Pasta with Mussels (With Garlic White Wine Sauce)

If you’re looking for a seafood pasta that feels like it came straight from the Italian coast, this Pasta with Mussels recipe delivers. It’s briny, garlicky, finished with a buttery white wine sauce, and comes together in under 30 minutes. Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a date night in, this dish is a real treat.

Something about a seafood pasta dish always feels like a little escape to Italy. When I’m not making this easy recipe, I often turn to my Frutti di Mare Pasta or Linguine alle Vongole. For something a bit more layered, my Spaghetti allo Scoglio is packed with fresh seafood and perfect for a special occasion. They all share one thing: letting fresh mussels and bright coastal flavors take center stage.

Recipe Highlights: Pasta with Mussels

• Inspired by coastal classics: This dish is rooted in the Italian approach to fresh seafood—simple, thoughtful ingredients that highlight what’s in season. Think of it as the New England answer to Spaghetti alle Cozze.
• Perfect for a special evening: Whether it’s a romantic dinner, a summer dinner party, or a solo Friday night with a glass of wine, this mussels pasta brings restaurant energy to your own kitchen.
• Why it works: Mussels steam in their own briny broth, infusing the sauce with layered flavor from the garlic, lemon juice, and splash of white wine. The mussel broth becomes the soul of the dish.
• A trick worth knowing: Toss the cooked pasta directly into the wide skillet with the mussels and sauce, and cover for a few minutes—the steam helps the flavors cling to the pasta and finish cooking just right.

Ingredients Notes

• Fresh Mussels – Make sure you’re using live, closed mussels when you buy them—check for tags showing the harvest date if you can. Scrub them under fresh water and remove the beards. If any stay open before cooking, toss them.
• Dry White Wine – Sauvignon Blanc is my go-to here for its acidity and citrusy notes, which cut through the richness of the butter and olive oil and build that layered white wine sauce.
• Garlic Clove + Shallot – This combo is the backbone of so many great pasta dishes. Cook just until fragrant over medium heat—you’re not looking for browning here.
• Fresh Parsley – Flat-leaf parsley adds sharp, herbaceous contrast. Don’t skip it—it balances the mussel broth and helps finish the dish with a pop of flavor.

Suggested Ingredient Substitutions and Additions

• Use short pasta – While spaghetti or linguine works well, you can swap in rigatoni or paccheri for a different texture. Just save some cooking water to help coat the pasta.
• Add cherry tomatoes – For a touch of sweetness and color, blister halved cherry tomatoes in the olive oil before adding the garlic.
• Make it spicy – Double the red pepper flakes or add a spoonful of spicy tomato sauce to turn this into a fiery seafood pasta.
• Toss in shelled mussels – If you’re serving this as a first course or want it easier to eat, remove most of the mussel meat from the shells before tossing with the pasta.

How to Make

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the packet instructions. Reserve a bit of the pasta water and drain the rest. Meanwhile, clean the mussels. Rinse the mussels under fresh water and scrub the shells. Remove beards if present. Discard any mussels that are open and don’t close when tapped.

2. Make the mussel broth: In a wide skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the garlic and shallots. Cook for about 2 minutes, just until fragrant—do not brown.

3. Make the mussel broth: In a large skillet or wide sauté pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter foams, add minced garlic and shallots. Cook for about 2 minutes, just until fragrant.

4. Build the sauce: Pour in the white wine, chicken broth, lemon juice, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Stir, then add the mussels. Cover and simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the mussel shells open. Discard any that don’t.

Toss the pasta: Add the drained pasta directly into the mussel broth. Toss to coat, then cover and simmer for 3–5 minutes over low heat. Finish with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.

Expert Tips From My Kitchen

• Don’t skip the simmer – Letting the pasta finish cooking in the mussel broth helps the sauce cling and boosts flavor.
• Use a wide skillet – The mussels need room to open—crowding them can lead to uneven cooking.
• Always save a little cooking water – If your sauce needs loosening, a splash of that starchy water is the best way to bring it together.
• Toss, don’t stir – Use tongs or a spoon to gently toss the pasta and mussels—stirring can break the pasta and make things mushy.

Serving Suggestions

• Wine pairing: Pair with a crisp, citrus-forward white like Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc—it plays well with the lemon juice and bright mussel broth.
• Crusty bread on the side: Don’t let that sauce go to waste. A wedge of crusty bread is the best way to mop up the bottom of the pan.
• Serve it family-style: Pile the pasta and mussels into a large bowl, right in the center of the table, and let everyone dig in.
• Upgrade it for a dinner party: Add a handful of seared scallops or shrimp right on top of the pasta before serving.

Storage Instructions

• Store leftover mussels and pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
• Do not freeze, as mussels can turn rubbery once defrosted.

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Pasta with Mussels and Garlic White Wine Sauce

Allie Hagerty

This easy pasta with mussels recipe features fresh mussels simmered in a garlicky white wine sauce, then tossed with al dente pasta and finished with lemon and parmesan. A perfect dinner for seafood lovers.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Pasta

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• stockpot
• sauté pan
• cutting board
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• citrus juicer
• chef’s knife
• colander/strainer
• box grater
• tongs

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 pounds mussels scrubbed and rinsed
• 12 ounces pasta
• 3/4 cup dry white wine I usually cook with Sauvignon Blanc
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 shallots minced
• 1/4 cup parsley chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

 

• First, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Cook your pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente.
• Next, prep the mussels! Rinse under cold, fresh water and scrub the mussels. Remove any beards and discard any that are open and don’t close when tapped.
• In a large skillet or wide sauté pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil and butter over medium heat.
• Once the butter foams, add minced garlic and shallots.
• Cook for about 2 minutes, just until fragrant.
• Pour in the white wine, chicken broth, lemon juice, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
• Stir, then add the mussels. Cover and simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the mussel shells open. Discard any that don’t.
• Add the drained pasta directly into the mussel broth.
• Toss to coat, then cover and simmer for 3–5 minutes over low heat. Finish with grated parmesan and chopped parsley.

Notes

• Use a wide skillet, not a small pot
  Mussels need room to open evenly. A wide pan ensures they steam properly and release enough broth to flavor the sauce.
• Finish the pasta in the sauce
  Toss the al dente pasta directly into the mussel broth and let it cook for a few more minutes—this helps the sauce cling to every strand and builds flavor.
• Don’t forget to discard unopened mussels
  It’s a key rule of thumb: any mussels that don’t open after cooking should be tossed. This keeps the dish safe and tasting fresh.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 611kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 26gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 506mgPotassium: 710mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 913IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 6mg

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