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Mussels with Wine Sauce on Creamy Polenta

This mussels with wine recipe is guaranteed to leave your mouth watering. Served with sautéed vegetables over a bed of creamy polenta, this mussels recipe is the ultimate dish to impress your guests.

Two white shallow bowls of polenta topped with mushrooms, spinach and mussels

We go to a fabulous restaurant on Main Street in our small town.  It is well known in our area and regularly awarded for its seafood, which is surprising because, even though we’re near the coast, we’re basically landlocked. When Christopher and I want to celebrate, we go to this restaurant for its delicious food and cocktails.

We love to sit at the bar. That’s where they shuck oysters and cook lovely appetizers like mussels and steamers. I’ve watched them like a hawk as they prepare seafood. They have an amazing cooking station behind the bar. There is a line of cooking pans with levers that tip their finished products into dishes and bowls. There are water faucets above the cooking pans to wash them after each batch.

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I created this recipe in honor of that restaurant.

What gives mussels and steamed clams their flavor?

The cooking liquid they are steamed in contribute a great deal of flavor to mussels and clams. The restaurant I mention above uses chicken broth, butter, herbs and wine. The broth, which they serve for dipping, is so good you could drink it. But Christopher and I try to be circumspect and just soak it up with their fabulous dinner rolls.

Clarified butter also makes shellfish pretty delicious.

Helpful tips

  • If you want to steam your own mussels, it’s very easy. Here’s how: place all chicken broth, wine, and butter in a big enough skillet with a lid. Add washed and rinsed mussels and bring to a boil. Steam for 8 – 10 minutes. Check to make sure all the mussel shells have opened. Discard any that didn’t open during the cooking.
  • I love the convenience of already shucked and cooked mussels. I usually buy mine at Trader Joe’s. Not only does it change the cooking method, it also shortens the time to make it.
  • Although this dish makes for a delicious meal, it also is tasty as an appetizer, with our without the creamy polenta.
  • I sometimes add shallots to the vegetable mixture to add more flavor.
  • Love lemon? Sometimes I add 2 tablespoons if fresh lemon juice to the wine sauce.
  • Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc.
  • As garnish, you could use fresh flat-leaf parsley or even sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top.

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How to make mussels with wine sauce

TIP: Prepare the rest of the meal as you’re cooking the polenta, so that everything is finished at roughly the same time.

Step one

Gather the polenta and chicken broth.

Polenta, chicken broth measured out on a wooden table

Step two

Pour broth into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the polenta and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Add goat cheese and let it melt for another 5 minutes.

Step three

Gather the mussels whether you are using packaged (which I love) or fresh. Also get out the spinach and mushrooms.

Mussels in a package on the table and spinach and mushrooms on a wooden board in the background

Step four

Heat a wok or a large sauté pan on medium and once that heats up, add chicken broth, sliced mushrooms, garlic paste, or 3 garlic cloves, chopped, salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes and add spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted.

Mushrooms and spinach cooked in a wok with a pan of polenta in the background

Step five

Dollop some polenta on the plates. I use shallow white bowls that I got at Crate & Barrel

Polenta spooned in two bowls with some mushrooms and spinach in the background

Step six

While the polenta is cooking: Since the mussels are pre-cooked, I heat them up in a sauté pan.

Heat the pan on medium-high heat, add butter, broth, wine and mussels and sauté for 5 minutes.

If you are using mussels in shells, they will be done once they open. Take the mussel out of the shell and remove the beards if there are any. Toss the mussels in the butter, broth and wine mixture.

Sautéed mussels front and center with two deep bowls filled with the polenta and mushrooms and spinach

Step seven

First, add the vegetables and then the mussels on the polenta. Spoon the delicious sauce on top.

Two white shallow bowls of polenta topped with mushrooms, spinach and mussels

Mussels with wine sauce on creamy polenta from above!

Doesn’t it make you want to dip some crusty bread in the white wine sauce in the plate of mussels?

Overhead view of the two white bowls filled with polenta topped with mussels and veggies. There is also a dish filled with mussels in a wine sauce

I hope you enjoyed this mussels with wine sauce recipe!

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below.  I love hearing from you!  You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

Two shallow white plates with mussels, spinach and mushrooms on polenta - square

Mussels with Wine Sauce

This mussels with wine recipe is guaranteed to leave your mouth watering. Served with sautéed vegetables over a bed of creamy polenta, this mussels recipe is the ultimate dish to impress your guests.
4.86 from 14 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Seafood
Keyword: mussels with wine
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 210kcal

Ingredients

Polenta

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup polenta
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces goat cheese

Veggies

  • 2 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 10 ounces sliced portobello mushrooms
  • 2 large portobello mushrooms sliced thinly
  • 10 ounces baby spinach one package
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic paste or 2 cloves of garlic

Mussels

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/8 cup dry white wine
  • 5 ounces mussels pre-packaged without shells
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions

Make it!

  • In a medium saucepan, set chicken broth to boil, add polenta and 1/2 teaspoon salt and let cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
  • Add goat cheese and continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
  • Meanwhile, put sauté pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons chicken broth, mushrooms, garlic paste and salt and sauté for 5 minutes.
  • Add spinach and stir until wilted.
  • Meanwhile put another sauté pan on medium high heat, add butter, chicken broth, wine and mussels and sauté for 5 – 7 minutes. If you are using fresh mussels in the shell, once the shells open, it's done.
  • Spoon polenta into two shallow bowls or plates.
  • Spoon some mushrooms and spinach mixture on the polenta.
  • Top it off with mussels and wine sauce.
  • Eat
  • Smile
  • Enjoy

Equipment

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Notes

I cook the polenta, mushrooms and spinach and mussels at the same time to cut down on the time it takes to cook! You will have lots of mushrooms and spinach leftover so, it’s a great side dish!
Helpful tips
  • If you want to steam your own mussels, it’s very easy. Here’s how: place all chicken broth, wine, and butter in a big enough skillet with a lid. Add washed and rinsed mussels and bring to a boil. Steam for 8 – 10 minutes. Check to make sure all the mussel shells have opened. Discard any that didn’t open during the cooking.
  • I love the convenience of already shucked and cooked mussels. I usually buy mine at Trader Joe’s. Not only does it change the cooking method, it also shortens the time to make it.
  • Although this dish makes for a delicious meal, it also is tasty as an appetizer, with our without the creamy polenta.
  • I sometimes add shallots to the vegetable mixture to add more flavor.
  • Love lemon? Sometimes I add 2 tablespoons if fresh lemon juice to the wine sauce.
  • Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc.
  • As garnish, you could use fresh flat-leaf parsley or even sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 1065mg | Potassium: 752mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4720IU | Vitamin C: 26.7mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2.9mg
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From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.

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38 Comments

  1. Ooh, it’s been a long time since I’ve made polenta – yum! The mussels look scrumptious!

  2. The joy of being able to recreate something from your favorite restaurant (esp a high-end one!) is beyond describing! I am so so glad you were able to do it! Polenta looks amazing, I’ll have to try it sometime.

  3. OMG yum! I love mussels but have never made them at home, I always just get them when I’m out. Thanks for making this look easy and oh-so-delicious!

  4. I am a huge seafood lover (and went to school in Boston!) and this dish is making my mouth water. Love the mussels and polenta combo!

  5. I never tried pairing mussels with polenta before but it looks like a great combination! Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  6. Oh this sounds so good! I love eating mussels out but I’ve never made them at home… but this recipe looks so good I might have to!

  7. LOVE polenta!! This looks like a great dish….and worthy for company. I have yet to experiment with mussels. I order them when I am out to dinner, but have never attempted to cook them at home. I will have to give this a try.

  8. This recipe has my name written all over it! Seafood? Check! Polenta? Check! Wine? Absolutely!! Never without! It sounds scrumptious and I can guarantee that we’ll be having this dish before long.

  9. I admire your restraint in not slurping up that delicious broth. This recipe is so perfect to showcase both the mussels and polenta.

  10. What a combination! And something I’ve never had! Polenta, greens and mushrooms, topped with juicy mussels. It looks divine, definitely restaurant worthy.

  11. Elaine, I loved reading your post! We live just outside Boston in Somerville. I love stumbling into others from New England on the internet! These mussels look DIVINE. I absolutely love that they’re already out of the shells for easy eating and the creamy polenta is beautiful!

    1. Lauren! Yay! I live in Melrose! We aren’t far from each other, that is for sure. Thank you so much!

  12. This look so good! I love mussels, but I’ve never made them at home. I always feel like our grocery store has such mediocre looking shellfish so I haven’t tried it. I really wish we had a good fish monger in the neighborhood!

  13. Mmmmmmm … this looks spectacular! My eyeballs are definitely already doing the cha-cha in celebration, just looking at your gorgeous pics! I adore mussels, but rarely cook them, and your recipe has me so inspired! I really liked your tips, especially about saving a whole (rather labor-intensive step) by buying already-shucked mussels. Brilliant!

  14. Mmm…. I love polenta dishes so much! I bet it’s pairs wonderfully with the mussels. Your mussels look really good too. I’m going to have to try in find the shelled ones the next time I’m at the grocery store!

  15. This dish looks simply amazing! LOVE that the mussels are served over polenta. My family would clean the plate!

  16. This recipe does look and sound delicious, but I am disappointed that no one who commented has actually made the recipe and tasted the results. Recipes should be rated after they have been prepared and sampled.

    1. I understand Merlin’s mom. I really can’t control who comments on the blog or how they rate the recipes. I can imagine it’s frustrating seeing the comments, but imagine how I feel when you give the recipe 3 stars when you haven’t tried it either. I hope you give the recipe a try, though.

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