Mussel Soup
Mussel Soup is the ultimate soup for any seafood fan. Fresh mussels are cooked in a rich tomato based broth, with wine, garlic and fresh parsley.
Serve with crusty bread and you have a quick and easy meal that is made in 30 minutes.
This is one of the first recipes I published way back in 2014. The recipe still holds up but the pictures didn’t so I have taken new ones along with a step by step video.
I based this soup on the Belgian classic, moules (mussels) provençale. Brussels is one of my favorite cities and I can never get enough mussels when I’m in Brussels (oh look, a little poetry). If you love cioppino (like me) you may want to check out the seafood feast further down this post.
Mussels are a popular dish in Belgium, served with fries (frites) that was traditionally peasant food. I don’t care, I know that I usually eat my weight of them when we visit.
If you love cioppino (like me) you may want to check out my recipe for Brodetto di Pesce, Italy’s version which is mixed seafood.
Spice it up
Add a few red pepper flakes to the soup to add a little spice to the soup
My love of shellfish started as a child growing up on the North East coast of England. Mussels, cockles, dressed crab and winkles just to name a few of the fresh seafood my parents used to treat us to every weekend.
How to buy and clean mussels
- If they smell fishy, do not buy them. They should smell briny like the ocean.
- If any of the mussels shells are broken, you must discard them.
- If any of the mussels open, tap it on the counter If it stays open, throw those out because this means it is not alive.
- Cook and eat them the same day you buy them.
- If any of the mussels don’t open after cooking, discard them.
To prepare the mussels, I like to add them a large bowl of water to rinse them and remove anything from the shells. Some may have a little piece of what looks like lint sticking out of the shell, this is the beard (see below). Simply pull on it to remove.
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Mussel Soup
A rich tomato based broth, with wine, garlic and vegetables. Serve with crusty bread and you have a quick and easy meal that is made in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup (110 grams) yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 cups (73 grams) carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup (56 grams) celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup (53 grams) fresh fennel, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 1/2 cups (354 ml) dry white wine (any that you would drink)
- 3 cups (708 ml) unsalted or low sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups (472 ml) passata/pureed tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 40 mussels (about 1.5 pounds/706 grams) fresh mussels, scrubbed with beards removed * see notes
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large soup pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, fennel and salt. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables start to soften, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced slightly. Add the stock, passata and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then stir in mussels. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until all mussels are open. Discard any that stay closed.
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste and add salt if necessary.
- Serve garnished with chopped parsley and crusty bread.
Notes
* 10 mussels per person (weight may vary depending on the size)
* The beard looks like lint coming out from the mussel. Not all mussels will have them. Pull until they are removed.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 343Saturated Fat 1gCholesterol 32mgSodium 664mgCarbohydrates 15gProtein 14g
37 Comments on “Mussel Soup”
I do not have a history of being a seafood lover. I will have breaded white fish occasionally, shrimp or scallops, but I have typically shied away from mussels and clams or anything with a “fishy” flavour. Your recipe looked like a cross between a zesty fresh soup and comfort food so today I went to our local fish market and bought fresh mussels and clams using your recipe as a guide. The end result was a satisfying shellfish soup with no leftovers! Very easy recipe to follow and easy enough to add extra ingredients. My wife loves this dish and has encouraged me to try similar recipes. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing. My husband was exactly the same about fishy shellfish and he loves this soup too.
I made this last night for guests we had and it was so easy and so good. I made it exactly like the recipe and would not change it.
Aww, thank you.
I fell in love with mussels in Belgium and ate them almost everyday. Now I can make my own at home.
This soup looks gorgeous! I never challenged mussel soup at home, but really like to try out. Thanks for sharing the tips about how to pic mussels!
I am sure I love this dish. Mussels are now a favorite of mine!
I can eat this whole bowl and go back for seconds, delicious.
I have zero experience cooking with mussels, but this soup looks so good! Thanks for helping me expand my comfort zone. 🙂
Your soup looks fabulous! I love the colors and love that it’s mussels. I love mussels.
Yum! I love seafood. I used to order seafood portifino at olive garden and then they took it off their menu. I’m still very sad about that. It had mussels in it too. I’ll have to give your yummy soup a try to see if I can curb a craving!
Janette, this Mussel soup looks divine and something my husband and I will LOVE! Beautifully photographed, thanks for sharing
I am utterly addicted to mussels, I eat them almost every day at lunch mixed with squid and tuna and sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil! MMmmmmm! 🙂
This looks amazing, the colors are absolutely gorgeous! Almost too pretty to eat… almost!
I LOVE everything about this soup and wish I had a big bowl for dinner tonight! And the fact that it’s so simple to prepare makes we want to go to the store right now and grab all the ingredients!
I’d love to try making some mussels! Unfortunately hubby is allergic to them, but I’ll just have to wait until he’s out one day! Yours looks fabulous in that beautiful tomato-ey sauce! This is the kind of dish that I’d be VERY impressed by if served them at a dinner party!
I am sure I would love this dish. Mussels are now a favorite of mine!
This looks amazing!! Beautiful pictures!
Simply beautiful, and I have to admit I adore mussels! Great simple to follow recipe
G’day Your mussell soup looks warm and welcoming indeed!Cheers! Joanne
I love mussels and this soup looks amazing! No wonder you couldn’t wait to finish the pictures and enjoy it! Thanks for the wonderful tips when cooking mussels!
Thank you so much Mira 🙂
My oldest son loves mussels…I usually make them with white wine sauce, but this looks delicious! I will definitely be trying this. Pinning!
Thank you for your kinds words Michelle. I will be dropping by tomorrow 🙂
I can’t get enough mussels either. They are tasty and the broth… Oh my! I’m looking forward to trying your recipe.
What an elegant looking bowl of muscles. Just gorgeous.
I love mussels, and that broth sounds fantastic!! What a great soup 🙂
I love everything with mussels, and especially a tomato based soup… Living in Brittany, we have the freshest mussels from Mont Saint Michel at the farmers market. Will have to try your recipe.
Thank you Marie, Brittany is so beautiful. Please let me know how you like the recipe.
I adore mussels and this soup looks heavenly!!
Thank you so much Tara.
I love mussels! What a gorgeous soup!
Thank you so much Serena.
I love mussel soup and yours looks flavorful and delicious!
Thank you so much Elena.
This reminds me of my childhood. Mum and I digging for mussels . Thank you for sparking a lovely memory and for your yummy recipe too xo
Thank you Katherine, I’m glad I was able to spark good memories.