Mussels In White Wine Vinegar Recipe

Inspect and clean mussels

Discard any mussels that are cracked, broken, or remain open when tapped. Rinse mussels under cold running water, remove beards by pulling toward the hinge, and scrub shells to remove debris.

Sweat aromatics

In a large wide pot or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until shimmering. Add minced shallots and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Add minced garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.

Deglaze and add vinegar

Increase heat to medium-high. Pour in the dry white wine and white wine vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping any fond from the bottom. Let the liquid come to a gentle simmer and reduce for 2 minutes to slightly concentrate flavors and cook off some alcohol.

Add mussels and steam

Add the cleaned mussels to the pot in an even layer. If you reserved some mussel liquor, add up to 1/4 cup now. Cover with the lid and let steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until most mussels have opened. Check after 4 minutes and continue only until shells open; overcooking makes mussels rubbery. Discard any mussels that do not open.

Finish sauce

Remove the pot from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to a warmed serving bowl, leaving the cooking liquid in the pot. If you prefer a slightly thicker, silkier sauce, reduce the liquid over medium heat for 1–2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then the cold diced butter, one piece at a time, to mount the sauce and give it a glossy finish. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.

Add herbs and serve

Stir most of the chopped parsley into the sauce, reserving a little for garnish. Pour the sauce over the mussels, sprinkle remaining parsley on top, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread or boiled potatoes to soak up the sauce.