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Pasta with mussels recipe.
5 from 16 votes

Pasta with Mussels

Rika
Learn how to make your own mussels pasta with simple ingredients. It's the perfect meal to make for a special weeknight dinner. This pasta dish may look fancy but it's actually so easy to put together and at a fraction of what you'd pay at a seafood restaurant.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4
Calories 612 kcal

Ingredients
 

Marinara Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, (thinly sliced)
  • 6 anchovies fillets, (rinsed, drained, and chopped)
  • 28 oz diced tomatoes
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • a pinch of saffron , (optional)

To Serve:

  • ¾ pound dried pasta , (spaghetti or linguine)

Instructions
 

  • Soak mussels in cold salt water (3 cups + ¼ cup salt) for about 15 minutes. Discard open mussels, scrub the shells, de-beard, and rinse until the water runs clear.
  • In a pot, bring dry white wine, shallots, and garlic to a boil. Add mussels, cover the pot, and cook for 4 minutes or until they open up.
    Transfer the cooked mussels into a plate. Discard unopened mussels. Strain the mussels broth and reserve about a cup of it for marinara sauce.
  • In a large pot. Bring three quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
  • While you're waiting, heat oil in pot over medium heat. Cook garlic just until fragrant. Add thyme, dried basil, and minced anchovies. Cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add diced tomatoes into the pot. Increase the heat, cook and keep stirring for 4-5 minutes.
    Add 1 cup of mussels broth, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer until the sauce is thickened (enough to cover the pasta and mussels). Adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar if needed.
  • Add the mussels and pasta into the pot. Cook just until warm. Remove from the heat and serve.

Notes

Properly stored, cooked shellfish can be kept for up to 2 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Dry white wine:
You can use any white wine that isn't sweet and with a high acidity, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc.

Nutrition

Calories: 612kcalCarbohydrates: 83gProtein: 29gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 370mgPotassium: 1102mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 459IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 151mgIron: 9mg
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