Steamed Mussels Recipe

Clean mussels

Rinse mussels under cold running water. Discard any with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. Remove beards by pulling toward the hinge. Set cleaned mussels in a bowl in the refrigerator while you finish prep.

Prepare produce

Trim fennel stalks and thinly slice the bulb (reserve some fronds for garnish). Core and roughly dice tomatoes (about 2 cups). Peel and thinly slice garlic. Finely chop parsley (reserve a tablespoon for garnish). Zest the lemon and cut into wedges.

Heat a large wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When butter has melted and begins to foam, add the sliced fennel and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until fennel softens and starts to caramelize, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Add the diced tomatoes, thyme leaves, and half the chopped parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices, about 4–6 minutes.

Pour in the white wine (or seafood stock) and bring to a gentle simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the liquid reduce slightly for 2–3 minutes. Taste and add ¾ of the salt and pepper; adjust later after steaming.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the cleaned mussels to the pot and immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow mussels to steam until most shells have opened, about 5–7 minutes. Shake the pot once or twice during cooking to redistribute mussels and heat evenly.

After 5 minutes, check for doneness. Remove any mussels that have not opened after 7–8 minutes (discard those that remain closed).

Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in remaining parsley, lemon zest, and the remaining pinch of salt and pepper. Squeeze about half the lemon over the mussels and gently toss to combine so mussels are coated in the broth.

Ladle mussels and broth into bowls, making sure to include fennel and tomato pieces. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds, parsley, and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with crusty bread to soak up the broth.