Pasta (linguine) with mussels in a white wine & butter sauce, garlic, tomatoes & fresh chilli is the perfect quick shellfish pasta dinner.
Mussels are a wonderfully cheap way to get more shellfish into your diet, and this dish is both quick and easy; it will go from your fridge to your table in under 30 minutes.
Mussel Linguine in White Wine
I adore mussels, they taste superb, they are quick and easy to cook, and they are also remarkably cheap.
They are surprisingly versatile, too. I have used them in an Indian curry mussels recipe and a Thai red curry mussels recipe. Naturally, I have them steamed too, these beer steamed mussels with chilli are my absolute favourite!
My latest offering is mussels with pasta in a much more classic white wine and butter sauce.
As you can tell from my examples above, I think that mussels work so well with a bit of spice, so this recipe gets a generous sprinkling of chilli.
Add a little garlic, some tomatoes, and a final sprinkling of basil and this simple dinner is done.
All in under 30 minutes, which makes this a perfect midweek pasta dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prepare mussels so they are “safe”?
The most important thing to do is to discard any “dead” mussels! Begin by throwing away any mussels that have a broken or damaged shell.
The second thing to do is to take any open mussels and give them a tap on your work surface. If they do not close, then discard them.
The final step is to discard any mussels that are still closed after you have finished cooking them.
What are the stringy bits sticking out of the mussels?
This is known as the “beard”; it is nothing more than remnants of the rope on which the mussels are grown.
Take a small, blunt knife and grab the stringy bit between your knife and your thumb, then pull back towards the hinge. The hinge is the pointy bit.
Buying cleaned mussels can save you a fair bit of time!
Can I make this in advance?
No, mussels are a their very best served immediately, they will not reheat very well at all!
Do I have to add the chilli?
Nope, it is your dinner. I think that mussels work exceptionally well with a bit of spice, hence their appearance here.
If you are not adding chilli, consider adding a good whack of black pepper.
Can I serve this with all of the mussels in the shell?
You can, but it does make it a meal that is quite onerous and a bit messy to eat. Ordinarily, I serve mussels in the shell, but it is not practical when serving them with linguine.
Serving Suggestions
A bowl of pasta often needs nothing more than a lump of bread on the side, as far as I am concerned.
This mussels with pasta recipe is not different, particularly given all of that wonderful white wine and mussel broth in the bottom of the bowl.
I prefer focaccia with this recipe because it mops up the juices really well. This soft potato focaccia recipe is my favourite to make at the moment.
But if baking is not your thing, a simple garlic baguette is easy to make and it works just as well.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Stirring spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Bowls for preparation.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
Linguine Pasta with Mussels Recipe in a Garlic White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 200 g Linguine Pasta 7oz
- Salt For boiling the pasta plus a little extra
- 1 Kg Mussels 2.2lb
- 50 g Butter 3 tablespoon
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Red Chilli Pepper Go as hot or mild as you like
- 1 Medium Tomato 150g
- 175 ml Dry White Wine ¾ Cup
- Fresh Basil to Garnish
Instructions
- Clean and prepare your mussels (see my Frequently Asked Questions section). If you have any open mussels, tap them on your work surface and discard any that do not close.
- Peel and finely dice the garlic cloves.
- Cut the stem from the chilli, remove the seeds, then dice the chilli as finely as you can.
- Cut the tomato into a small (5mm or ¼") dice.
- Finely shred the basil for the garnish.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium-high heat.
- Bring a 20cm or 8" saucepan of water to a boil and season generously with salt. I use 1½ teaspoons of salt in a pan this size. When the water is boiling, add the linguine and cook it until it is al dente.
- As soon as the pasta goes into the pot, add the butter to the frying pan and when it melts and begins to foam, add the garlic and chilli, then cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato and a generous pinch of salt, then cook for another minute.
- Pour in the white wine and cook until it has reduced by half.
- Add the prepared mussels and cover with a lid, cooking until the mussels have all opened. If you have any mussels that have not opened, discard them.
- Drain the pasta and mix it through the mussels, adding a splash of the cooking liquid from the pasta. I like to remove most of the mussels from the shells before serving, leaving just a few for garnish. This makes the dish much easier to eat.
- Just before serving sprinkle with the shredded basil.