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Spaghetti with Mussels

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Spaghetti with Mussels

Spaghetti with Mussels

Spaghetti with strained mussel liquor folded into tomato sauce and the meat returned late.

75 min · Difficulty ●●●○○

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Each dish keeps its own guide; compare the ingredient and preparation differences here.

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Meet the dish

A seafood pasta variation with mussels; no specific regional origin has been verified

Scrub the shells and remove barnacles and beards, then cover the mussels in garlic oil for two to three minutes until they open. Strain their liquor through fine cloth to remove grit. Simmer it with passata for twenty minutes and return the mussel meat only for the final two to three minutes.

Pasta shapes to use

  • spaghetti

Key ingredients

  • mussels in the shell
  • passata
  • garlic
  • flat-leaf parsley
  • strained mussel liquor

Follow the cooking scenes

  1. Spaghetti with Mussels: Clean the shells.

    Step 1: Clean the shells

    Scrub off deposits and pull the beard from the side of each mussel.

  2. Spaghetti with Mussels: Steam them briefly.

    Step 2: Steam them briefly

    Cover in garlic oil for two to three minutes, shaking the pan.

  3. Spaghetti with Mussels: Strain the liquor.

    Step 3: Strain the liquor

    Remove the mussels, strain the liquid through fine cloth and simmer it with passata for twenty minutes.

  4. Spaghetti with Mussels: Return the meat late.

    Step 4: Return the meat late

    Add mussel meat two to three minutes before the pasta is ready.

What to watch for

  • Discard mussels that stay closed after cooking.
  • Always filter the flavourful cooking liquor finely to remove grit.

What sets it apart

Mussels are larger and stronger than clams; this version folds their strained liquor into a tomato sauce.