Mussels Marinara is a simple, economical but very tasty seafood appetizer, which can be enjoyed on its own or, even better, accompanied by slices of slightly toasted bread. Easy and quick to prepare, Mussels Marinara are often also called Mussels in White Wine as the addition of this ingredient gives the dish its characteristic taste.
To prepare Mussels Marinara, only a few simple steps are needed; the longest and most tedious part is the cleaning of the mussels, but once done, it is enough to open them in a pan with oil, garlic, and a splash of dry white wine. Once ready, Mussels Marinara are sprinkled with a bit of chopped parsley, a must when cooking seafood, especially shellfish.
With mussels, you can prepare many delicious dishes, here are some suggestions:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 188.67 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 3.33 (g) of which sugars 0.24 (g)
- Proteins 8.86 (g)
- Fat 13.94 (g) of which saturated 2.31 (g)of which unsaturated 1.42 (g)
- Fibers 0.05 (g)
- Sodium 218.29 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Mussels Marinara
- 3.3 lbs mussels
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch parsley
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan large sauté pan with lid
How to Prepare Mussels in White Wine (Mussels Marinara)
To prepare Mussels Marinara, start with the cleaning of the mussels, for which I refer you to this step-by-step tutorial. Once cleaned, put them in a colander and start preparing the seasoning.
Turn on the stove and sauté them well, then add the mussels (2) and let them season for about a minute. Turn up the heat and deglaze with the white wine (3).
Let it evaporate for a few seconds, then cover with a lid (4) and let the mussels cook in white wine for 5-6 minutes over high heat until they open, without removing the lid. For this reason, if you have one, it is useful to use a glass lid that allows you to check the cooking of the mussels without uncovering the pan and dispersing the steam.
When the mussels have opened (5), turn off the heat and garnish with plenty of freshly chopped parsley (6). Serve the Mussels Marinara immediately, accompanied by toasted bread croutons.
Storage
Once cooked, mussels should be consumed immediately. If you buy them the day before consuming them, keep them in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp cloth, inside a covered bowl. The cleaning of the mussels should also be done just before cooking them.
Tips and Variations
If you like a spicy note, you can add a dry chili pepper to the initial sauté; alternatively, a grind of black pepper works well too.
Mussels in white wine can also be a perfect sauce for a quick spaghetti dish!
