Easy mussels with white wine, garlic & cream

I love mussels for a number of reasons but their affordability-to-deliciousness ratio and their speed of cooking are right up there. They can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways, and you can find my other mussel recipes here. This classic recipe for mussels with white wine, garlic & cream is my favourite. Enjoy this easy weeknight dinner with a glass of dry white wine.

How to clean fresh mussels

1. Discard any mussels that are already open. Live mussels should be tightly closed.
2. Scrub the mussels under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris.
3. Use a small knife or your fingers to remove the beards from the mussels. The beard is a small tuft of fibres that protrudes from the shell. Grab it firmly and pull it out towards the hinge end of the mussel.
4. Soak the cleaned mussels in a large bowl of cold water for 20-30 minutes. This helps to remove any sand or grit inside the shells.
5. After soaking, drain the mussels and give them a final rinse under cold running water.
6. Discard any mussels that are still open or have broken shells.
7. Your cleaned mussels are now ready to be cooked according to your mussel recipe

This recipe feeds two people and takes about 10 minutes to make. Have everything ready before you get going – I love to pour myself a glass of wine to enjoy the process. I’ve also added a glass of the Limestone Hill to the recipe because you want to put the best wine in it too. A lovely loaf of crusty bread is imperative to serve with these mussels to mop up the delicious sauce.

What you need to make a pot of mussels with white wine, garlic & cream?

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this mussel recipe.

• Fresh clean mussels. See the instructions above on how to clean them if not.
• Shallots are the perfect base for this dish but use a brown/white onion if you cannot source shallots.
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley and thyme leaves are my herbs of choice with this dish.
• Good white wine – the mussels steam in the white wine broth absorbing the flavour (you could substitute this with fish or seafood stock if you don’t drink alcohol but this will affect the taste profile).
• The cream makes this dish indulgent and tempers all the other flavours. You can use pouring,  whipping or heavy cream here.

What to serve with mussels cooked with white wine, garlic & cream.

Crusty bread: Serve some crusty bread or baguette slices to mop up the delicious cooking liquid.

Fries: Classic French fries are a popular accompaniment for mussels, especially in Belgium.

Salad: A crisp green salad with a simple vinaigrette can help cut through the richness of the dish.

Roasted vegetables: Roasted or grilled vegetables, such as asparagus, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes, can be a great complement to the mussels.

Rice or pasta: Serve the mussels over a bed of rice or pasta to create a more substantial meal.

Sautéed greens: Sautéed spinach, Swiss chard, or kale can add a healthy and flavorful side dish to your mussels.

Aioli: A simple garlic mayonnaise, or aioli, is a traditional accompaniment for mussels in France.

Grilled or toasted bread rubbed with garlic: Bruschetta, crostini, or garlic bread can all be tasty options to accompany the mussels.

As mentioned, a glass of white wine is the perfect drink to wash this all down. Cheers!

My other top seafood recipes you might also like:

Jamie Oliver’s fantastic fish pie

Mussels steamed in orange & fennel

Baked whole trout with herbs and lemon

Creamy salmon pasta with spinach, capers & lemon

Trout en Papillote with fennel

Prawn pasta with tomato, garlic & cream

Herb & fennel crusted salmon

Mussels with white wine, garlic & cream

A delicious and easy classic recipe for mussels cooked in white wine, garlic, and cream

Print Recipe

Prep Time:5 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 shallots very finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 6 – 8 thyme stalks
• 200 ml De Wetshof Estate Chardonnay or other dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
• 1 kg of mussels fresh
• 250 ml cream
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• A light scattering of finely grated lemon zest optional
• 2 tsp lemon juice optional

Instructions

• In a large heavy-based pot, add the butter and olive oil and sauté the shallots until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic and thyme stalks and cook for about another minute over medium-high heat but keep stirring to prevent the garlic from going brown.
• Add the white wine and then the mussels. Put the lid on the pot and steam for about 3 minutes until the shells are open.
• Scoop the mussels and thyme stalks out of the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard the thyme and any mussels that have not opened.
• Add the cream to the pan liquid and allow this to bubble over low heat until the sauce has reduced slightly, and the cream starts to thicken.
• Add half the parsley and then add the cooked mussels back in and toss around to reheat for a minute or 2.
• Sprinkle over the remaining parsley and lemon zest and juice if you are using it serve immediately with the crusty bread and a glass of Chardonnay.

Notes

Serve these mussels as a starter for 4 people or as a main course for 2.

Servings: 2 - 4

Author: Sam Linsell

For more recipes I’ve made with the absolutely delicious Limestone Hill:

Roast baby chickens stuffed with pork & sage

Risotto Milanese with brown butter pan-fried prawns

Coq au Chardonnay

This post was sponsored by Dewetshof Estate

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