Zuppa Di Mussels Recipe

Inspect the mussels and discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Place mussels in a colander and rinse under cold running water; use a stiff brush to remove barnacles. If desired, soak mussels for 10 minutes in cold water with 1 tbsp coarse salt to help purge sand, then rinse again.

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the finely chopped onion and celery and sweat gently for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent but not browned.

Add garlic and anchovy

Add the minced garlic, chopped anchovy fillets (if using), and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, stirring so the garlic does not brown and the anchovies dissolve into the aromatics.

Build the base

Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize slightly. If making the red version, add the 14 oz crushed tomatoes now and stir to incorporate. Pour in the wine (3 dl = 300 ml) and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by about half, 3–5 minutes.

Add stock and herbs

Add 2 cups fish or seafood stock, 2 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to allow flavors to marry. Taste and adjust seasoning; if making the white version and you prefer a lighter, clearer broth, omit the crushed tomatoes and reduce the tomato paste to 1 tbsp.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the cleaned mussels to the simmering broth, cover the pot, and steam until the mussels open, 5–7 minutes. Shake the pot gently once or twice during cooking to redistribute mussels. Discard any mussels that remain closed after 7 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer opened mussels to a warm bowl, leaving the broth in the pot. If desired, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot to remove any grit and to create a clearer soup.

Return the strained broth to a gentle simmer over low heat. For the white version, swirl in 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional) and 1 tbsp cold cubed butter to enrich and slightly thicken the broth; stir until emulsified. For the red version, skip the cream and use the butter only if desired for gloss.

Stir in half of the chopped parsley, season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and adjust to taste. Add a little extra lemon zest for brightness if desired.

Divide the mussels among 4 shallow bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the mussels, sprinkle remaining parsley on top, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread or grilled crostini for dipping.