This Steamed Mediterranean PEI Mussels recipe makes a great appetizer and is perfect for entertaining. Serve it with some crusty bread or pasta for a simple and elegant meal.
This is a sponsored post by the Mussel Industry Council of Prince Edward Island. As always, opinions remain 100% my own.
Now that spring has arrived, seafood is a great option when many of us are craving something a little lighter. With all the entertaining that we do at home during this time of year, simple and elegant dishes are our favorite.
Mussels make a beautiful addition to any table and make a fun and tasty meal to enjoy with your guests.
Today’s recipe starts off with some PEI mussels. They are sweet and tender and because of their popularity, I can find them easily at most of our local stores.
PEI mussels are a great source of protein and contain a variety of vitamins like A, B12, minerals as well as omega-3-fatty acids.
And since mussels are so versatile, you can steam them with just a few simple ingredients or stir in some global flavors for a more complex dish.
You really can’t go wrong. But if you’ve never tried cooking with mussels before, you can find a ton of tips and recipes over at http://peimussel.com/
Plus, they also have a contest going on right now where you can vote for your favorite recipe using PEI mussels! One lucky voter will win a TRIP FOR 2 to PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND!
The contest is open to US residents (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and the District of Columbia who are at least 18 years or older. Please read the full rules here. Just enter your information into the widget here!
These Steamed Mediterranean PEI Mussels are fresh, flavorful and come together so quickly.
My husband and I had a similar dish when we were visiting Greece a few years ago and I had to try to recreate it once we got back home. After tweaking and combining a few recipes I found, this version is now one of my favorite ways to serve mussels!
It’s elegant enough for entertaining yet simple enough that you can make for an evening in.
Preparing the Mussels:
When preparing mussels, it’s important to rinse them first and remove any beards if necessary. An added perk of PEI mussels is that they are cleaned of beards when packaged which means you can have this dish on your table even sooner.
Once the mussels have all been prepped, all that’s left to do is chop the onion and garlic.
You can even prep the onion and garlic in advance the day before by storing them in an airtight container or clear resealable bag in the fridge. These essential aromatics add those amazing layers of flavor and should definitely not be skipped.
Cooking the Mussels:
To start cooking the mussels, grab a large pot or skillet and heat some olive oil over medium high heat. Toss in the onions and red pepper chili flakes and cook them for a few minutes, until they’ve softened up. This dish is not spicy at all but if you’re sensitive to heat, feel free to leave out the chili flakes.
Next comes the garlic to help build flavor. Just sauté for about a minute, until fragrant then stir in the diced tomatoes and Kalamata olives which gives this dish a Mediterranean touch. The sauce gets simmered down for a few minutes for the flavors to build up.
Finally, turn the pot to high heat, add the mussels to the pot and cover with a lid. Allow them to steam for 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway through. Once all the mussels have opened up, you can remove the pot from the heat. Remember to discard any unopened mussels. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the mussels and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
These Steamed Mediterranean PEI Mussels make fantastic appetizers to share with your friends or family.
We love serving them with a side of crusty bread to sop up that delicious sauce.
Another great way to enjoy them is with a side of spaghetti or angel hair pasta to make this a complete dinner.
Fresh mussels in a white wine sauce is the perfect light Summer meal! Garnish with lemon juice for a delicious seafood dish.
- 3 pounds PEI mussels rinsed
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
- salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
- Clean the mussels.
- In a large pot or saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and red pepper flakes and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions have softened. Add the garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the diced tomatoes and olives and bring to a simmer and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Add the mussels to the pot and cover. Turn the heat to high and steam until all the mussels open, about 5-7 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Feel free to steam for another minute if you see any unopened shells. Remove from heat and discard any shells that did not open after 8 minutes.
- Sprinkle with parsley before ladling mussels and broth into bowls. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread or your favorite pasta, if desired.
This is a sponsored post by the Mussel Industry Council of Prince Edward Island. As always, opinions remain 100% my own.
mira -
Love mussels and these look amazing! Great flavors Kelly! Pinning to try them asap!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen -
I never cook with mussels so all of your tips are so helpful! This looks fabulous–I love kalamata olives SO much and that briny flavor must be perfect here 🙂
Monica -
My husband particularly loves mussels and we love to order it out. I made it at home exactly once because I had such trouble cleaning the beard! I need to find ones w/o it like you mentioned. This looks really delicious. It’s amazing how quickly a huge pot of mussels go. I’m sure yours were devoured in no time!
Eva @ Eva Bakes -
My husband and I always order mussels as apps when we go out on dates. Now that you shared this recipe with me, we may never order them again! Thanks, Kelly!
Sues -
I’m a HUGE mussel lover (especially when cooked in beer!) and these ones look awesome. I always wonder why people don’t make mussels at home more often!