Mussels with Wine Sauce

This mussels with wine sauce recipe is a show-stopping dish that’s both elegant and approachable. Steamed in a flavorful wine sauce with sautéed vegetables and served over creamy polenta, these mussels create a rich and satisfying meal that’s sure to impress your guests.

There’s a fabulous restaurant on Main Street in our small town that Christopher and I love. It’s well known throughout the area and often wins awards for its seafood—which always amazes me, since even though we’re close to the coast, we’re technically landlocked. Whenever we have something to celebrate, that’s where we go for a special night of incredible food and cocktails.

Our favorite spot is at the bar. That’s where the chefs shuck oysters and prepare small plates like mussels and steamers right in front of you. I’ve watched them closely over the years, fascinated by their impressive setup—a sleek cooking station lined with pans, each equipped with levers that tip the finished dishes into bowls and faucets above to rinse everything clean between batches.

This mussels with wine sauce recipe is my little tribute to that restaurant, inspired by the delicious seafood and the joy we’ve found sitting at that bar.

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

• This is a shelled mussels recipe. But 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.

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. (A)

Step four

Heat a wok or a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add chicken broth, sliced mushrooms, garlic paste, or three chopped garlic cloves, salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes and add spinach, and stir until the spinach is wilted. (B)

Step five

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

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.

Step seven

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

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

I hope you enjoyed this mussels with wine sauce recipe!

Other popular seafood recipes

• Shrimp curry noodle
• Bacon wrapped scallops
• Shrimp & steak fajita
• Seafood stuffed fish
• Air fryer scallops

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 FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

Originally published in June of 2018.