Easy Mussels in Red Sauce (Ready in 40 Minutes)
Fresh mussels steamed in a garlicky San Marzano tomato sauce with shallots and red pepper flakes. Easy, ready in 40 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Mussels
- 2 lbs fresh mussels cleaned and de-bearded
Sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 small shallots small diced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 28 oz can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, with juices
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Italian parsley finely chopped
To serve
- Fresh Italian parsley chopped
- Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly shaved
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Prep the mussels. Rinse the mussels and discard any with cracked shells. Discard any open mussels that don’t close when tapped.
- Soften the shallots. Melt the butter in a large, deep pan with a lid over medium heat. Add the shallots and red pepper flakes. Cook until the shallots are soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Build the sauce. Crush the tomatoes by hand and add them to the pan with their juices. Stir in the salt and pepper. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Steam the mussels. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mussels. Cover and steam for 5-7 minutes, until the shells have opened.
- Finish. Uncover and discard any mussels that didn’t open. Add the 2 tbsp chopped parsley and stir gently to coat the mussels in sauce.
- Serve. Serve immediately, topped with more parsley and shaved parmesan. Serve with crusty bread for the sauce.