Steamed Mussels in White Wine & Lemon

5 from 19 votes

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Let’s make: steamed mussels in white wine and lemon juice! This steamed mussels recipe is everything. Seriously on heavy rotation as an appetizer for dinner on the weeknights for us. It’s super easy to make and v impressive, too!

It starts with a base of shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes, all added with cream, butter & wine – to make the most perfect broth. It’s then steamed and finished with lemon zest, juice and loads of chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread & it’s perfect. The white wine sauce is so delicious – truly the most delicious sauce!

Want a pasta variation? Try these Mussels with Pasta and White Wine!

Steamed Mussels in White Wine & Lemon

Key Ingredients in your steamed white wine mussels:

  • Shallots and garlic, you can also sub with onion here!
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Dry white wine: Such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
  • Heavy Cream
  • Unsalted butter
  • Fresh mussels
  • Parsley to top, but herbs like fresh basil and dill will work great too!
  • Crusty bread
  • Kosher salt/ black pepper
  • Lemon zest and juice
  • Extra-virgin olive oil

How To Make Your Mussels

Wash your mussels 

Wash your mussels under cool water, set aside. Scrub mussels down any imperfections as well. In a deep pot with a drizzle of olive oil, sweat out shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce your wine, add your cream and melt butter

Next, add in your wine, boil and reduce for 2-3 minutes minutes. Then add in your cream and melt in your butter. 

Finish your sauce and cook your mussels 

Once your sauce is all combined and the butter is melted throughout, add in the mussels, and stir well to toss with the sauce. Cover with a lid and steam until your mussels open, about 5-6 minutes.

Finishing touches and serve!

Remove the lid and turn off the heat. Toss in chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, stir and serve with lemon wedges, fresh parsley, freshly cracked pepper and crusty bread to dip into all that saucy goodness! Serve with a separate empty bowl for the mussel shells.

Steamed Mussels in White Wine & Lemon

Some Mussel TIPS!

  1. RINSE before steaming in a bowl/strainer, and discard any that aren’t closed.
  2. Make sure you close the lid of your pot to make sure the mussels have the chance to steam and open.
  3. After the cooking process, remove all the mussels that have not opened in the cooking process as well. This with show which were live mussels.
  4. Serve with crusty bread to mop up that extra sauce.

How do you prepare your mussels before steaming?

I store my mussels in the fridge, with a damp paper towel on top of the mussels completely covering the mussels, and then add plastic wrap on top. This allows the mussels to stay fresh, and not dry out.

How long should you steam your mussels?

Around 5-6 minutes, with the lid closed until all the mussels open.

Should you soak your mussels in water before cooking?

Yes, a nice rinse and rub of your mussels will ensure you’re not getting any dirt/or cracks when steaming and cooking them.

Additional bases to make your sauce

Ingredients like bacon, pancetta and chopped tomatoes are great layers of flavor to build on this dish, if you want!

How to steam mussels

Make it a MEAL! Some ideas & inspiration to serve with this dish:

Moroccan Inspired Rack of Lamb with Turmeric Couscous

Parmesan Roasted Garlic Bread

Horseradish Kale Caesar Salad

Little Wedge Salad with A Gorgonzola Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Looking for more seafood and shellfish ideas? Check Out The Below Recipes!

Lemon Butter Garlic Scallops

Loaded Tuna Salad

One Pot Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Crunchy Shrimp with Zhoug Sauce

PS: serving this with some Herb Parmesan French Fries is a perfect pairing!

If you do make these Steamed Mussels in White Wine & Lemon, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I always do my best to respond to all comments and am here to help in any way I can! Also, If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I LOVE seeing what you’re making!

In addition, we can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!

White Wine & Lemon Sauce

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Steamed mussels in white wine sauce with herbs and toasted bread.
5 from 19 votes

Steamed Mussels in White Wine and Lemon

Let's make: steamed mussels in white wine and lemon juice! Seriously on heavy rotation as an appetizer for dinner on the weeknights for us.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 pound mussels
  • handful of chopped parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • crusty bread to serve
  • top with 1/2 lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon

Instructions 

  • Wash your mussels under cool water, set aside. In a deep pot with a drizzle of olive oil, sweat out shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Next, add in your wine and reduce for 2-3 minutes minutes. Then add in your cream and melt in your butter. 
  • Once your sauce is all combined and the butter is melted throughout, add in the mussels, and stir well to toss with the sauce. Cover with a lid and steam until your mussels open, about 5-6 minutes. 
  • Remove the lid and turn off the heat. Toss in chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, stir and serve with lemon wedges, fresh parsley, freshly cracked pepper and crusty bread to dip into all that saucy goodness! 

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 96mg, Sodium: 346mg, Potassium: 443mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 973IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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23 Comments

  1. Could you help me understand the type and brand of the white wine used for this?? Could you make a comprehensive guide in cooking wine??

    1. For white wine for this recipe, I recommend any dry white, like Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio/gris. I will definitely work on a guide for cooking with wine!

  2. 5 stars
    we don’t have heavy cream in Aus, so i used thickened which is a bit too thin for the sauce. I’d recc adding a little cornstarch if anyone else has this issue.

    Delicious recipe, and so easy. Thanks so much for sharing!!

  3. 5 stars
    OMG made this tonight, awesome!
    So much flavor and deliciousness.
    Didn’t have shallots, so used regular onion, but other than that followed the recipe as directed.
    Did make pasta to serve with it and use use up the delicious sauce, more than enough to dip in a crusty bread and pasta in.
    Highly recommend.

    1. Hi Laurie! So glad to hear you loved the recipe! Such a great move to toss with pasta as well. Thanks for your review!

  4. 5 stars
    I would like you to invite me on a date for this treat. Never had mussels this way. I am 48 years of age. Fascinated by good food and nice people.

    1. Hi Adriana! So glad you enjoyed! I wouldn’t save the sauce for another day since it was steamed with the mussels, and it has cream, so it may spoil. I would toast some bread when you make the mussels to sop up the sauce OR toss the extra sauce with some pasta as well. Hope this helps!

  5. 5 stars
    Not “crispy bread”, as in …

    “-parsley to top, but herbs like fresh basil and dill will work great too!
    -crispy bread
    -kosher salt/ black …”

    But “crusty” bread, as you note later.

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe is the best! The lemon zest is key and really makes this sauce so flavorful. We eat this with a homemade loaf of bread. Cant beat it!

    1. Thank you so much Jasmine for your review, I’m glad you enjoyed! One of my favorite recipes forsure!