This dish is perfect for a weeknight meal and for a seafood lover as a starter appetizer or as a whole meal with the addition of cooked pasta, rice, or even alongside a chopped salad.
We are huge fans of this buttery wine and garlicky liquid that pools around these mussels and with a big chunk of garlic Italian bread to sop up this marvelous juice it's a total sailor's delight.
Along with a squeeze of lemon on top, this shellfish is one show-stopping gourmet-tasting dish especially when hosting a dinner party and so impressive.
If you love shellfish you may also like to try Julia Child's Coquilles Saint Jacques which is another family seafood dish but made with scallops.
We often make this mussels dish as an appetizer especially around the Christmas Eve Holiday when we celebrate the Feast of 7 Fishes.
If you would like a copy of this recipe, scroll all the way to the very bottom of this post for the printable recipe card and hit print.
Step-by-Step Stovetop How To Make Steam Mussels in Garlic Butter
- Saute the garlic and shallots in butter.
- Simmer steam for around 5 minutes in the herbs and juices
- Toss out the mussels that do not open (these should not be eaten!)
- Add the lemon juice and stir
- Serve with chunks of hard-crusted Italian bread and enjoy!
Tips and Suggestions
- toss them if they don't open after steaming
- these are best steamed in juices not boiled just a light simmer
- add some red pepper flakes on top when serving for heat
- serve them on top of cooked pasta or rice
- these are best when eaten right away
- do not overcook the mussels
Shopping List (for exact measurements printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post below)
- mussels
- fresh lemons juiced and wedges
- freshly ground black pepper
- granulated garlic or use 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic
- fresh garlic
- salted butter melted
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- white wine
- Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon wedges
- Serve with garlic bread
More Recipes We Love
Italian Christmas Eve Seafood Recipes
Best Fried Fish Recipe Coatings
Stuffed Flounder with Shrimp and Crab
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Mussel Lovers This One's Super Easy To Make!
Seriously this garlic butter sauce is so addicting and I don't waste a drop of it!
This delectable sauce of butter, lemon, and wine will fool everyone you didn't order this dish from a 5-star restaurant!
These mussels are cooked ready in less than 10.
If you're a seafood lover and not crazy about mussels try this sauce with scallops, shrimp, lobster, or a medley of all three!
Mussels in Garlic Wine Butter
Yield: 4
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 7 MinTotal time: 17 Min
Mussels in garlic butter wine sauce make the perfect appetizer or a whole meal when paired with rice or pasta.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons of salted butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon. red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I usually prefer Chablis or Pinot Grigio)
- 2 pounds of mussels, scrubbed and rinsed
- 1 lemon, juiced ( around 1/4 cup)
- Garnish:
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley sprigs
- wedges of fresh lemons
- freshly cracked black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large shallow skillet.
- Add shallots, both fresh and granulated garlic, with black pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Saute in the garlic butter for 3 to 4 minutes then add the wine.
- Cover and let them steam/simmer (not boil) for 5 minutes until they are all opened up.
- If the mussels do not all open discard any mussels that do not open.
- Add the lemon juice of one lemon and just stir to combine.
- Garnish with some fresh parsley, and add some lemon wedges to the plate.
- Serve with garlic bread to dip into the buttery sauce.
- Mussels are very good as an appetizer or added on top of cooked rice or pasta.
Notes
Tips and Suggestions
- toss them if they don't open after steaming
- these are best steamed in juices not boiled just a light simmer
- add some red pepper flakes on top when serving for heat
- serve them on top of cooked pasta or rice
- these are best when eaten right away
- do not overcook the mussels
These are all copyright-protected images and content. Do not reprint/reuse this recipe or its images without my written permission.
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Other Favorite Seafood Recipes
Pan Seared Sea Bass Medley
Seafood Medley
Stuffed Shrimp and Crab Flounder
