This easy Green Mussels Recipe uses New Zealand green-lipped mussels cooked in a classic French garlic butter and white wine sauce called Moules Marinière. Ready in about 20 minutes, they're perfect as an appetizer or light dinner served with crusty bread or over pasta.
Quick Look: New Zealand Green Mussels
- Taste: Buttery, garlicky, and briny with bright lemon and a delicate white wine sauce.
- Servings: 4
- Total time: 20 minutes.
- Main ingredients: Green-lipped mussels, garlic, shallots, butter, dry white wine, fresh parsley, and lemon.
- Tools needed: A 12-inch sauté pan or large pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Why you'll love it: Frozen half-shell mussels are already cleaned and lightly cooked, making this an easy seafood dinner with minimal preparation.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Jump to:
- Quick Look: New Zealand Green Mussels
- What Are New Zealand Mussels?
- What's the Best Way to Cook Mussels?
- Ingredients
- Thawing Green Mussels
- How To Cook Green Mussels
- Storage and Reheating
- Recipe Variations
- What Goes With Green Mussels?
- What's The Difference Between Green and Black Mussels?
- FAQ
- More Easy Seafood Recipes
- Green Mussels Recipe
What Are New Zealand Mussels?
New Zealand mussels, also called green-lipped or Greenshell mussels, are a large species of mussel native to the coastal waters of New Zealand. Their shells are brown with a distinctive green edge, making them easy to tell apart from smaller black or blue mussels.
Green mussels have plump meat, a firm texture, and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. The mussel meat may be cream-colored or orange.
The frozen mussels used in this recipe are sold on the half shell. They're already cleaned and lightly cooked before freezing, so they only need to be thawed and heated in the garlic butter wine sauce.
Talley's green-lipped mussels are sold on the half shell, already cleaned and blanched. Because they are partially cooked before freezing, they only need to be thawed and heated through in the garlic butter and wine sauce.
What's the Best Way to Cook Mussels?
Moules Marinière is a classic way to cook mussels with white wine, shallots, garlic, butter, and herbs.
Because these green mussels are frozen on the half shell and lightly cooked, simply steam them in the sauce until heated through.
Ingredients
- New Zealand green-lipped mussels: Use frozen mussels on the half shell, thawed before cooking. They are already cleaned and lightly cooked, so they only need to be heated through.
- Olive oil: Use it to sauté the shallots and garlic and build the base of the sauce.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the wine sauce its savory flavor.
- Shallots or yellow onion: Shallots have a milder, slightly sweeter flavor, but a small yellow onion works well too.
- Dry white wine: Choose a crisp wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio-something you would enjoy drinking.
- Fresh parsley: Adds freshness and color to the buttery wine sauce. Save a little extra for garnish.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps create the silky sauce for spooning over the mussels.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Season the sauce to taste, keeping in mind that mussels are naturally briny.
- Lemon wedges for serving: A squeeze of fresh lemon brightens the garlic butter sauce.
Thawing Green Mussels
Thaw the mussels overnight in the refrigerator.
For a faster method, transfer the mussels to a zip-top bag, seal it tightly, and submerge the bag in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Make sure the water remains cold.
Once thawed, remove the mussels from the bag and pat them dry with paper towels.
How To Cook Green Mussels
To thaw the mussels, transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator and let them sit overnight. If you're short on time, place them in a large bowl of cold water, changing the water every 15 minutes; they should be ready in about 30 minutes. Once thawed, pat them dry with a paper towel.
Step 1: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add shallots and garlic, seasoning with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 2 minutes, or until the shallots are soft and fragrant.
Step 2: Next, add butter, parsley, and wine, cooking for an additional minute.
Step 3: Add the mussels, raise the heat to high, and cover the skillet tightly. Cook for about 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
Step 4: Transfer the cooked mussels to a serving bowl. Season the broth with salt and pepper, then pour it over the mussels.
Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges, then serve immediately.
Tip: A 12-inch sauté pan works well for up to 2 pounds of mussels. For larger batches, use a 6- to 8-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover mussels with the broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheat them gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a few spoonfuls of broth for 3 to 5 minutes, just until warmed through.
Avoid high heat or overcooking, which can make the mussels tough.
Recipe Variations
- Use sparkling wine: Prosecco or Champagne can be used in place of the white wine.
- Make it without alcohol: Replace the wine with ½ cup of water or seafood broth and the juice of half a lemon.
- Add some heat: Cook a pinch of red pepper flakes with the shallots and garlic.
- Use black mussels: Fresh black mussels can be prepared with the same sauce. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the shells open. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
What Goes With Green Mussels?
Green mussels pair well with crusty bread, pasta, roasted or boiled potatoes, and a simple green salad.
Spoon the garlic butter broth over the mussels and serve with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
What's The Difference Between Green and Black Mussels?
Green mussels are larger and firmer, with brown shells edged in green. Black mussels are smaller and more tender, with dark blue or black shells. Green mussels are sold frozen on the half shell, while black mussels are usually sold fresh.
FAQ
New Zealand green-lipped mussels, also called Greenshell mussels, are native to the coastal waters of New Zealand. Their scientific name is Perna canaliculus, and they have green edges around their shells.
Green mussels are a good source of protein and contain vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and other minerals. Their exact nutritional content varies by product and serving size.
"On the half shell" means one side of the mussel shell is removed while the meat remains attached to the other half. This makes the mussels easy to arrange in the pan, serve, and eat.
Green mussels can be steamed, baked, broiled, grilled, or added to pasta, seafood stews, chowders, and paella. Frozen green mussels on the half shell are already cleaned and lightly cooked, so they only need to be heated through before serving. Garlic butter, white wine, lemon, herbs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and spicy mayonnaise are all popular toppings and sauces.
Yes. Frozen green mussels on the half shell are excellent for baking because they are already cleaned and lightly cooked. Top them with garlic butter, seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, or herb butter, then bake just until heated through.
More Easy Seafood Recipes
Green Mussels Recipe
Equipment
- 1 12-inch sauté pan or large pot with tight fitting lid
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen New Zealand green-lipped mussels thawed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 shallots finely chopped (or 1 small yellow onion)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Thaw the mussels overnight in the refrigerator. For a quicker method, transfer them to a zip-top bag and submerge the bag in cold water for about 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the butter, white wine, and parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the mussels to the pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until the mussels are heated through.
- Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if needed. Spoon the broth over the mussels.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with crusty bread or over buttered pasta.
Notes
- A 12-inch sauté pan works well for up to 2 pounds of mussels. For larger batches, use a 6- to 8-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Frozen green-lipped mussels are already cleaned and lightly cooked, so they only need to be heated through.
- For an alcohol-free version, replace the wine with ½ cup seafood broth or water plus the juice of half a lemon.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
L says
Thanks for sharing