Pasta with Mussels in White Wine Garlic Sauce
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This Italian pasta with mussels post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure further information.
What’s better than fresh seafood? Seafood with pasta. Pasta with Mussels is such an easy recipe to make. All you need are a few ingredients (most happen to be pantry staples for me), and some fresh mussels. The mussels cook in a pan and create their own sauce that’s silky, flavorful, and fresh. Lastly, add your favorite pasta and you’ve got an easy date night dinner!
where did the inspiration behind this recipe come from?
I love seafood. I mean, I grew up on the stuff. Mussels are a great option when you’re on a budget but want to serve something special. At $4/lb, you can’t go wrong! This dish was an oops — I was planning on making linguine alle vongole for my friend over the weekend. However, my local market was out of clams, so I made a quick pivot and picked up mussels instead!
This dish is easy, flavorful, and perfect for a last-minute meal or get together. And trust me, don’t get intimidated. Plus, mussels are super easy to prepare!

So, more about this delicious little pasta dish. It’s salty, it’s spicy, and it’s refreshingly light. You’ll use one pot for cooking your pasta, and one large sauté pan for the mussels and the white wine sauce. Then, once the pasta is finished cooking, you’ll add the noodles to the pan with the white wine sauce and the mussels. You’ll love this simple Italian pasta with mussels recipe. Lastly, if you’re looking for a great appetizer… definitely serve my Bruschetta with Marinated Tomatoes and Pesto!
What you need to make seasoned and salted’s pasta with mussels:
- pasta
- mussels
- butter
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- red pepper flakes
- parsley
- garlic
- lemon
- chicken broth
- white wine
- shallot
- parmesan cheese
Lastly.. Enjoy, and as always, please let me know if you make this recipe! And,if you do, don’t forget to tag @seasonedandsalted and #seasonedandsalted on Instagram!
Pasta with Mussels and Garlic White Wine Sauce

Equipment
- box grater
- tongs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and rinsed
- 12 oz 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 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- First things first, bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Remember to had a generous amount of salt to your water! Once the water has boiled, cook your pasta until al dente (according to the package).
- While the water is coming to a boil, rinse your mussels and remove beards if necessary. If you find that any of the mussels remain open while you are rinsing them, toss them out. Unfortunately, this means that they are dead!
- Now it's time to start on the mussels and sauce! In your sauté pan, add butter and olive oil and heat over medium heat until the butter is foaming. Next, add the garlic and shallots. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Once your kitchen starts to smell garlicky and delicious, add the wine, parsley, lemon juice, chicken broth, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then add the mussels. Cover your sauté pan and let the mussels simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes. At this point, they should open. (Discard any that do not open).
- Once the mussels have all opened and the pasta is done cooking, strain the noodles and add them to the sauté pan. Toss the pasta and mussels in the sauce to coat evenly with tongs.
- Cover the pan once more and simmer for 3-5 more minutes. The sauce should thicken a little bit. Remove the pan from the heat and top with parmesan cheese. Toss pasta and serve immediately. Top with fresh parsley and lemon.