What To Serve With Mussels?

There’s no secret that this elegant blue-black shellfish are an absolute divine type of seafood to have placed in front of you, especially with slices of lemon so that you can squeeze the juice all over the creamy, meatiness of the mussels.
Mussels are a common favorite amongst many who love seafood, they can be baked, or steamed, they are also served raw at restaurants, but that’s a risk only a real seafood lover is willing to take!

Mussels are an excellent appetizer and can be served as a main dish as well, but since we’re wondering what to eat with mussels, let’s focus on the many many delectable varieties of side dishes that will pair perfectly with this shellfish.

Table of Contents

• What Are Mussels?
• How To Make Mussels?
• What Goes Well With Mussels?
  • French Fries
  • White Wine Sauce
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Horseradish Sauce
  • Fennel Salad
  • Tomato Salad
  • Potato Leek Soup
  • Green Salad
  • Garlic Bread
  • Saffron Rice
  • Linguine
  • Angel Hair Pasta
  • Toasted Baguette
  • Roasted broccoli
• So What Goes Good With Mussels?
• FAQs

What Are Mussels?

Mussels are a delicacy and a close relative of clams and oysters, though mussels are much smaller in size and their shells are a dark blue-black, they may seem quite intimidating upon first sight, but trust me they are so easy to prepare, and equally as delicious when you slurp their cream-colored or pinkish meat straight from their shells.

Fresh mussels taste of the sea they were caught from, with a sweet brininess and with a texture that is identical to a mushroom – firm yet delicate. Overcooked mussels taste unpleasantly rubbery, making them hard to chew or swallow.

How To Make Mussels?

Mussels are super easy to make and don’t require much cooking time. Start by making a broth of your choice, packed with creamy flavours, or spices that you fancy. Make sure that there is no more than an inch of broth in your pot, because we want our oysters to steam and not boil.

Bring the broth to a boil, and add your mussels all at once then put the lid on the pot. Set a timer for 3 minutes, and when the timer goes off, gingerly stir the mussels and push any that haven’t opened to the bottom of the pot. The closer they are to the heat, the quicker they’re likely to open their shells wider so that you can easily slurp up their delicious meat.

Let the mussels cook for another 2 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and throw away any shells that have not opened.

Serve this with your favourite side dish, like French fries, rice or bread to make a complete meal that you and your family will most definitely enjoy.

What Goes Well With Mussels?

From vegetables to spaghetti, these mild, sweet and briny shellfish make them them a perfect candidate for soups, salads and pastas.

Let’s take a thorough look at our options:

• French Fries
• White Wine Sauce
• Tomato Sauce
• Horseradish sauce
• Fennel Salad
• Tomato Salad
• Potato Leek Soup
• Green Salad
• Garlic Bread
• Saffron Rice
• Linguine
• Angel Hair Pasta
• Toasted Baguette
• Roasted Broccoli

French Fries

French fries are everyone’s favourite side to have when there’s meat or chicken being served at the dinner table. Which is why they make such a perfect side dish to have with these sweet, creamy mussels, add a bit of tomato sauce into the mix and you have a complete, delicious meal for everyone to enjoy!

White Wine Sauce

You were wondering what sauce goes best with mussels? Well here you go, white wine sauce is one of the best complimentary sides to have with your mussels, with creamy and garlic flavours combined with sweet and briny shellfish is just a wonderful combination that you simply must have!

This sauce can be equally as great with pasta as well, pasta with white wine sauce, topped with some mussels would have your family slurping up their meal in no time.

Tomato Sauce

When has tomato sauce ever missed a chance to sit at the table? This magical bright red sauce, can be eaten with almost anything, its balance of tangy and sweet flavours makes it a perfect sauce to make your mussels taste heavenly.

Horseradish Sauce

Here’s a sauce that you must try with your mussels, this creamy white sauce that is commonly served with steak, has a spicy, pungent taste and scent, the spiciness is usually balanced out with mayonnaise or sour cream, so the strong flavours of the horseradish will only remain as a perfect sauce to have your creamy mussels dipped in to create a delectable aroma of flavours that circulate the insides of your mouth, as you slurp, chew and swallow.

Fennel Salad

Simple and easy to make fennel salad with olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, parsley and parmesan. To make this deliciously refreshing salad add to a bowl: shaved fennel, thyme, olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley and lemon juice and toss them together. You can eat this immediately, or let it sit in the fridge for an hour.

You can also add some fruits if you want for hints of fresh sweetness, like thinly sliced apples or pomegranate seeds. Pair this delectable salad with your main meal, and you’ll hear sighs of contentment at the dinner table, ’cause once again you’ve smashed it with these side dishes.

Tomato Salad

If you’re a fan of tomatoes, then this salad is the one for you, this bowl filled with hues of red, purple and green delectable ingredients, accompanied with your main meal, will make your mussels taste even more heavenly. The crunchy, crispy texture of the salad, followed by the creamy softness of the mussels is just a perfect contrast you’d need at the dinner table. Whilst you’re slurping at your mussels, getting your lips all wet from the flavours caked all over the mussels, you follow it up with a nice crunch of your tomato salad, for a tongue tingling satisfaction.

Potato Leek Soup

The best kind of soup to have with mussels, packed with incredible flavours that will also have you warming up during the cold miserable days of winter is by having a nice bowl of potato leek soup.

Potatoes and leek make a great combination, with explosive flavours of garlic and onion making it a greasy, milky and creamy accompaniment to your sweet and creamy mussels, which just screams perfection. Mark my words, this soup will turn out to be your most favourite soup once you’ve had the first sip, you’ll be bound to its velvety depth forever my friend!

Green Salad

Obviously we had to add our favourite brilliant greens to the list, green salad can be paired with any dish you like, including mussels ain’t that something? The most amazing thing about green salad is that you can add your own types of greens that you like into the mix. For instance, if you’re looking for that fruity kick then you can throw in some kiwi, cucumber, lemon or any other fruit.

Garlic Bread

For a bite that is filled with crispy, garlicky and buttery goodness try garlic bread with your salty, sweet and creamy mussels. You can make this bread from scratch with some melted garlic cloves, intensifying the flavours of the garlic bread with parsley, salt and pepper, for a delectable addition to your meal that will have you licking your fingers adoringly.

Saffron Rice

This beautiful sunshine on a plate, will pair perfectly with your mussels, with its floral aroma and earthy flavours a true gem to have especially on the colder winter days.

To make this delicious dish grind some saffron threads in a spice mortar, then add another set of saffron threads to the mix, but don’t crush these, pour a 1/4 cup of water into the spice mortar and let the saffron soak for 5 minutes, allowing the water to become infused with the saffron spice.

Meanwhile start making your rice, by frying some onions and letting it caramelise in a pan, then add the rice and fry for another minute, after that pour the saffron liquid all over the rice, add chicken, or vegetable stock, and bring it to a boil then cover the pot reduce the heat to low, and let it sit for 20 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with your mussels, for a delicious addition to the already delightful meal.

Linguine

A delightful pasta dish to serve with your mussels, these flat and long linguine are perfect for holding scrumptious flavours, such as creamy, garlicky deliciousness. Garnished with herbs and black pepper, with an addition of vegetables and bacon to make this side dish incredibly flavourful, linguine is the side dish that never misses especially when it’s served with main dishes like mussels.

Angel Hair Pasta

As beautiful as it’s name, this thin stringy pasta really does look beautiful when served on a plate topped with shelled mussels. Angel pasta can be served as an appetiser before the main meal, it is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a light meal, with a touch of sauce for some delicate flavouring.

Toasted Baguette

Mussels pair really well with crunchy breads like baguette, simply scoop out your mussels from their shells, place them atop your sliced piece of baguette, squeeze a little lemon over the top and take a huge bite!

Roasted broccoli

Vegetables are always a great side to have with almost any meal, especially ones with meat or shellfish like mussels. Just season your broccoli florets with a sprinkle or salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil before popping them in the oven. A truly deliciously healthy way to increase the flavours and textures of food at the dinner table.

So What Goes Good With Mussels?

You needn’t be concerned about the kinds of options that go with mussels, think of the flavors that emanate from these delicate shellfish, and try a side dish that has a brilliant texture, which will complement the creamy softness of the mussels.

French fries are crunchy and have that delightful starchy taste that is incredible when freshly removed from the air fryer, with the perfect golden hues that are just a treat to have with a lot of main dishes. Mussels are delightful when paired with soups, especially if you’re planning to host a dinner serving shellfish like oysters or mussels because the thick, hot, buttery creaminess of the soup is perfect for washing down the salty, sweet flavors from the shellfish.

FAQs