Mussels in white wine (moules marinières)

October 10, 2022 by Caroline's Cooking

Mussels in white wine (moules marinières) is an incredibly simple and easy dish to make, but oh so delicious. It's quick, inexpensive, light and tasty. Perfect to enjoy again and again.

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bowl of mussels in white wine with parsley around bowl and bread to one side

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Mussels are one of those often overlooked seafoods, I think. They aren't quite as fancy as scallops, but still feel a little intimidating that many people wouldn't think to make them at home.

For me they bring back memories of living in London, when I lived near a Belgian restaurant that served various takes on them. But I have also made them at home many times, especially when I lived near a fish market in Spain.

One of the great things about mussels is they are generally inexpensive. True, you need a larger amount per person compared to a piece of fish, but even still, they are usually reasonably priced.

bowl of mussels in white wine with bread below bowl and glass of white wine above

In addition, they cook really quickly, and it's easy to tell when they are ready as they open up to greet you. No need to guess or cut into it to check etc. All you really need to watch for is making sure they are really fresh.

You can cook them in a few different ways, such as baked mussels, or added to paella or fideua. But a classic method is steaming them, whether like this with wine or with other flavors in the base.

What are moules marinières?

Moules marinières (also written as moules a la marinière) translates as "sailor-style mussels" and is a traditional preparation from the North of France, typically credited to Normandy.

It's essentially mussels steamed with white wine and aromatics. You typically always have onion or shallot in there, usually parsley and sometimes garlic, thyme and/or bay. Some add some cream at the end as well to make a creamier sauce, and/or thicken it a little. In all cases, it's a really simple dish that lets the mussels shine.

mussels, bottle of white wine, parsley, garlic and onion on chopping board

Tips for cooking mussels

While easy to make, here are a few things you should remember when you cook mussels:

First, make sure you rinse them in cold water before you cook them and scrape off any loose bits of shell, barnacles as well as pulling off any hairy bits (the 'beard'). These can be tough to pull off as they are attached to the mussel inside, but do try.
Second, discard any broken mussels or ones already open that don't close up when you press them together and rinse them. I know it might seem sad to throw them away, but trust me you'll be happier for it.
Thirdly, make sure you cook them in a pan that's a fair bit bigger than the volume of your mussels. At least double is a good idea, so they have room to open up. You will also need it to be a pot with a lid so they can steam properly. They will only take a few minutes to open up which is how you know they are cooked. A glass lid is helpful to be able to see, but not essential.
Lastly, as you serve them (and additionally any time you eat them), throw away any that aren't open or don't open easily when you try to open them.

holding a mussel on the shell in hand over bowl

Once you are used to making mussels with this general method, you can start to get creative in what goes in there. Not only are there the variations on the traditional I mention above, you can add different steaming liquids like cider (moules a la Normande), Trapist beer, or add flavors like curry or roquefort to the sauce.

This French classic mussels in white wine may seem fancy at first, but as you'll see it is so ridiculously quick and easy once you keep the points above in mind. The mussels are juicy and tasty, the wine sauce is light and flavorsome. Be sure to serve some bread alongside to mop it all up. Definitely worth adding to your menu soon.

Try these other tasty seafood dishes:

Catalan fish stew (romesco de peix)
Irish fish chowder
Swordfish with olives and capers
Sardinian fregola with clams
Plus get more seafood recipes in the archives.

bowl of mussels in white wine form overhead

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5 from 3 votes