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These coconut curry mussels are ready in just 35 minutes and are packed with ginger, garlic, and lemongrass flavors. Plus they are swimming in a spicy red curry sauce that goes perfectly over rice!
These coconut curry mussels are a perfect appetizer for a seafood feast or a delicious and easy-to-cook dinner.
The red curry sauce is so good that I used 2 loaves of bread, soaking up all that leftover sauce. It’s also great served over rice. Either way, just don’t let the curry go to waste. It’s very delicious!
Don’t let coconut curry intimidate you if you have never made it before. This recipe is ONLY 8 ingredients and comes with the flavors found in red curry paste like garlic, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime, and coriander root.
It’s a flavor paradise and works super well with this mussels recipe. PLUS, it’s ready in just 35 minutes!
There is no more reason to be intimidated by mussels. Trust me when I saw YOU CAN DO THIS!
Ingredients needed
- olive oil
- yellow onion
- red curry paste
- garlic
- ginger
- lemongrass
- full-fat coconut milk
- mussels
- cilantro
How to make coconut curry mussels
These red curry mussels are so dreamy and packed with flavor. Plus, they are so easy to make you’ll wonder why you’re not making mussels at home more often!
- In a high-sided 12-inch skillet, add olive oil and set over medium-high heat.
- Add yellow onion and saute until translucent.
- Mix in red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass.
- Pour in coconut milk and gently stir to combine. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add in mussels and gently steam for 5-10 minutes or until the shells have opened.
- Sprinkle with mixed cilantro.
How to properly clean mussels
Cleaning mussels isn’t that hard but does require a few simple steps.
- Rinse the mussels: gently rinse your mussels in cool water. I typically use a colander for this step.
- Inspect and discard: Check each mussel individually. If any are open, tap them. If they close, they’re good to use; if they stay open, discard them. Also, discard any with cracked shells.
- Remove the beards: Most store-bought mussels come with the bears removed, but just in case, here is a quick rundown. To remove the beard, grasp it and pull it towards the hinge of the shell. It might take a bit of force, but it should come off with a tug.
- Clean the shells: Gently clean the shells to remove any remaining dirt or sand.
- Rinse: Give the mussels another rinse under cold water to wash away any remaining dirt or sand.
- Cook: Add them to your dish and enjoy!
My Pro Tips
Recipe tips for cooking coconut curry mussels
- Keep the mussels cold during the cleaning process. If you need to take a break, put them in the fridge.
- Don’t clean the mussels until just before cooking, as they will start to die once they are cleaned.
- Mussels are best cooked by steaming them off a hot liquid rather than boiling them directly in a broth or sauce.
- If you see that most of your mussels haven’t opened after 5 minutes, it’s okay to steam them for a few up to 5 more minutes to see if they will open.
- Any mussels that do not open after cooking for a maximum of 10 minutes throw them away.
More seafood recipes
Coconut Curry Mussels
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon grated lemongrass
- 1 (14 ounce) can full fat coconut milk
- 2 pounds fresh mussels, cleaned and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse the fresh mussels under running water. Throw away any mussels that do not close or if their shells are cracked.
- In a high sided 12-inch skillet add olive oil and set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add in the onion. Sauté the onion just until it’s translucent and is softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Stir to combine.
- Pour in your coconut milk and stir to combine. Lower heat to medium-low and bring to a gentle boil.
- Once the mixture is bubbling add in your mussels, stir and cover. Steam for about 5 minutes or until all the mussels have opened.
- When the mussels are all opened, remove from the heat and sprinkle with cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I cannot believe that only takes 35 minutes! I am in love! I just need some bread to soak up all that amazing sauce!
My husband would love this! Beautiful!
I must admit, mussels have always intimidated me but these look so good!
I love how easy you mad this! Amazing!
Printing! I just saw a good deal on local Mussels. This sounds amazing!
We just started cooking mussels at home and I love it so much. Great recipe
I have never been brave enough to try to cook mussels. This gives me courage!
If anything will get me to enjoy mussels (nothing has so far), it would be a coconut curry sauce!
Our 6 year old has recently taking a liking to mussels of all things. He also loves curry so this is a slam dunk!
This is such a stunning dish! My Dad loves mussels, so I’ll have to make this for him!