Mussels in White Wine Sauce, or moules marinières in French, is a classic, elegant seafood dish featuring tender mussels simmered in a light, flavorful broth of white wine, garlic, and herbs and finished with butter. This easy mussel recipe delivers a perfect balance of briny, savory, and aromatic flavors.
If you love mussels, you must also try our White Wine Garlic Mussels (different from this recipe) or Amazing Red Curry Thai Mussels.
This recipe was given to me by Andrea Harling, who used to be the chef at Brava Bistro, where I had been many times to enjoy the mussels. She now owns her own restaurants in Calgary, The Sweatered Hen, which is a cozy brunch spot with many delicious choices, and also Lil Black Rooster, which is dedicated to making amazing sandwiches located within The Calgary Farmers Market West.
Why I Love This Recipe
- All-time favorite restaurant recipe
- Love mussels
- Great for lunch, appetizer or dinner
- Impressive yet easy
- Little clean-up needed
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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KitchenCraft World of Flavours Mussel Pot, Enamel, Large
Ingredients for Mussels in White Wine Sauce
Yes, with precautions. You can eat mussels in white wine sauce during pregnancy if they are fully cooked and handled safely. The wine should be cooked off of all alcohol while cooking.
In this mussels in white wine sauce recipe, fresh mussels are cooked quickly with leeks, garlic, butter, stock and white wine, creating a fragrant broth that’s perfect for soaking up with crusty bread. The result is a simple yet restaurant-quality dish that’s both comforting and impressive. I love to serve them with fries and aioli.
Ingredients
Fresh mussels – Cleaned and debearded. See the pro notes for how to clean and tips.
Canola oil – This is used in combination with the butter for the leeks.
Salted butter – You will use this divided, some for the leeks and some to amp up the sauce at the end.
Medium leeks – Use the white and light green parts only, thinly sliced.
Garlic – Finely minced. I like to use three cloves, which seems to be the right amount.
Dry white wine – Use what you have on hand, but a Sauvignon Blanc works well, which is not sweet.
Vegetable or chicken stock – Either of these work well.
Chives – This is for garnish at the end; they need to be chopped.
Fresh ground pepper – To taste.
Optional – Serve with crusty buttered bread or fries and aioli.
How to Make Mussels in a White Wine Sauce
Rinse the mussels under cold water, scrubbing the shells and removing the beards if needed. Discard any that are broken or that are open and do not close when tapped. (See Pro Tips)
In a large pot over medium heat, combine 1 tbsp of butter with the oil. When the butter is melted, add the leeks and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
Pour in the white wine and vegetable or chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then add the mussels. Cover and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels are open. Discard any mussels that did not open.
Cube the remaining butter, add it to the pot, and stir until melted; add the chopped chives and season with fresh ground pepper, to taste.
Ladle the mussels and broth into bowls and serve with pomme frites and garlic aioli. Enjoy!
Recipe Pro Tips
How to clean mussels
Keep Them Cold
Store mussels in the fridge in a bowl covered with a damp towel. Don’t seal them in an airtight container; they need to breathe.
Check for Freshness
- Mussels should be tightly closed
- If slightly open, tap them; if they close, they’re good
- Discard any that stay open or have cracked shells
Rinse Under Cold Water
Place mussels in a colander and rinse well to remove dirt and debris.
Scrub the Shells
Use a brush or your hands to scrub off any sand, mud, or barnacles.
Remove the “Beard”
The beard is the fibrous string sticking out of the shell:
- Grab it firmly
- Pull it using a knife to grip or your hands (see picture).
Optional: Soak Briefly
Some people soak mussels in cold water for 10–20 minutes to help release grit, but don’t soak too long; they can die.
Clean Just Before Cooking
Clean mussels right before you cook them for the best freshness.
Use a mussel shell as a server
Use one of the good shells that is stuck together as pinchers to retrieve the other mussels from the shells and eat.
Discard After Cooking
Throw away any mussels that don’t open after cooking.
Pro Tip
Avoid soaking mussels in fresh water for long periods—it can affect their flavor and texture.
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Mussels in White Wine Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh mussels cleaned and debearded
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 5 tbsp salted butter divided
- 1 medium leek white and light green parts only thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tbsp chives chopped
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the mussels under cold water, scrubbing the shells and removing the beards if needed. Discard any that are broken or that are open and do not close when tapped.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine 1 tbsp of butter with the oil. When the butter is melted, add the leeks and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and vegetable or chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then add the mussels. Cover and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels are open. Discard any mussels that did not open.
- Cube the remaining butter, add it to the pot, and stir until melted; add the chopped chives and season with fresh ground pepper, to taste.
- Ladle the mussels and broth into bowls and serve with pomme frites and garlic aioli.
- Enjoy!
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