Spaghetti with mussels is a classic Italian dish that combines the briny flavor of the sea with the comforting richness of pasta. Mussels are a versatile seafood that pairs well with a variety of sauces, from light and lemony to rich and creamy. The key to cooking spaghetti with mussels is to use fresh, high-quality ingredients and to cook the mussels properly. When cooked correctly, mussels should be tender and juicy, with a slightly sweet flavor.
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SPAGHETTI ALLA VODKA WITH MUSSELS
Pasta with vodka sauce is a decadent, crave-able classic with a subtle spicy kick. For this version, we added mussels, which give the sauce a delicious briny touch that pairs really well with the creamy tomato flavors.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vodka. Add the mussels, cover and cook until the mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Remove from the heat; keep the pot covered.
- Meanwhile, after adding the cream to the tomato sauce, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain. Add the spaghetti to the pot with the mussels, along with 1/4 cup cooking water. Cook over medium heat, tossing and adding more cooking water, a few tablespoons at a time, if the sauce seems too thick, until the spaghetti is well coated. Season with salt.
- Divide the spaghetti and mussels among shallow bowls. Sprinkle with the parsley and more red pepper flakes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 680, Fat 29 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Cholesterol 91 milligrams, Sodium 987 milligrams, Carbohydrate 74 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 31 grams, Sugar 8 grams
SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS (SPAGHETTI CON LE COZZE)
A simple white wine, garlic, and parsley sauce is all that's needed to complement the fresh shellfish in this Italian pasta dish.
Provided by Mario Batali
Categories Pasta Sauté Christmas Dinner Seafood Mussel Christmas Eve Potluck Sugar Conscious Pescatarian Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 2 tablespoons salt.
- 2. In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until light golden brown, about a minute. Add the wine, raise the heat, and bring to a boil, then add the mussels. Cook, stirring and tossing, until all of the mussels have opened, about 4 minutes.
- 3. Meanwhile, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente; drain well.
- 4. Add the pasta to the pan with the mussels and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve immediately.
SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS AND BACON
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and shallots and cook until the bacon starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and red pepper flakes, increase the heat to high and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands, and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs; drain. Pile the parsley, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt on a cutting board and use a large knife to mince and mash them together.
- Add the mussels to the tomato sauce and stir to coat, then cover. As the mussels open (2 to 6 minutes), use tongs to transfer them to a bowl; discard any that do not open. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss until heated through, about 1 minute. Add the parsley-garlic mixture and toss. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the mussels.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 676, Fat 21 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Cholesterol 30 milligrams, Sodium 601 milligrams, Carbohydrate 80 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 31 grams
SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS, LEMON, AND SHALLOTS
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat 4 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat; saute shallots, red-pepper flakes, and parsley stems until tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced by one-third, about 2 minutes. Add mussels, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam until they open, 5 to 6 minutes; discard any that do not open after 6 minutes.
- Add pasta to mussels, tossing until well combined. Add pasta water, and continue to toss and cook over medium-high heat until sauce has reduced and coats pasta. Stir in parsley leaves and lemon zest and juice. Stir in remaining oil, and serve immediately.
SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS AND WHITE BEANS
For a simple but elegant winter holiday meal, look no further than this Italian classic.
Provided by Sara Jenkins
Categories Bean Pasta Shellfish Tomato Dinner Seafood Mussel Bon Appétit Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices, crushing tomatoes lightly with your hands. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
- Add beans and wine to sauce. Cook, stirring often, until wine has almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add mussels and 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until mussels open, about 4 minutes (discard any that do not open).
- Add pasta and 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to mussels and stir to coat. Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Divide among bowls. Drizzle with oil; garnish with parsley.
PASTA WITH MUSSELS IN TOMATO SAUCE
Semolina linguine is a traditional and wonderful pasta to use. But you can make the dish with whole-wheat or gluten-free pasta; both are getting better and better. Look for a flat noodle like tagliatelle, fettuccine or linguine. If you use whole-wheat or gluten-free pasta, make sure not to overcook it. My rule of thumb is to check for doneness a minute before the suggested cooking time on the package; noodles should be cooked al dente.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, lunch, pastas, main course
Time 50m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Pulse tomatoes with juices in food processor just a few times to break down into a coarse purée; set aside. Bring large pot of water to boil for pasta.
- Meanwhile, in a wide skillet or saucepan with lid, combine crushed garlic clove and shallot with white wine. Bring to a boil and add mussels. Cover and cook, shaking pan from time to time, 2 to 4 minutes, or until mussels open up. Check mussels after 2 minutes; transfer open mussels to a bowl using tongs. Cover pan again, wait another minute, and repeat until all mussels have opened.
- Leave mussels to cool in bowl until easily removed from shells. Remove half from shells and leave other half intact. Taste a mussel; if it is sandy, give them all a very quick rinse and drain in a colander. Transfer to a bowl and keep covered while you make tomato sauce.
- Place a strainer over another bowl, line with cheesecloth and strain the liquid in the pan into bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup. Rinse and dry pan.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in pan and add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add tomatoes, thyme or marjoram (or both), and sugar.
- Turn heat up to medium-high and cook, stirring often, 5 to 10 minutes, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add 1/2 cup broth from mussels, stir together and bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt as needed (you may not need to add any). Tip all mussels, shelled and unshelled, into sauce, cover and turn heat to very low or remove from heat if not serving right away. Keep warm while you cook pasta.
- Warm a large bowl for the pasta. When water for pasta comes to a rolling boil, salt generously and add pasta. Cook al dente, following the directions on the package. Drain and toss in the warm bowl with tomato sauce, mussels and parsley. Serve right away.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 626, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 80 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 40 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 1095 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams
SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS
Spaghetti with the Mussels (Spaghetti con le cozze) are an unbeatable classic Italian main course, very tasty and with a spectacular scent of sea.
Provided by mypinchofitaly
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 25m
Yield 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- If you use the fresh mussels just bought from the fish monger - or the counter of the supermarket cool - let them clean it directly from them. When you are at home, I recommend you to check yourself again, something can escape and wash them again.
- Boil the water (not salted) for spaghetti.
- In a large pan put the peeled crushed clove of garlic and add three spoons of EVOO and brown the garlic.
- Remove the garlic and put the mussels together with some minced parsley, cover with a lid and let open them (it will take only a few minutes).
- As soon as they are open, turn off the flame.
- Remove the mussels from the shell and set them aside with a little of their water (you can keep them off with the shell to put it on the pasta). Filter the mussels baking liquid with a narrow mesh strainer to remove any impurities.
- Put the liquid back in the pan and turn on the flame only for a few minutes before draining the spaghetti directly into the liquid. This is the most important step: put the spaghetti in boiling water without salt, or just with a pinch, and cook for about 7/8 minutes.
- Take spaghetti from the water with a fork and transfer it to the pan with the mussel liquid where you will finish the cooking by adding, if necessary, cooking water to the spaghetti.
- When you miss 1 minute at the end of the cooking, join the mussels, the chopped parsley and a generous black ground pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 699.3, Fat 20.1, SaturatedFat 3.1, Cholesterol 63, Sodium 651.5, Carbohydrate 86.3, Fiber 3.7, Sugar 2.8, Protein 40.4
Tips:
- Choose Fresh Mussels: Opt for live mussels with tightly closed shells. Discard any with open or cracked shells.
- Clean Mussels Thoroughly: Scrub mussels under cold running water to remove any dirt or grit. Pull off any beards.
- Cook Mussels Properly: Mussels cook quickly, so don't overcook them. Steam or boil them just until the shells open, about 5-7 minutes.
- Use a Flavorful Cooking Liquid: Enhance the flavor of the mussels by using a flavorful cooking liquid such as white wine, broth, or a mixture of both.
- Add Aromatics: Elevate the dish with aromatic ingredients like garlic, shallots, onions, and herbs while cooking the mussels.
- Finish with Butter and Lemon: A touch of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice brighten the flavors and add a classic touch to the dish.
- Serve with Crusty Bread: Spaghetti with mussels pairs perfectly with crusty bread for soaking up the delicious sauce.
Conclusion:
Spaghetti with mussels is a delectable and versatile dish that showcases the delicate flavors of the sea. By following these tips and experimenting with different variations, you can create a memorable meal that will impress your family and friends. Whether you prefer a classic white wine sauce or a spicy tomato-based broth, this dish offers endless possibilities for customization. So, gather your ingredients, put on an apron, and embark on a culinary journey to savor the delightful combination of spaghetti and mussels.
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