Mussels pasta in tomato sauce is a simple, light and fresh, seafood pasta dinner that you can make at home in about 30 minutes. Fresh mussels are cooked with delicious flavours and tossed in spaghetti noodles smothered in a tomato sauce. This is a quick and easy, restaurant-quality meal that you can serve on busy weeknights or on any day of the week when you are feeling fancy. Complete the meal with a side of crusty bread for major dipping.
We love cooking with mussels because they are so easy to prepare and cook fast. But throw in some pasta, and you have yourself a pretty balanced wholesome meal in literally no time. If you are like us and love these mussels, then you will also love Thai Red Curry Mussels and Steamed Mussels in Tomato Sauce.
Ingredients
To make this delicious mussels pasta in tomato sauce, you will need the following ingredients:
- pasta - I recommend a long, stringy pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine.
- live mussels - scrub and debeard the mussels prior to cooking. For full tips on how to do this, scroll down to the tips section below.
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- cooking wine - You can use white or red cooking wine.
- tomato sauce
- salt and pepper
- cherry tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley - optional, for garnish on top.
You will also need a cooking pot and shallow saucepan or skillet.
How to Make the Best Mussels Pasta in Tomato Sauce
- Make the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm), about 8-10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
- Cook the mussels. In the meantime, heat oil in a shallow saucepan or large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the hot oil is sizzling hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant and soft, 2-3 minutes. Add mussels and wine. Cover the lid and steam for 6-8 minutes until all shells are wide open. If you don't have a lid to cover, stir occasionally to help the mussels cook evenly.
- Assemble. Reduce the heat to medium, and add in tomato sauce and cooked pasta. Toss well to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Sprinkle parmesan and parsley on top and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions and Tips
- How do you clean prepare fresh live mussels? - To prepare mussels, you will need to clean and debeard them. To clean, scrub the mussels with a scrubbing brush to remove any particles and debris. Next, remove the beard. This is a small stringy mass that sticks out of the side of each mussel. Hold the mussel in one hand, and gently pull the beard off using your other hand, pulling towards the bottom of the mussel where the clasp is. Once you've removed all of them, give the mussels one last rise under cold water.
- How do I store mussels pasta? You can store mussels pasta for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, heat in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. You may have to add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened up too much in the refrigerator.
- Can I customize this pasta? You can customize mussels pasta into a complete seafood pasta by tossing in some cooked shrimp, scallops, or clams.
More Pasta Recipes
- Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta Bake
- Pesto Penne Pasta
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Cacio e Pepe
- Pasta Bake with Sausage
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Farfalle Pasta with Mushroom Rose Sauce
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Recipe
Mussels Pasta in Tomato Sauce
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Mussels pasta in tomato sauce is a simple, light and fresh, seafood pasta dinner that you can make at home in 30 minutes. Easiest weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- ½ lb. pasta, spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine (8 oz.)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 lb. fresh live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 2 tablespoons cooking wine, white or red
- 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce (1 cup)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm), about 8-10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
- In the meantime, heat oil in a shallow saucepan or large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the hot oil is sizzling hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant and soft, 2-3 minutes.
- Add mussels and wine. Cover the lid and steam for 6-8 minutes until all shells are wide open. If you don't have a lid to cover, stir occasionally to help the mussels cook evenly.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and add in tomato sauce and cooked pasta. Toss well to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle parmesan and parsley on top and serve immediately.
Notes
How to prepare mussels: To clean, scrub the mussels with a scrubbing brush to remove any particles and debris. Next, remove the beard. This is a small stringy mass that sticks out of the side of each mussel. Hold the mussel in one hand, and gently pull the beard off using your other hand, pulling towards the bottom of the mussel where the clasp is. Once you've removed all of them, give the mussels one last rise under cold water.
How to store: You can store mussels pasta for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, heat in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. You may have to add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened up too much in the refrigerator.
How to customize: You can customize mussels pasta into a complete seafood pasta by tossing in some cooked shrimp, scallops, or clams.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Pat says
I have frozen Mussel meat in my freezer. Can I use them instead of fresh live mussels?
Gina says
This was very flavorful! I will be making it again!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks Gina! So happy you liked the recipe.
wilhelmina says
This is a fabulous dish! I made it for my husband and I on our stay-in date night. This and a bottle of wine made for a great date night!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you Wilhelmina, I am happy the recipe was a hit. That sounds like such a lovely night!