Rinse mussels under cold running water, discard any open mussels that do not close when tapped. Remove beards by pulling toward hinge. Pat dry with paper towels.

Sauté aromatics

In a large wide pot or deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped shallot and sauté 1.5–2 minutes until translucent and fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Deglaze and build sauce

Add 1 cup dry white wine (or seafood stock) to the pan to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in 1 cup marinara sauce, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, the zest of 1 lemon and juice of half the lemon (reserve other half for serving). Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Cook mussels

Increase heat to medium-high and add the cleaned mussels to the pot. Cover with the lid and cook 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking.

Finish sauce

Remove the pot from heat. Stir in 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley and 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a squeeze of the remaining lemon half as desired.

To Serve

Transfer mussels and broth to a large shallow bowl or leave in the pot. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread for dipping. Drizzle the reserved tsp of olive oil over the mussels or bread if desired.