By Mark Bittman
Updated Oct. 16, 2023
- Total Time
- About 20 minutes
- Rating
- 5(127)
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 3pounds mussels, well washed
- Salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½pound rigatoni or other cut pasta
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
- 2cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- ¼teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
- 1cup cooked cannellini or borlotti beans, drained
- 2tablespoons dry white wine
- 1cup chopped fresh parsley
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
634 calories; 16 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 52 grams protein; 1202 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Put mussels in a large pot with a lid. Cover, turn heat to medium-high and when you hear the mussel liquid boiling, reduce heat to maintain a steady bubble; you will hear it and see steam escaping. Shake pot now and then; when mussels open, remove them. Let cool slightly and shuck, reserving cooking liquid. When liquid has cooled, strain it.
Step
2
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook pasta until not quite done (figure about 2 minutes short of where you would usually cook it), drain and set aside.
Step
3
Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and chili flakes and cook for about 1 minute. Add beans, wine, pasta and mussels; reduce heat to medium-low and stir to combine. Add as much reserved mussel liquid as mixture can accommodate without becoming too soupy. Cook, stirring gently, until pasta is fully cooked and everything is warmed through; add more liquid if you like. Adjust seasoning as needed, drizzle with a bit more olive oil if you like, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Ratings
5
out of 5
127
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Cooking Notes
John Donald
Next time you have shrimp, save all the shells and make a shrimp stock. Store it in the freezer until the next time you make this dish, or any other dish that calls for a fish stock.
jawa
Made this with high quality tinned mussels (Patagonia Provisions), which I know isn't the same, but the result was delicious nonetheless. There's something really satisfying about the texture of beans and mussels together.
JP55
I make this with frozen cooked mussels and it is always perfect. Clam juice subs well for the mussel broth or add more wine. I suggest tarragon as an added spice - best mussels I ever had were in Baddeck, Nova Scotia and the dish included tarragon. Made it again tonight and jazzed it up with tarragon, anchovy paste and tomato paste from tubes in the fridge, and cream. Oh, my - just wonderful!
Carol S.
I use frozen mussels- in the shell frozen with a white wine sauce. I cook the pasta while I heat the mussels in covered saucepan. While pasta drains I remove the mussels from the sauce, add a can of drained cannellini beans to it, reduce the sauce for a minute or two (while warming the beans), and then add the mussels on top just to warm them. That's it, and it's delicious. Next time-add salt and red pepper flakes to the sauce, plus any leftover vegetables from previous night's dinner.
David Hays Buckley
This was delicious! I used cavatappi and Good Mother Stallard beans (cooked in IP) and 5 lbs of mussels for a pound of pasta; per another user's suggestion, I used anchovies (a whole can in olive oil!) and I also added a very finely chopped onion melted down in the sauce with at least 3x the white wine.I will definitely go for the tarragon and a bit of tomato next time.
David Hays Buckley
I forgot, I also used some dash broth which worked well w/ the sea flavors.
joan
I used jarred mussels with fresh pasta. It was fabulous.
Condiment queen
This is a super-healthy dish that the family loved, but not quite a wow in my book -- probably because I used with frozen mussels. The mussels themselves were tasty but the dish needed a little more flavor. Will try adding clam juice or anchovy paste next time.
JP55
I make this with frozen cooked mussels and it is always perfect. Clam juice subs well for the mussel broth or add more wine. I suggest tarragon as an added spice - best mussels I ever had were in Baddeck, Nova Scotia and the dish included tarragon. Made it again tonight and jazzed it up with tarragon, anchovy paste and tomato paste from tubes in the fridge, and cream. Oh, my - just wonderful!
elliot
How well does this dish turn out when prepared with canned mussels?
jawa
Made this with high quality tinned mussels (Patagonia Provisions), which I know isn't the same, but the result was delicious nonetheless. There's something really satisfying about the texture of beans and mussels together.
kimchi-p
Used pepper flakes and a bit of cayenne
Hopalong
What and how much for mussels cooking liquid?
Leslie
I didn't have any white wine and was too lazy to finish with the parsley. I also used frozen mussels from Aldi's. It was still fabulous. The beans make it really substantial and add a nice layer of texture. Yum!
Katishaw
I have precooked frozen mussels, so I'm wondering how to replicate the broth. I guess clam juice would do in a pinch, but say I'm snowbound or just can't fit in another trip to the market; what would be a decent approximation? Or could I just rely on the wine and add some fresh parsley at the end for a kick? (I do see an uncharacteristic lack of color in this recipe, aside from the chili flakes.)
John Donald
Next time you have shrimp, save all the shells and make a shrimp stock. Store it in the freezer until the next time you make this dish, or any other dish that calls for a fish stock.
Christine
Bottled clam juice would make a fine substitute.
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