3 Easy Mussel Recipes: Pasta, Risotto & Creamy Mussels
I’ll be honest, I didn’t exactly think it through when I bought 3kg of mussels. I was just taken by the price (₩9,900!), which felt like a bargain… until they were delivered to my door step.
Still, I made the most of it and somehow turned that impulsive purchase into genuinely delicious meals. So if you’ve ever wondered what to do with a big batch of mussels, here are three easy mussel recipes you can try at home.
Cleaning 3kg of Mussels is Not Fun
This was where I fully regretted my cheapness. I had to clean each and every one of those suckers including beard removal. Those things are annoying as hell! I kid you not, cleaning took me 3 hours.
For those who may not know, you need to scrub off the debris and remove any barnacles—scrubbing requires some serious elbow grease. You also need to pull away any beards you see (the stringy looking bits that peek out the shell) and they won’t go easy! The beard is what they use to stick to rocks so it’s pretty strong.
Side Note: you should only remove the beard just before cooking because you may kill the mussel and you don’t want a dead mussel waiting too long to be cooked—not safe.
After surviving that ordeal, I was very ready to actually eat these mussels.
Mussel Pasta (Easy & Creamy)
This one was a no-brainer—seafood and pasta just work. It’s simple, comforting, and feels a little fancy without actually being much effort.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp shrimp oil or olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup prawn or chicken stock
- Mussels (as many as you like)
- 4 tbsp cream
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- Linguine
Method:
- Add oil to a pan over medium heat. Once hot, sauté the chopped onion until soft and lightly golden.
- Add the mussels and stock, give everything a stir, then cover with a lid. Let simmer for a few minutes until the mussels open. Discard any mussels that don’t open.
- Remove the mussels from their shells and return the meat to the pan.
- Cook your linguine in well-salted water according to the package instructions.
- Stir the cream into the sauce and let it simmer for 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly into the sauce (no need to drain—it helps the sauce cling).
- Toss everything together, add parsley, and taste before adjusting seasoning. A squeeze of lemon works beautifully here.
Creamy Mussels with Savoury Rice...
I wasn’t completely happy with my savoury rice here (still working on it!), so I’d recommend keeping it simple. As for the potato pave it’s a great way to impress dinner guests if you make the time to prepare it.
Ingredients:
- Mussels (as many as you like)
- ½ cup reserved mussel cooking liquid
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- Juice of ½ lemon (adjust to taste)
- 2–3 tbsp chopped parsley
For the rice:
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- A handful of peas (optional)
Method:
- Add your cleaned mussels to a large pan with a splash of water or stock. Cover with a lid and steam over medium heat until all the mussels have opened. Discard any that don’t open.
- Remove the mussels from their shells and set aside. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid.
- Return the liquid to the pan and let it simmer until reduced to a few tablespoons—this will intensify the flavour.
- In the same pan, melt a knob of butter over medium heat. Stir in a small amount of flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to form a roux.
- Gradually add milk, stirring continuously to create a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley. Let the sauce simmer until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Add the mussels back into the sauce and gently stir to coat.
- Serve over rice (simple chicken stock rice with peas works perfectly).
Potato Pave Ingredients:
- Potatoes (4 medium)
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 185°C.
- Slice the potatoes very thinly using a mandoline.
- Toss the slices with olive oil and salt until evenly coated.
- Line a baking tin (a loaf tin works well) with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
- Layer the potato slices neatly, pressing down slightly as you go.
- Cover the top with foil and bake for 2.5 hours, or until completely tender (a knife should slide through easily).
- Once cooked, compress the potatoes by placing a weighted object on top (e.g. another tin with something heavy like a cast iron pan).
- Transfer to the fridge and chill overnight to set.
- The next day, remove from the tin, trim the edges, and cut into your desired shapes.
- Heat oil to a medium frying temperature (around 170–180°C if you have a thermometer).
- Carefully place the pieces into the oil and fry until golden and crisp.
- Remove and drain on paper towel—then try not to eat them all immediately.
Mussel Risotto
This one takes a bit more patience—but it’s absolutely worth it.
Ingredients;
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 3–4 cups chicken stock (kept warm)
- ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- Mussels (steamed and de-shelled)
- 2–3 tbsp chopped parsley
- Juice of ½ lemon (adjust to taste)
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until soft and golden.
- Add the arborio rice and stir for a couple of minutes until the grains start to look slightly translucent around the edges.
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Begin adding warm chicken stock, one ladle at a time. Stir regularly and allow the liquid to absorb before adding more.
- Continue this process until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite in the centre (this takes about 18–20 minutes).
- Stir in a knob of butter for extra creaminess.
- Add the steamed, de-shelled mussels and chopped parsley.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.
If you have a go at any of these, I’d love to know which one you liked most—or if you’ve got a go-to mussel recipe, send it my way!
