Though they may seem fancy, mussels are actually super simple to cook at home. All you need to do is throw them in a pot with flavor-boosting ingredients like garlic and herbs. And voila, you have a restaurant-worthy dish right in your kitchen. Intrigued? In this video, we’ll show you one of our favorite ways to make tasty (and healthy!) mussels in 30 minutes flat.
In this recipe, we sauté garlic, shallots, and fire-roasted tomatoes in avocado oil. Next, we add a sweet and spicy kick to the meal with a pinch of honey and crushed red pepper flakes. A bay leaf, basil, thyme, and white wine also help to heighten the dish’s unique flavor profile.
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Once we have our rich, hot broth, we add the mussels to the mix. The mussels only need to cook in the pot for about 7 to 10 minutes, until their shells open up. Be sure to toss any mussels that don’t open up, since they were probably dead before you cooked them, and therefore aren’t safe to eat.
And just like that, dinner is ready! At just 346 calories, this hearty dish provides an impressive 28 grams of protein per serving. (That’s more than you’d get from eating four eggs.)
Our advice? Cook up this simple yet sophisticated meal the next time you have friends over for dinner. They’ll never guess it only took you 30 minutes to whip up.
How to Make It
Warm oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring often, until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes, honey, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, basil, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat until mixture simmers. Season broth with salt and pepper.
Add mussels, stir, bring back to a simmer, cover pot, and cook until mussels have opened (discard any that don’t open), 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Divide mussels and broth among 4 large bowls and serve hot with crusty bread, if desired.