French · lunch, dinner
Moules Marinière (Mussels in White Wine)
Video by French Cooking Academy on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: Molluscs, Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Mussels are lean and nutrient-dense: each serve gives about 27 g protein, many times the daily vitamin B12, plus around 8 mg iron and plenty of selenium, with only 10 g butter in the whole pot.
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Ingredients 12
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Scrape or snip off any beards and seaweed from the mussels, and discard any that are broken or stay open when tapped. 1:50
- Blitz the garlic, shallot, parsley and celery in a small food processor (or chop very finely) to a coarse paste. 1:35
- Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat and gently sweat the herb paste with the thyme and bay leaf until fragrant. 2:52
- Tip in all the mussels and toss to coat. Turn the heat to high, pour in the wine and bring to the boil, stir once, cover and cook 5–6 minutes until the shells open. 3:38
- Lift the mussels into a serving bowl. Stir the cream (if using) into the juices for a minute, season if needed and pour over the mussels. 4:58
Tip. Serves 2 as a starter (as the cook says); double it for a main. Serve with toasted baguette, or with fries the Belgian way. Skip the cream for a lighter, classic broth.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 2
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 21%
- Protein 39%
- Fat 40%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin B12 High1101%
26 µg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Selenium High181%
100 µg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (99%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Omega-3 High58%
0.9 g a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (94%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Iron High46%
8.3 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (89%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin K High33%
39 µg a serve, mostly from flat-leaf parsley (84%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Zinc High29%
3.2 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (93%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Folate High25%
99 µg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (84%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin C High22%
20 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (75%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin A High20%
176 µg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (57%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin B6 Source15%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (43%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Magnesium Source14%
58 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (70%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium Source11%
520 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (57%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Show the other 3
Calcium6%
72 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (50%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin E6%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from fresh mussels (66%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from unsalted butter (62%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by French Cooking Academy; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.