Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Name: Mussels in White Wine Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh mussels (raw, in the shell); 1/2 cup white wine; 1/2 lemon (sliced); 2 juice from oranges; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 chicken bouillon cube; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons butter; 4 basil leaves (chopped); sprig of parsley (chopped)

By: Jessica · Posted: Mar 29, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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5 from 2 votes

Mussels in white wine sauce with garlic butter, that’s easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and ready in about 15 minutes.

An Easy Steamed Mussels Recipe

I don’t know if I’ll ever order mussels at a restaurant again, knowing how easy and delicious they are to make at home. Mussels are a fancy meal or appetizer, and look beautiful on the dinner table for a dinner party, a romantic dinner, or even if it’s just a seafood night at home.

Cooked mussels in pan with white wine sauce, and lemon slices on top, next to a glass of wine.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Which is the best way to cook mussels?

Steaming mussels in a seasoned broth is the best way to cook mussels. They open up from a closed shell, just after 5 minutes, and this allows for easier eating and or the flavors to seep in.

What do mussels go well with?

When cooked with a seasoned broth, butter-coated bread that’s grilled or toasted is delicious served along with mussels, for dipping in the white wine sauce.

How to tell if mussels are done?

When the shells open up, the mussels are done cooking and ready to eat.

How many pounds of mussels per person?

For an appetizer, plan on ½ pound of mussels per person. If serving as a main course, plan on 1 pound per person. Serve with toasted buttered bread for dipping to spread the portions out.

How to store leftover mussels?

Remove the mussels from their shells. (Remove meat from shell.) Store meat in a container and cover with white wine sauce, and refrigerate up to 2 days. To freeze, place meat in a freezer-safe container, cover with wine sauce, and freeze up to 3-4 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Cooked mussels in a white wine sauce, stacked on plate next to toasted bread.

Ingredients Needed: (See recipe card below for the full recipe)

mussels – Fresh mussels in their shell are used in this recipe, and are steamed in a white white, garlic butter broth. Make sure you’re not buying frozen, cooked mussels.
white wine – I use sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio for this recipe since I tend to have that on hand. However, any dry, white wine or cooking wine will work for this recipe as well.
lemon – When slicing the lemon, try to remove and discard any seeds.
oranges – If some of the pulp comes out while squeezing the juice in to the broth, that’s absolutely ok, and it will help add even more citrus flavor which is great.
garlic – Fresh, minced garlic is preferred.
chicken bouillon cube – 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder can be used instead.
sugar – A tablespoon of sugar will slightly sweeten the citrus broth, balancing the flavors.
butter – I use salted butter (as that’s what I generally have on hand) but unsalted butter will work as well.
basil & parsley – fresh herbs are highly recommended. If fresh can’t be found, herbal pastes are the next great substitute, and then finely dried herbs.

Ingredients in bowls and on countertop to make steamed mussels.

How to Make Mussels in a White Wine Sauce

Open the bag of mussels, look them over. Discard any that have opened, & scrub off any excess sand, then place in a bowl of cold water.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the garlic.

Once the butter is melted, add the white wine, bouillon cube, and sugar. Stir until dissolved.

2 Process images - 1 with butter and garlic in pan and one with bouillon cube in melted butter.

Add the remaining ingredients (except mussels) and bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.

2 process images - one showing lemons, orange juice, butter and fresh herbs in skillet.

Drain the water from the mussels and pour mussels in to white wine sauce. Increase to medium heat, cover, and steam for about 5 minutes or until the shells open.

Ladle into a bowl and top with broth.

Steamed mussels in skillet with lemon slices on top.

Serve alone or with toasted bread for dipping in the white wine sauce.

How to Make Buttery Toast for Dipping

If you want to serve buttery toast with these mussels to dip in the white wine sauce, it’s really easy. Here’s how:

Slice a French baguette in to ½-inch thick slices.
In a cast-iron skillet, or nonstick skillet, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
Place as many slices of bread that will fit in the skillet, down on top of the melted butter and let them rest for about 1-2 minutes or until the bread has turned a golden brown.
Flip, and repeat on the other side. (Tip: Move the bread pieces around in any remaining melted butter in the skillet to help it soak in better.)
Remove toasted bread from skillet.
Repeat steps 2-5 until all of the bread is toasted.