I find making steamed mussels to be a very low-effort but high-impact meal. Somehow, they just seem quite fancy and worth of a special occasion when in reality, they’re incredibly simple to make and can be done in less than 30 minutes.
So even if it may seem high-end, making mussels is actually quite appropriate for even a weeknight meal.
However, often, on a weeknight, many don’t feel like cooking with wine – like so many recipes for steamed mussels call for. Fortunately, white wine is not a requirement for great steamed mussels and my recipe proves that!
How to Make Garlic Mussels Without Wine
The first step of this simple recipe is to prep your mussels. I simply like to give them a good scrub under cool running water and “de-beard” them if necessary.
This means removing the hair-like growths that you’ll find near the hinge of the shell – this is what the mussel uses to attach to a surface in the sea. It is harmless if eaten, just not that nice texturally.
This is also a great time to ensure that all of your mussels are alive – basically, you want to make sure that the mussels close tightly when they’re handled. If there are any that remain open after being scrubbed and de-bearded, discard them.
Now it’s time to move to the stovetop! In a large pot (make sure it’s big enough to fit all of your mussels!), add some sliced or roughly chopped garlic (follow the same guidelines as in my puttanesca recipe), a spoonful of chili flakes and a couple of chopped anchovy fillets.
Drizzle over some olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Let the oil heat up and gently cook the garlic while the anchovies dissolve – and once the garlic is softened and beginning to turn golden, add a diced shallot. Cook this for a couple of minutes – just until it’s soft.
Then, add in a diced Roma tomato (I like using this style of tomato because they are particularly good to cook with). Let the tomatoes cook down for a few minutes – until it has released a lot of moisture and is getting slightly jammy.
When you get here, pour in a bit of chicken or vegetable stock along with a few strips of lemon zest that you’ve shaved off with a vegetable peeler.
Then, add in your mussels and cover the pot! Let the mussels steam until they are all completely wide open – this will take about 7-10 minutes depending on the size of the shells.
And that’s it! Discard any unopened mussels (you don’t want to eat those!) and serve them with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Steamed Mussels Without Wine
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic sliced or roughly chopped
- 2 anchovy fillets rougly chopped
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 strips lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler
- 1 kg (2 lb) mussels scrubbed & de-bearded
Instructions
- Add the garlic, anchovies, chili flakes and a tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan large enough to fit all of the mussels. Set over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is softened and beginning to brown – 2-3 minutes. Add the shallot and cook until softened – another 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until they have released their moisture and are beginning to break down – about 3 mintues.
- Pour over the vegetable stock and add the lemon zest strips. Add the mussels and cover the pot. Cook, covered, until all of the mussels have opened wide – about 7-10 minutes. Serve, discarding any unopened mussels.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
These mussels are so simple to make and super delicious and impressive. Even without wine, these are complex, lightly acidic and super garlicky!
Are you looking for a great recipe for steamed mussels? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
