Puerto Rican Steamed Mussels With Sofrito White Wine Sauce
Puerto Rican Steamed Mussels simmer in a garlicky sofrito white wine broth. Quick, bold, and perfect for summer meals or next-level seafood pasta.
Servings: 6
Calories: 33kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion small diced
- 2 tablespoon sofrito
- 2 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 cup fish broth or chicken broth
- 1 cup white wine or one beer
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb mussels
- 1 lb clams
- parsley garnish
- crushed red pepper flakes garnish
Instructions
- To avoid rubbery, overcooked mussels, remove each one as soon as it opens. Fully cooked mussels are plump and tender. Leaving them in too long makes them tough and dry, especially for first-time mussel eaters.
- Clean the mussels: Rinse under cold water, scrub with a stiff brush, and remove any beards. Discard any that are cracked or stay open after tapping.
- Sauté aromatics. In a wide pan or skillet. I love using my Dutch oven braiser for this. It holds heat beautifully and looks great for serving. Heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
- Add chopped onions. Cook until softened.
- Add sofrito and garlic: Stir in sofrito and either garlic paste or freshly minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
- Deglaze with fish broth: Pour in the fish broth and gently deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Add wine or beer: Stir in white wine (or beer) and bring to a low simmer.
- Add butter: Drop in a few slabs of butter and let the broth reduce slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Steam the mussels: Add mussels to the pan, cover, and cook for 5–7 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Remove mussels as they open to avoid overcooking. Discard any that stay closed.
- Add herbs and seasoning: Toss in parsley, cilantro, or culantro, cumin, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat.
- Finish and serve: Toss a few in a soup bowl, and squeeze fresh lemon juice or lime juice over the top. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, and serve with lime or lemon wedges. Serve with grilled crusty bread or pasta. For a Puerto Rican take, serve with tostones de plátano, or mofongo.
Notes
🧠 Expert Tips
- Save the broth: Use it for seafood pasta, drizzle it over mofongo, or freeze it for a killer shrimp and chorizo stew later.
- Don’t overcook the mussels: Remove each one as it opens to keep them plump and tender. Overcooked mussels turn rubbery fast.
- Use frozen mussels if needed: In Puerto Rico, precooked frozen mussels are a solid option. Add them at the end to heat through—no need for simmering.
Nutrition
Serving: 6pieces | Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
