Classic French Mussels Recipe – Moules Marinière with White Wine & Garlic Butter Sauce

Here’s one of the most simple and romantic recipes you can add to your cooking arsenal – a classic French mussels recipe – also known as Moules Marinière – served with white wine and garlic butter sauce.

This timeless French bistro dish can be found on menus throughout Paris and London, as well as most seafood restaurants here in California. It looks fancy and complicated, but in fact it’s one of the easiest dishes you can make. Serve with a good crusty French roll or crispy salted French fries as an accompaniment. You’re going to love this!

Classic French Mussels Recipe – Moules Marinière with White Wine & Garlic Butter Sauce

1.5 pounds fresh mussels (we used Penn Cove, Washington mussels)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons of my garlic-shallot puree (or) 4 cloves garlic and one small shallot, minced
1 cup Chardonnay, or other white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish butter (we used salted)
1/4 cup of chopped Italian parsley
Kosher salt to taste
Accompany with: Fresh baguette, toasted with butter – or crisp cooked French Fries (for dipping!)

Prepare mussels by rinsing in cold water, removing dirt and debris. Remove “beard” by pulling toward the hinge of the shell. Check for cracked or dead mussels and discard. You can tell if a mussel is dead by tapping on its shell. If it closes, it is good and still alive. If it does not close, discard. Fresh mussels should smell like the ocean and be moist, black and shiny.

Once mussels have been cleaned, prepare a large stock pot or dutch oven. Heat olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots. Stir for a minute. 

Add mussels and stir to coat the mussels with the oil and garlic shallot puree. Add butter, and lightly stir until melted. Add wine and stir lightly. Add the heavy cream, parsley and salt to taste- about two good size pinches.  Stir to mix all ingredients.

Cover and reduce heat; simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring half way through. Serve mussels immediately with a crusty toasted baguette or crispy French Fries (for a Moules Frites recipe). Add more fresh chopped parsley as garnish on both the mussels and the garlic toast/French fries.