Looking for an easy recipe that looks impressive but takes little to no effort to put together? This Spicy Steamed Mussels is perfect!
Easiest Spicy Steamed Mussels Ever
Whenever I have to make a dish for a special occasion (and totally didn’t plan my time accordingly, oops), I always turn to this easy spicy steamed mussels dish. Mussels are almost always available, and they are inexpensive to purchase.
Outside of soaking/cleaning the mussels, this recipe takes under 15 minutes to make, so it’s easy to whip together when I need something to impress. Serve this up with a side of pasta and some bread to dip the sauce in, and you’ve got yourself a delicious meal!
How to Clean and Debeard Mussels
- Start by rinsing the mussels under some cold water then placing it in cold water for 20 minutes. Soaking the mussels allows them to filter water through them and expel sand in their system.
- If there are any beards left on the mussels (most farm-raised mussels don’t have much), grab the beard and pull it downwards towards the hinged end of the mussel shell or use a paring knife to cut it off. In the video, you’ll see how I do it. The steps are very simple and don’t take much time.
- Lastly, check for dead mussels by checking the ones that are opened. If they’re opened and they don’t close when you give them a tap, it means that they’re dead, and you should not cook them.
What You’ll Need To Make This Spicy Steamed Mussels Recipe
- mussels
- oil
- onion
- chili flakes
- garlic
- can of diced tomatoes
- water
How To Make Steamed Mussels
- Start by cleaning, debearding, and soaking your mussels.
- In a dutch oven (or large pot), add some oil to the pot and place your onions in to sweat them.
- Next, add in the chili flakes and garlic to the pot, let it cook for around 2 minutes.
- Add in a can of diced tomatoes and water. Stir and bring the mixture up to a simmer.
- Once it’s reached a simmer, add in the mussels and cover the pot. Allow the mussels to steam inside the covered pot for 7-8 minutes, mixing halfway through. Top with some parsley and more chilling flakes if you desire, serve immediately.
What to serve spicy steamed mussels with
- pasta (I used fettuccine)
- bread for dipping
- fries (also great for dipping)
- frites
- add more liquid and some cream and turn it into a creamy soup
How Many Mussels Per Person Do You Need?
- My general rule of thumb is 1 lb of mussels per person
How To Store Mussels. Can Mussels be frozen?
- When storing cooked mussels, I remove them from the shell and place it in an airtight container with them covered in the cooking broth/sauce I made it in. They will last for a day in the fridge so eat them quickly!
- The same method can be used to freeze your mussels. They last up to 3 months in the freezer. Be sure to check if the mussels smell fresh when you reheat them.
Spicy Steamed Mussels
Looking for an easy recipe that looks impressive but takes little to no effort to put together? This Spicy Steamed Mussels is perfect!
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Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds mussels
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili flakes, or less
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 796 mL diced tomatoes, (1 can)
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Start by cleaning, debearding, and soaking your mussels.
- In a dutch oven (or large pot), add the oil and onion. Let the onions sweat for a minute.
- Add in the chili flakes and garlic to the pot and cook for around 2 minutes.
- Add in the can of diced tomatoes and water. Stir and bring the mixture up to a simmer.
- Once it’s reached a simmer, add in the mussels and cover the pot. Allow the mussels to steam inside the covered pot for 7-8 minutes, mixing halfway through. Top with some parsley and more chilling flakes if you desire, serve immediately.
Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving: 4servings | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1695IU | Vitamin C: 35.6mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 9.6mg
Other places to connect with me
Instagram: @carmyshungry
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carmyycom
Email: [email protected]
Vlogs/Recipe Videos: Youtube
Daniela says
I LOVE steamed mussels, but I’ve never made them spicy. They sound absolutely delicious! And thank you for all the tips on cleaning them; I always struggle with that part, but now I know that it’s actually really easy.
Lisa says
I agree 100% — mussels are the perfect quick and easy dish. I love how quickly this recipe comes together — and I bought a bunch of mussels for our Christmas Eve dinner. I’m adapting it to your recipe! Can’t wait for dinner time!
Marisa Franca says
We love mussels and we’ve made them many a time! They are so good with the pasta and of course the bread for sopping up all of that delicious juices. You give some excellent advice on how to clean and prepare them — in fact you’ve put me in the mood to stop at our local store and pick up some mussels. Your photos make me want some right now!!