Pasta with Mussels

Name: Pasta with Mussels
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 19 min
Ingredients: 8 oz linguini; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 garlic cloves (sliced); 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper; ½ cup white wine (such as Pinot Grigio); 1 ½ lbs mussels; 1 cup heavy cream; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Pasta with mussels is one of our favorite dishes to order at a restaurant when we’re on vacation near the ocean. There’s something about the linguine noodles in a white wine cream sauce with the salty mussels that’s just so good. To enjoy the dish all year round, we got into the kitchen to develop our own recipe, and after a few tries, we’ve perfected it to taste just like the classic dish.

Little did we realized, mussels are a very affordable type of seafood, so you won’t break the bank on this recipe. Plus, they cook so quickly, making this pasta dish come together in about 20 minutes. We love that it really just takes a pasta pot and a single skillet to assemble everything together, making both prep and clean up quick and easy.

If you love a seafood pasta, our shrimp scampi pasta and scallop pasta are two other family favorites.

Pasta with mussels in a large saute pan.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Restaurant-inspired pasta dish at home. This pasta with mussels is too easy to make in just 20 minutes. It’s an elevated dish that tastes fancy but is simple to prepare even on a busy weeknight.
A family favorite seafood dish that’s affordable too. Mussels are one of the cheapest types of seafood at the grocery store and so delicious. Paired with the white wine cream sauce and linguine, it’s an impressive pasta to serve to your family and friends.
Pairs well with all different side dishes. Serve it will a side salad, roasted vegetables, even a baked potato, the options are endless.

Tips for Busy Cooks

When buying mussels, we recommend buying fresh for this pasta recipe so that they cook quickly in the sauce and infuse it with the flavors of the sea as well. If you buy frozen mussels, we have a great recipe for cooking frozen mussels from scratch too!

Key Ingredient Notes

Linguini – Long pasta noodles are best for this mussels pasta because they coat in the white wine cream sauce nicely.
Olive oil – The cooking fat for the pasta recipe.
Garlic cloves adds that rich garlicky flavor.
Crushed red pepper gives a hint of spice in every bite.
White wine – We like to use pinot grigio, something dry is best.
Mussels – You can use fresh or frozen mussels for this recipe.
Heavy cream adds a rich and creamy flavor to every bite.
Grated Parmesan cheese gives a nice, salty and cheesy finish to the sauce.
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish adds a fresh punch of herb flavor and bright green color.

Ingredients for pasta with mussels which include, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, white wine, heavy cream, olive oil, red chili flakes, garlic, parsley, and mussels.

How to make pasta with mussels

Boiled linguine noodles being drained from a large pot.

Step 1: Cook the linguini per package directions.

A saute pan with garlic and chili flakes cooking in olive oil.

Step 2: In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic slices and crushed red pepper and cook for a minute until fragrant.

Garlic and chili flakes cooking with a hand adding white wine.

Step 3: Pour in the white wine.

Mussels added to the large saute pan for pasta with mussels.

Step 4: Add the mussels. Cover and cook until mussels pop open, about 5 minutes.

Step 5: Take the mussels to a large plate and discard any unopened ones.

The cooked mussels are removed from their shells into a glass bowl.

Step 6: If desired, you can remove the mussels from their shells.

Heavy cream and parmesan cheese are added to the saute pan.

Step 7: Add cream and parmesan to the skillet and stir the sauce.

Linguine and cooked mussels are added to the white wine cream sauce in the skillet.

Step 8: Add the cooked linguini and mussels to the sauce. Stir well and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Expert Tips:

To clean the mussels properly, use a scrub brush to clean the outside. With a small paring knife, carefully remove the “beard” of the mussel on the side. If any of the raw mussels are opened in the bag, discard them before cooking.
Discard any mussels that don’t open after cooking. After cooking the pasta and mussels, if any of the mussels don’t open and remain closed, discard them as well and don’t eat them.
Cook the pasta until al dente. This is according to the box instructions, you want to make sure the pasta has a little bite to it and isn’t mushy in texture.
Add the cream and cheese at the end of cooking. This is to avoid the ingredients curdling. By adding them at the end of cooking, this allows them to gently warm and heat through to create the perfect sauce.
Cover the pan to cook the mussels to allow them to steam and open. This is the best method for cooking mussels, and it happens quick! They don’t need a lot of time to steam.

Storage

This pasta with mussels is best eaten immediately, but if you want to store it, we recommend removing the cooked mussels from their shells and storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water.

Tongs are tossing the pasta in the sauce with the mussels.

FAQs

What kind of pasta goes with mussels?

We love a white wine and cream sauce, but a marinara sauce is also very delicious with the mussels as well. Generally a long noodle like linguine is best to coat in the sauce, it’s also easy to eat with the mussels.

How do you eat mussels in pasta?

You steam them in the shell until they open fully and that’s how you know they are cooked. You can serve them in the shell or remove the shells and discard before serving.

Should you rinse mussels before eating them?

Yes, first you want to scrub them with a brush under water. Second, you want to remove the beard with a paring knife on the side of the mussel.