Sautéed Mussels
25’ min.
Easy
4 people
- 1 kg fresh mussels
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 hot red pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 extra hot pepper (optional, if you like it spicier)
- 2 slices of lemon with peel
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 3–4 tablespoons tomato sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- Long pepper (grated or coarsely crushed)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, as needed
- Salt, as needed
- Bread
To prepare a tasty sautéed mussels dish for four people, start by thoroughly cleaning 1 kg of fresh mussels. Remove the beards, scrape the shells with a scouring pad or a knife, and rinse them well under cold running water. This step is important to get a clean dish with a fresh sea aroma, without any unpleasant residues.
In a large pan, heat a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add a crushed garlic clove, a thinly sliced onion, two slices of lemon with the peel on, and a red pepper cut into thin strips. If you like a bolder taste, you can also add a second finely chopped pepper. Add a bit of grated long pepper, a handful of freshly chopped parsley, and let it sauté for a few minutes until the onion starts to become translucent.
At this point, pour in a little tomato sauce — just a few tablespoons are enough to add color and flavor without covering the taste of the mussels — and mix everything well. Then add the mussels to the pan, increase the heat, cover with a lid, and let them cook for about 5 minutes, just enough time for the shells to fully open. During cooking, you can gently shake the pan to distribute the flavors evenly.
As soon as all the mussels have opened, turn off the heat and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice directly into the pan. Give everything a quick stir, sprinkle with more fresh parsley and serve immediately, nice and hot.
Don’t forget to serve some bread or grilled crostini at the table: dipping in the sauce is a must, because the juices are simply irresistible. For quantities based on the number of guests and for any questions, we’re always here for you. Enjoy your meal!
