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If you’ve never cooked mussels at home, it might be easier than you think! These delicious mussels in white wine sauce are simple to make and look impressive.

Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinière) in a blue pot on cobblestone

Have you ever tried cooking mussels at home? It might be easier than you think!

These mussels in white wine sauce are simple to make and turn out so delicious. They’re steamed in a broth made from white wine, shallots, garlic, herbs, and a hint of cream for a dish that looks impressive and tastes incredible!

They’re perfect to serve as an appetizer if you have friends or family over. Because the dish feels fancy, no one will guess that it only takes about 20 minutes to make.

How to make mussels in white wine sauce

This mussel dish in a rich white wine broth is surprisingly easy to make. Everything comes together in one pot on the stove!

Step 1: Tie together the parsley and thyme sprigs with kitchen twine.

Step 2: Heat a large, wide saucepan or deep skillet over medium-low heat.

Step 3: Add the olive oil and shallots. Cook, stirring, until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Step 5: Add the wine, cream, salt, and pepper, then stir well to combine.

Step 6: Add the herb sprigs and bring the mixture to a boil.

Step 7: Add the mussels, cover the pan, and cook until the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes.

Step 8: Remove the pan from heat and discard any mussels that didn’t open. Discard the herb sprigs.

Step 9: Pour the mussels and their liquid into a deep serving bowl, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

One of the best parts of eating mussels is dipping some crusty bread in the leftover sauce. If you can afford the carbs, definitely give it a try!

Creating a richer sauce

The white wine sauce for this dish is absolutely amazing as is. But if you want to make it even richer, simply replace the olive oil with unsalted butter!

You’ll want to add the butter to the pan first. Once it’s completely melted, then you can add the shallots and proceed with the recipe as usual.

Keep in mind that this will increase the saturated fat of the dish.

Storage

Mussels are best served immediately when they are hot and freshly steamed. They can be stored for 1-2 days in the fridge if you really want to, but they don’t reheat well so I wouldn’t recommend it.

Other shellfish appetizer recipes

Shellfish can be great as a main course, but I really like serving them as an appetizer! They’re easy to share, and guests are always so impressed.

Here are a few of my favorite shellfish recipes to make for friends and family:

You can also take a look at my roundup of low-carb seafood recipes for more inspiration.

When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!

Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinière)

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If you've never cooked mussels at home, it might be easier than you think! These delicious mussels in white wine sauce are simple to make and look impressive.
Author: Diabetic Foodie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 2 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, (extra virgin)
  • 1 large shallot, (finely chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic, (finely chopped)
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic pepper , (or freshly ground black pepper)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 pounds live mussels, (scrubbed, rinsed, and debearded if necessary)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, (chopped)

Instructions

  • Tie together the parsley and thyme sprigs with kitchen twine.
    2 sprigs fresh parsley, 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • Heat a large, wide saucepan or deep skillet over medium-low heat.
  • Add the olive oil and shallots. Cook, stirring, until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute.
    1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, 1 large shallot
  • Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
    2 cloves garlic
  • Add the wine, cream, salt, and pepper, then stir well to combine.
    ½ cup dry white wine, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, ¼ teaspoon garlic pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Add the herb sprigs and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Add the mussels, cover the pan, and cook until the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes.
    2 pounds live mussels
  • Remove the pan from heat and discard any mussels that didn’t open. Discard the herb sprigs.
  • Pour the mussels and their liquid into a deep serving bowl, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
    1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Notes

This recipe is for 4 servings of mussels.
For a richer sauce, replace the olive oil with unsalted butter. Place the butter in the pan and let it melt before adding the shallots. 

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinière)
Serving Size
 
0.5 pound
Amount per Serving
Calories
284
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
12.6
g
19
%
Saturated Fat
 
2.4
g
12
%
Trans Fat
 
0
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2.6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1.9
g
Cholesterol
 
10
mg
3
%
Sodium
 
1461
mg
61
%
Potassium
 
115.6
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
14.3
g
5
%
Fiber
 
0.9
g
4
%
Sugar
 
4.3
g
5
%
Protein
 
25.8
g
52
%
Vitamin A
 
250
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
5
mg
6
%
Calcium
 
20
mg
2
%
Iron
 
0.4
mg
2
%
Net carbs
 
13.4
g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.