Easy Mussels Marinara

Close up of mussels in marinara sauce served over spaghetti with lemon wedges.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: people

Calories: 183kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

Mussels in marinara sauce is a quick & easy seafood recipe to make at home. Serve them with crusty bread as an appetizer, or over pasta as an entree. Spice them up with red pepper flakes to make Mussels Fra Diavolo.

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Equipment

Large Pot

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes if you’d like spicy Fra Diavolo mussels
1 cup dry white wine I used Pinot Gris, but Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay would work
1 23.5 ounce jar marinara sauce
2 pounds mussels scrubbed and debearded
Salt to taste
Chopped parsley for serving
Crusty bread for serving

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil and sauté garlic (and red pepper flakes if using) for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic.
Add wine and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Stir in marinara sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in mussels, cover and cook until mussels open, 3 to 5 minutes; discard any mussels that do not open.
Season with salt, to taste, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

How to store & clean mussels

Once purchased, mussels should be used within a couple days. Store them in the refrigerator, in a bowl covered with a damp towel.
To clean, rinse them in a colander using a scrub brush. If you find mussels with open shells, tap them gently to ensure that it closes up and is alive. If not, discard.
The “beard” of a mussel is a bundle of hair-like fibers that comes from the shell. Most farm-raised mussels will come debearded. However, if you find mussels that need to be debearded, simply grab the beard from the mussels and give it a tug to remove it.

Recipe variations

Clams marinara – Swap out the mussels for some clams.
Herbs – Swap out the parsley for basil or oregano.
Olives – Chop up some kalamata or green olives and sprinkle them on your finished mussels.
Breadcrumbs – Toast up some italian breadcrumbs or panko in a bit of olive oil and sprinkle them over your finished dish.

Nutrition