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Fish, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Beer mussels with crusty bread

Beer mussels are a dish of mussels steamed in white beer with onion and celery, served with grilled crusty bread. For 4 people, they're ready in 30 minutes, very easy to make, for €2.80 per person. The key is picking a mild white beer for a balanced broth.

Tonight, mussels steamed in white beer, with celery and parsley, plus crusty bread for the broth.

Beer mussels with crusty bread
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

The mussels open up in a golden broth, flavored with softened celery and onion, carrying that gentle bitterness white beer brings. Fresh parsley adds a green note at the end, and grilled crusty bread is there to mop up the broth, again and again, until the last drop. It's a dish you eat with your hands, empty shells stacking up in the middle of the table.

It's a perfect weeknight dinner when you don't want to fuss, but it also works well for casual guests, with one big pot set in the middle of the table. Kids generally love prying open the shells themselves. We often suggest it in fall or winter, when you want something warm and comforting without spending hours in the kitchen.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Mussels 2 kg

Pantry

  • White beer 33 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Celery stalks 2
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Bakery

  • Crusty bread 8 slices

Allergens Mollusks, Gluten, Celery, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Rinse the mussels, pull off the beards, and discard any with cracked shells.

    A mussel that's open and doesn't close when tapped should be thrown out.

  2. Soften the chopped onion and celery in the butter. 5 min

    Chop them finely so they soften faster.

  3. Pour in the beer, add the mussels, cover, and cook over high heat. 7 min

    Shake the pot halfway through to spread the heat evenly.

  4. Discard any mussels that stayed closed, add pepper, and sprinkle with parsley.

    Don't add salt, the mussel broth is already salty.

  5. Grill the crusty bread and serve it alongside the mussels and their broth.

    The broth is a treasure, serve it in small bowls.

Our tips to get it right

  • Take the mussels out of the fridge right before cooking them, they need to stay cold until the last moment.
  • Don't overcrowd your pot, mussels at the bottom cook unevenly if the layer is too thick, use a wide pot rather than a tall narrow one.
  • Taste the broth before serving, if the beer flavor feels too strong, add a splash of water to soften it.

The variations

  • Swap the white beer for hard cider for a fruitier, less bitter broth that kids tend to like more.
  • For a shellfish free version, use the same onion, celery and beer base to cook frozen pre shelled rope mussels, or adapt the broth to simmer vegetables instead.
  • To save time, buy your mussels already cleaned at the fish counter, it cuts a good ten minutes off prep.

What to serve it with

  • Crispy homemade fries
  • Simple green salad
  • Glass of dry cider

Storage

Mussels are best eaten the same day, once cooked they keep no more than a day in the fridge in a sealed container. They don't freeze well once cooked. Reheat them gently with a lid on, without overcooking them again so they don't turn rubbery.

Questions about this dish

How do you know if mussels are fresh before cooking them?

A fresh mussel is closed or closes when you tap it. If it stays open and doesn't move, throw it out before cooking.

Can you prepare beer mussels ahead of time?

This dish is cooked right before serving. You can chop the onion and celery ahead of time to save a few minutes.

What kind of beer works best for cooking mussels?

Choose a mild white beer, it gives a balanced, not too bitter broth. Very hoppy or bitter beers make the broth harsh.

Why do some mussels stay closed after cooking?

A mussel that stays closed after cooking was likely dead before cooking started. It's best to discard it rather than eat it.

How long does it take to make a pot of beer mussels with crusty bread?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pot of beer mussels with crusty bread?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pot of beer mussels with crusty bread cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks, gluten, celery, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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