On nights when you feel like relaxing with a fuss-free, comforting meal, a big bowl of Steamed Mussels in Tomato Sauce (Cozze al Pomodoro) is the ideal dish. The mussels are steamed in a vibrant, fresh tomato sauce, flavoured with onion, garlic, fennel, white wine, with some chilli flakes adding a slightly spicy note. There are few meals easier or more delicious; just serve the bowl of aromatic, flavoursome mussels at the table with crusty bread to soak up the full flavoured juices.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It is made from readily available, budget-friendly ingredients.
- This is a recipe which is ideal for weeknights but also impressive to serve to your guests.
- A big bowl of these steaming mussels adds a celebratory note to an otherwise casual weeknight dinner.
- Preparing mussels is easier than you may have thought. If you’ve never cooked mussels, don’t worry, I will talk you through the process of cleaning and cooking them.
- The juices of the mussels combine with the rich flavours of the tomato sauce; so delicious!
- This recipe is a lesson in the value of simplicity. The mussels are steamed in a sauce, rich with flavours of the Mediterranean. Easy, quick, and delicious; if you’ve never tried them, you’re in for a treat.
Recipe Inspiration: Mussels are one of my favourite ingredients for a quick, delicious meal. Serve them as an appetiser with crusty bread, or a main course over pasta or rice.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Extra virgin olive oil – an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, adds great flavour to the dish.
- Brown/yellow onion – the onion most often used, but you can use a white onion if you prefer.
- Fennel – a great companion to seafood. When cooked, the faint anise flavour of the fennel mellows, and it becomes deliciously sweet.
- Sea salt – a small amount for seasoning.
- Garlic – for the best flavour, use fresh garlic, it is superior to prepared/jarred garlic.
- Flat leaf/Italian parsley – we use the leaves and the stalks for flavour.
- White wine – use a dry white wine, it adds flavour and acidity to balance the flavours. Use a wine that you are happy to drink.
- Dried red chilli flakes – for a touch of spice.
- Tomato passata - this is pureed, strained, tomatoes, generally sold in glass bottles. The best substitute is pureed tinned tomatoes.
- Fresh mussels – we have used local blue mussels, which are very similar to black mussels and may also be known as common mussels. They are smaller than the green-lipped variety. I buy them in vacuum packs, cleaned, scrubbed and de-bearded. You may also be able to buy mussels loose, but you will need to clean, scrub and de-beard them yourself.
Variations:
Chilli – we have used dried chilli flakes. If you don’t like a little spice, just omit. Also, if you prefer to use finely sliced fresh chillies, these would also be a delicious variation.
Herbs – dried oregano is a great addition.
White wine - omit if you prefer. Add a little water instead and serve with lemon wedges for acidity.
How To Make Steamed Mussels in Tomato Sauce:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Prepare the mussels and start the sauce:
Prepare and clean the mussels. Set aside while you start the sauce.
In a saucepan or deep-frying pan with a lid, add the extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium high. Add the fennel, onion and sea salt, and sauté until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley stalks and cook for 1-2 minutes.
2 – Add the wine to the sauce:
Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.
3 – Add in the passata:
Add the tomato passata and chilli flakes and simmer for 5 minutes.
4 – Add the mussels to the sauce:
Add the mussels to the simmering tomato sauce and stir into the sauce. Put the lid on for 1-2 minutes and shake the pan gently.
5 – Remove the cooked mussels:
As the mussels start to open, take the lid off, and using tongs, remove the opened mussels from the pot and place on a plate.
6 – Serve:
Return the opened mussels to the sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
Some mussels will come in packs and will already have been cleaned and mostly de-bearded. They may have a use-by date which will guide you as to their freshness. If buying them loose, they should smell like the ocean. Discard any with cracked or broken shells. If some mussels have already opened, tap them gently on the bench – if they close, they are good to cook. If not, you should discard them.
If yours have not been cleaned, get a clean, firm-bristle nail brush and scrub the shell. Rinse under cold water. To remove the beard, that’s the stringy, hair-like fibres, pinch it with your fingers and drag it firmly toward the closed side of the shell.
It is a myth that mussels which don’t open are not safe to eat, they can be pried open (very carefully) with a sharp knife. But as it is difficult to pry them open, it’s often easier to discard them. This is assuming you have discarded any with cracked or broken shells or those that refuse to close before cooking.
The mussels should be served as soon as they are cooked. However, you could make your tomato sauce a day in advance and re-heat when you are ready to cook the prepared mussels.
Use a fork or spoon to remove a mussel from one of the shells. You can then use the empty shell as a pair of tweezers to remove the mussels. Or, you can use a small fork to remove the mussel from the shell.
Top Tip:
As always, the quality of your ingredients will impact the result of your dish. It goes without saying – the mussels must be fresh. To check their freshness, just give them a smell. They should smell of the sea. As well, it is also essential that you do not overcook them or they will toughen.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy the Steamed Mussels in Tomato Sauce for casual family meals or when entertaining. Some suggestions are:
- Serve at the table in the pot they are cooked in, in a large bowl, or in individual wide, shallow bowls.
- If you’re serving the mussels as a starter, serve in small, individual pots.
- To enjoy them over rice or pasta.
- At a casual party or barbecue. Put out a large pot, a bowl for empty shells, and plenty of crusty bread.
- And perhaps a glass of chilled white wine!
If you have not previously made Steamed Mussels, you will be delighted to discover how quickly and easily you can make this dish at home yourself. It is certain to become a part of your menu planning as it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Alex xx
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Steamed Mussels in Tomato Sauce (Cozze al Pomodoro)
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion – peeled, trimmed, cut in half and finely sliced into half moons
- 1 small bulb of fennel - trimmed, cut in half, core removed and finely sliced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt See Note 2
- 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon parsley stalks - finely chopped
- ½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine See Note 3
- ½ teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes
- 2 cups (500 ml) tomato passata - or crushed tinned tomatoes See Note 4
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) mussels – scrubbed and debearded See Note 5
- ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped - for serving
- crusty bread - for serving and soaking up the delicious sauce
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the mussels. Discard any that have cracked or damaged shells. Scrub the shells if necessary. Remove the hairy beard from the mussel by pinching it with your fingers and dragging it toward the closed side of the shell.
- In a large saucepan or deep frying pan with a lid, add the extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium high. Add the sliced fennel, onion and sea salt, and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened and lightly golden.
- Add the garlic and parsley stalks, and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, being careful that the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add in the white wine, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add in the tomato passata and chilli flakes and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add in the mussels to the simmering tomato sauce and stir into the sauce. Put the lid on for 1-2 minutes and shake the pan gently.
- As the mussels start to open, take the lid off, and using tongs, remove the opened mussels from the pot and place on a plate or sheet pan, being careful to drain the excess tomato sauce back into the pot.
- Once all of the mussels have opened (See Note 6), return them to the sauce in their shells. Sprinkle over the parsley and serve immediately with crusty fresh bread.
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat, or some freshly ground black pepper.
- White wine: choose a dry white wine that you enjoy drinking, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Riesling.if you prefer to not use wine in cooking, you can substitute with water. For acidity, you could serve with some lemon wedges.
- Tomato passata: this is pureed, strained, tomatoes, generally sold in glass bottles. The best substitute is pureed tinned tomatoes.
- Mussels: we have used local blue mussels, which are very similar to black mussels and may also be known as common mussels. They are smaller than the green-lipped variety. It goes without saying – the mussels must be fresh. To check their freshness, just give them a smell. They should smell of the sea. I buy mine packed in water. I prefer smaller mussels, but this is a personal preference. Many mussels are sold in packets already scrubbed and de-bearded.
- Cooked mussels: it is a myth that mussels which don’t open are not safe to eat, they can be pried open (very carefully) with a sharp knife. But as it is difficult to pry them open, it’s often easier to discard them. This is assuming you have discarded any with cracked or broken shells or those that refuse to close before cooking.
- Make in advance: the mussels should be served as soon as they are cooked. However, you could make your tomato sauce a day in advance and re-heat when you are ready to cook the prepared mussels. This dish is not suitable to freeze or reheat.
- Servings: serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Marie says
This is such a great, easy recipe. I could just about drink the sauce on it's own. Yum!
Alexandra Cook says
Hey Marie, thank you for your comment. I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Alex xo
jay says
if I want to use tinned tomatoes instead of passata, how much/many cans?
Alexandra Cook says
Hello Jay,
I have made this before using 1 x 400 g can of crushed tomatoes. (Rinsed out with about 1/2 cup of water.)
I do recommend cooking the sauce for about 10 minutes longer if using the canned tomatoes, as this will help develop a richer sauce. Then, add the mussels etc. as per the recipe.
Let me know if you give the recipe a try!
Alex xo
Liz says
We loved this simple, yet flavorful mussels recipes. Even my picky husband went back for more!
Alexandra Cook says
I am so happy to hear this, Liz! Thank you for sharing 🙂 Alex xo
Marie says
Yum! These turned out perfectly cooked and the sauce was soooo good! Thanks for the recipe
Alexandra Cook says
Thank you so much, Marie 🙂
I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Alex xo