Lorraine Williamson
Spain is full of wonderful chiringuitos—beach bars serving up freshly caught seafood, often just metres from where it was landed. It’s part of what makes living or holidaying here so special. But you don’t have to live by the coast or dine out to enjoy these flavours. Let´s look at a recipe for home-made Spanish mussels.
With just a handful of ingredients, you can recreate this classic seafood dish at home—mussels in garlic, chilli and tomato sauce.
Choosing your mussels
Mussels are widely available and affordable. You’ll find them in most Spanish supermarkets and in fish markets. Buying them fresh and uncleaned is the cheapest option, but it requires a bit of work. They must be scrubbed thoroughly to remove grit and those little stringy “beards”. I’ve done this before, but now I tend to spend a little extra and get them pre-cleaned in a sealed supermarket pack. Less mess, same flavour.
There are several ways to prepare mussels in Spain. Mejillones al vapor (steamed), mussels in white wine, or with salsa marinera are all popular. Today, though, we’re making a spicy version with garlic, chilli and tomato.
What you’ll need
-
1 pack of cleaned mussels
-
1 small onion, finely chopped
-
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
-
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
-
3 tbsp tomate frito (usually I am a bit more generous and add more)
-
A splash of white wine
-
Garlic and chilli oil
-
Olive oil
-
Crusty bread to serve
How to make it
Sauté the onion and garlic gently in olive oil until softened. Add chopped tomato and tomate frito. Stir and cook for a few minutes before adding a generous splash of white wine. Let the alcohol burn off slightly.
Place the mussels into the pan and drizzle a little of the chilli garlic oil on top. Don’t stir yet. Put the lid on and allow the mussels to steam and open—this usually takes around 4–5 minutes. Once open, give everything a good mix so the mussels are coated in the sauce.
Serving suggestions
This is a dish best served hot with slices of warm, crusty bread to mop up the sauce. It’s also an excellent excuse to open a bottle of chilled white wine—one you can enjoy while you cook and then finish at the table.
If you’re craving a taste of Spain at home, this simple recipe is a good place to start. It’s fresh, quick, and inexpensive. And for me, it always brings back memories of a late lunch in a beachside chiringuito, sun still high, and the sea just a few steps away.
Also read: Galician fishermen sound the alarm over less and less seafood
