Easy Steamed Mussels Recipe

Steamed mussels are one of our go-to easy seafood dinner recipes. Once you start devouring these delectable mussels, it’s hard to stop! Steamed mussels are quick to make, healthy and ideal as a dinner for two or when you’re feeding a crowd. We love steamed mussels with white wine, garlic and shallots but you can also add diced tomato, thyme and even beer instead of white wine. However you make steamed mussels, make sure you serve them with plenty of crusty bread.

How many mussels per person?

Count on at least 1 pound of mussels per person.

How to clean mussels

It’s important to pick over and clean mussels before cooking, but this only takes a few minutes. Discard any mussels with cracked shells, and any mussels that are already open. Now, give the mussels a salt bath to expel any sand or grit from inside the shell. About 15 minutes before you’re ready to cook, soak the mussels in a large bowl of fresh, cold water mixed with salt (½ cup kosher salt to 6 cups water for 2 pounds of mussels). After 15 minutes, remove the mussels from the cold water, being careful not to agitate the bowl and risk getting the expelled sand back into the mussels. Pull out any beards (fibers sticking out of the shell) by holding a mussel in one hand and pulling the beard from the hinged end with your other hand. The beard will usually come out easily. Finally, give the shells a quick scrub to remove any debris or barnacles.