Description
A delightful dish of spaghetti tangled with tender mussels in a creamy garlic sauce, enriched with Parmesan and a hint of citrus.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 teaspoon salt (for boiling water)
- Extra parsley, chopped for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Mussels: Clean mussels under cold running water, scrubbing shells and removing beards. Discard any that remain open after a tap.
- Cook the Spaghetti: Bring salted water to a boil, add spaghetti, and cook as per package instructions until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
- Make the Creamy Garlic Sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallot; sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, then pour in white wine and simmer until reduced by half (about 5 minutes). Stir in butter, cream, Parmesan, lemon zest, and juice. Season and mix until creamy.
- Combine Pasta, Sauce, and Mussels: Add mussels to the skillet, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes until opened. Discard closed mussels. Add spaghetti, toss until coated, adding reserved pasta water if needed.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and mussels, garnishing with parsley, lemon wedges, and extra Parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
Make the sauce ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to combine with mussels and spaghetti. Adjust the red pepper flakes to your heat preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 602
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 100mg