Pasta with mussels is one of those dishes that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make. The dish is based on mussels steamed in white wine, but instead of throwing away the cooking liquid, we use it as the base for the sauce: it is full of the sea and umami and makes the perfect foundation. With white wine and cream you get a creamy, intense sauce that clings to the pasta beautifully.
Mussels are some of the most affordable seafood you can buy in Norwegian shops, and they are in season most of the year. Buy them fresh, rinse them well and throw away any that are open and do not close when you tap them lightly, as they are not good. The rest are ready to steam in a couple of minutes.
Choice of wine: a dry white works best here. A Muscadet from the Loire Valley is the classic with seafood, but an affordable Pinot Grigio or Picpoul de Pinet does the job just as well. Use something you would also like to drink with the meal, because the sauce will taste exactly like the wine.
Pasta with mussels in wine and cream sauce looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make, and it is ready in under 30 minutes. The secret is to save the cooking liquid from the mussels: it is full of the sea and umami and is the perfect foundation for a creamy, intense sauce.
Mussels are among the most affordable seafood you can get hold of, and combined with white wine, cream and pasta they make a dish that tastes like something from a seafood restaurant. Perfect for a special weekday dinner or when you want to impress without stress.
Tips and variations
- Never discard the steaming liquid from the mussels. Strain it and use it as the flavour base for the sauce.
- Scrub the mussels thoroughly and discard any that are open before cooking and closed after, as they are bad.
- Fry the garlic and shallot over low heat before adding the wine for a soft, sweet base in the sauce.
- Add the mussels to the sauce only at the end, as they are already cooked and just need to be warmed through.
- Fresh parsley and grated lemon zest over the top at serving gives freshness and lifts the whole dish.
🍷 Wine tips
Muscadet / Chablis: Pasta with mussels in wine and cream sauce combines seafood and acidity. Muscadet sur lie from the Loire is the classic match: fresh, mineral and with a sea-salt quality. Chablis adds more body and creaminess and is an equally fine choice.
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Pasta with mussels in wine and cream sauce
Delicious summer food! An impressive dish that is surprisingly easy to make.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Finely chop the shallots and chilli. Crush the garlic cloves. Fry the chopped shallots, chilli and garlic in olive oil in a large pot (you need room for the mussels and the pasta). Bring water for the pasta to the boil in a separate pan.
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Add the mussels and white wine, cover with a lid and steam until the mussels open.
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Remove the mussels from their shells, keeping a few in the shell for garnish.
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Add the cream to the wine along with a little of the pasta water (the starch thickens the sauce), bring to the boil and season to taste.
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Drain the pasta and tip it into the pot with the wine and cream, add the mussels and stir.
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Serve.
Notes
Tips: Discard mussels that are open and do not close when tapped, and any that stay closed after cooking. They are not safe to eat.
Storage: Eat immediately. Pasta and seafood cannot wait.
FAQ: Use a white wine you would actually drink. Cheap wine makes a poor sauce. A simple Verdicchio or Pinot Grigio is perfect.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 627 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 83 g
- Protein
- 22 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Saturated fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 74 mg
- Sodium
- 202 mg
- Potassium
- 553 mg
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
Frequently asked questions
Mussels are at their best in the months with an R in their name, September to April. That is when they are plump, juicy and safe to eat. In summer they can be thin and more prone to algal toxins.
White wine is recommended for mussels, as red wine can leave a slightly bitter aftertaste and discolour the sauce. White wine, ideally a Muscadet or a simple Pinot Grigio, is the classic and best choice.
Linguine or spaghetti are the classics with mussels. The long, thin shapes carry the sauce nicely and give you that proper restaurant feel. Avoid short pasta shapes, as they do not hold the sauce as well.
Fresh mussels should have closed shells and smell fresh, like the sea. Discard any that do not open during cooking.
A dry white wine such as Muscadet or Pinot Grigio is the classic. Avoid sweet wines, as they make the sauce unbalanced.
The mussels are best served straight away. Make the sauce base in advance and add the mussels 5 minutes before serving.