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Fish, Busy evenings

Curried mussels with rice

Curried mussels with rice is a dish of mussels simmered in a creamy mild curry sauce, served with white rice, for 4 people. It takes 35 minutes, it's easy to make, and it costs about €3.40 per person. The key is sorting the mussels before and after cooking, and stirring in the cream off the heat so the curry flavor stays balanced.

Tonight, mussels simmered in a creamy mild curry sauce, with white rice to soak it all up.

Curried mussels with rice
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Mild curry powder softens the briny mussel broth without hiding it, and the cream ties everything into a silky sauce you'll want to scoop up with a spoon. White rice soaks up that sauce and adds the heartiness that mussels alone sometimes lack. It's a generous dish that still feels light, where every bite keeps that clean, briny mussel flavor.

This is the kind of recipe you pull out on a weeknight when you want dinner to feel different without spending hours on it. Kids usually go for the rice and the mild sauce, even if they skip the mussels at first. You can just as easily serve it on a Sunday night with friends, one big pot in the middle of the table and a bowl set aside for empty shells.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Mussels 2 kg

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 25 cl
  • Dry white wine 15 cl
  • Butter 20 g

Pantry

  • Mild curry powderoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 280 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shallots 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Allergens Mollusks, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Scrub and rinse the mussels, discard any that are open or cracked.

    Pull off the little filament, the beard, with one quick tug.

  2. Melt the butter, add the chopped shallots and garlic, then the curry powder and let it bloom. 3 min

    Warm the curry powder in the fat for a minute, it wakes up the aromas.

  3. Pour in the white wine, add the mussels, cover and cook while shaking the pot. 6 min

    They're ready once they've all opened.

  4. Remove the mussels, add the cream to the broth, let it reduce slightly, then return the mussels to the pot. 3 min

    Taste before salting, the mussel broth is already salty.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water, drain, and serve with the mussels and parsley. 11 min

    Set out a bowl for empty shells in the middle of the table.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm, tightly closed mussels that smell like the sea, not fishy.
  • Hold off on salt, the mussel cooking liquid is naturally salty and gets even more concentrated once it reduces with the cream.
  • Cook the rice while the mussels open, that way both finish together and nothing goes cold.

The variations

  • Swap the heavy cream for coconut cream for a more fragrant, slightly sweet version.
  • For a shellfish free version, replace the mussels with chunks of white fish cooked for a few minutes in the same sauce.
  • To save time, use pre-cooked rice warmed in the microwave while you make the sauce.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

Mussels are best eaten the same day, but you can keep shelled leftovers with their sauce in the fridge for 1 day in a sealed container. Avoid freezing this dish, the mussels turn rubbery. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, without letting the sauce boil.

Questions about this dish

How do you know if mussels are still good before cooking?

Mussels should be closed, or close up when you tap them. Discard any that stay open or are cracked, they're no longer safe to eat.

Can you use frozen pre-cooked mussels instead?

Yes, in that case add them straight into the cream sauce without steaming them in wine first, just long enough to warm them through for a few minutes.

Can you make the curry sauce base ahead of time?

You can cook the shallots, garlic and curry powder a few hours ahead and reheat it before adding the wine and fresh mussels at the last minute.

What rice works best with curried mussels?

A classic long grain white rice works well since it stays firm and soaks up the sauce without turning sticky. Skip overly glutinous rice, it would mask the sauce's texture.

How long does it take to make curried mussels with rice?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in curried mussels with rice?

About 580 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 curried mussels with rice cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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