemon juice is always a good thing to have on hand for a recipe like this. 
• Mussels: Scrub the shells until they’re clean and debeard them. Read my pro-tips below for extra help with these steps. Make sure they’re alive when you buy them. If you can find mussels from Prince Edward Island, grab them, but North America is home to almost 300 species of mussels!
• Dry White Wine: I suggest using a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio for the steamed mussels broth.
• Chicken Stock: Adds depth of flavor and richness to the sauce. Use chicken bone broth for an even deeper and intensified flavor.
• Heavy Cream: Makes the sauce rich and creamy, but not so much that’ll leave you feeling heavy.
• Parsley: Do not sub dried parsley flakes. You’ll stir it into the sauce for a pop of brightness, but I also like to sprinkle parsley and serve it as a garnish.
• Salt: Start with a small amount of salt, then add more if needed.
• Crusty Bread: You’ll need something to sop up all that DELICIOUS white wine and garlic sauce. I like a crusty sourdough loaf or a baguette. 

How to Clean Mussels: Scrub the Shells

You must always clean fresh mussels before cooking them. Otherwise you’ll end up eating a lot of grit and sand. 

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water. It should be large enough in capacity to hold all the shellfish, plus a lot of water. 
2. Add the mussels to the bowl. Then mix in a 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour. 
3. Using you hands, give them a good swoosh around. Do this for a few minutes. Then set the bowl aside for 30 minutes. 
4. Once 30 minutes is up, drain the shellfish and remove the “beard” from each, using your fingers. 
5. If they still look dirty, scrub them with a small culinary brush under running water until clean. Any that look even questionable, toss in the trash. Seafood isn’t somewhere I suggest taking a risk. 
6. If any mussels are open, discard them before cooking. Only add the mussels that have a firmly shut shell.

How to Cook Mussels

1. Choose the right pot; it should be large enough to hold the mussels AND all the white wine broth. And you want extra space at the top of the pot so you don’t have liquid boiling out on your stovetop. 
2. Don’t skimp on cooking the shallots, because this is where major flavor develops! As long as you’re cooking the shallots over medium heat, they shouldn’t burn. Instead, they’ll soften and slightly caramelize.
3. These are steamed mussels. So once you add them to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high and place a fitted lid on the pot. 
4. Cook as directed, or until most of the shells are open. If any mussels don’t open, discard them.
5. Use wide shallow bowls for serving, because this leaves lots of room for adding lemon wedges and crusty bread! And put some extra serving bowls on the table for empty shells.

How to Store Mussels 

You can buy freshwater mussels a day or two before cooking them. I wouldn’t recommend storing mussel species for more than 2 days. Make sure they look and smell fresh before use. No one wants to eat expired filter feeders!

Don’t be afraid to ask the person selling the seafood how long the shellfish has been sitting in the seafood case. Never purchase questionable looking shellfish. 

1. Remove seafood from the bag they came in. Drain excess liquid, then transfer into a a large bowl unsealed container.
2. Cover the mussels with a clean damp cloth or a few layers of damp paper towels. You don’t want excess moisture, so make sure it’s damp, not soaking wet. 
3. Place the bowl in the fridge and store for up to 2 days. You don’t want them sitting in water, so check the mussels daily and drain water as needed.