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The starter, Mediterranean

Provençal baked mussels with garlic butter

Provençal baked mussels are a briny appetizer for 6, shelled and topped with garlic parsley butter before a quick turn under the broiler. They take 40 minutes of active work and can be fully prepped in the morning, with only the broiling done right before serving. Easy to make and affordable at €2.80 per person, success comes down to soft butter and a very hot broiler.

A little taste of Marseille with these garlic butter baked mussels, they disappear in a flash, so make plenty.

Provençal baked mussels with garlic butter
For
6 people
Work
40 min
Total time
1 h 05
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
260 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Under the golden breadcrumbs, melted garlic butter soaks into the mussel with parsley and a briny edge that comes from stirring a spoonful of cooking liquid into the mix. The texture stays firm, just tender, nothing like mussels drowned in broth. This is a finger food appetizer, hot and fragrant, that sets a Mediterranean mood from the first bite.

This is the kind of dish you serve at a dinner party when you want a memorable start without spending the evening in the kitchen, or for a summer family meal when fresh mussels are at their best. It leads naturally into a fish course or grilled meat, in a menu that keeps its southern French spirit all the way to dessert.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 4 steps, 6 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 20 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 5 min

In the morning, cook the mussels, shell them, and make the garlic parsley butter, then arrange them on coarse salt in the fridge until the meal. Twenty minutes before guests arrive, take the trays out so the mussels aren't too cold when they hit the oven. At serving time, slide them under the broiler for a few minutes and bring the dish out as soon as the breadcrumbs turn golden.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Mussels 2.4 kg

Dairy

  • Unsalted butter 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Shallots 2

Pantry

  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 15 cl
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Mollusks, Lactose, Gluten

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Scrub and rinse the mussels, discard any that stay open, then steam them covered in a large pot with the shallots and white wine. 6 min

    Shake the pot occasionally instead of stirring, the mussels open all at once that way.

  2. Shell the mussels, keeping one half shell per mussel, then strain and reserve 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.

    Discard any mussels that did not open, they are not safe to eat.

  3. Mix the softened butter with pressed garlic, chopped parsley, the cooking liquid, and pepper.

    The butter should be soft but not melted, otherwise it runs off in the oven.

  4. Top each mussel with a small knob of garlic parsley butter and a pinch of breadcrumbs, then arrange them on trays lined with coarse salt and refrigerate.

    The coarse salt holds the shells flat so no butter is lost.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Preheat the oven broiler on high and take the trays out of the fridge. 20 min

    Mussels taken out 20 minutes ahead broil faster and do not dry out.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Slide under the broiler on the middle rack until the breadcrumbs turn golden. 5 min

    Stay by the oven, everything happens in the last 30 seconds.

Our tips to get it right

  • Choose very fresh mussels that are closed or close when tapped, they give a cleaner liquid for the butter.
  • Go easy on the breadcrumbs, too thick a layer keeps the butter from browning properly and hides the mussel flavor.
  • Keep the trays of mussels perfectly flat in the fridge, a tilted tray lets the butter run off before cooking even starts.

The variations

  • Swap some of the parsley for fresh cilantro for a different accent that still keeps the dish's spirit.
  • For more kick, stir a pinch of Espelette pepper into the butter before topping the mussels.
  • If kids are coming, keep a few mussels plain with just a touch of sweet butter and no breadcrumbs, they go down easier without the garlic edge.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled country bread to soak up the butter
  • A glass of chilled dry white wine
  • A light lemony arugula salad to follow

Storage

Raw stuffed mussels keep up to 24 hours in the fridge on their bed of coarse salt, well covered. They do not freeze once shelled and buttered. Once broiled, eat them right away, they don't reheat well.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use a different type of mussel instead of bouchot mussels?

Yes, Mediterranean or Spanish mussels work just as well, just pick ones that are fresh and similarly sized. The cooking and broiling steps stay exactly the same.

How do I know the mussels are properly cooked before shelling them?

They should all open during the covered steaming. Discard any that stay closed afterward, they aren't safe to eat.

How should I serve baked mussels at a dinner party?

Serve them straight on the coarse salt trays used for cooking, this keeps them warm and stops the shells from tipping over. Add a lemon wedge and a little fresh parsley to finish the plate.

How many mussels should I plan per person as an appetizer?

For 6 people, 2.4 kg of mussels gives you about a dozen baked mussels per guest. That's a generous amount for an appetizer that disappears fast.

Can Provençal baked mussels with garlic butter be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 40 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 4 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make Provençal baked mussels with garlic butter?

Allow 1 h 05 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 40 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in Provençal baked mussels with garlic butter?

About 260 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does Provençal baked mussels with garlic butter cost?

About €2.80 per person, that's €16.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks, lactose, gluten. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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