Thai Curry Mussels

You would not believe how easy and delicious these Thai Curry Mussels are! Dinner is ready in 15 minutes or appetizers to feed a crowd.

If I’ve had you over to my house for dinner, I’ve likely served you one of two things: my coffee-rubbed strip steak or mussels. Besides loving both of these foods, I also love a good fake-out meal. Aka a meal that everyone thinks is fancy and took hours to make but really you cooked it in under 20 minutes. These Thai Curry Mussels would be one of those meals.

For years, if I saw mussels on a menu, I had to order them but never thought I could make them myself at home. Bivalves intimidate me. But after a summer of trekking across Europe with my best friend and basically doing the Moules et Frites tour of France, my love for them was solidified and I was determined to learn to make them at home.

I’ll admit that I was scared and completely freaked out by the fact that I could hear them whistling if I listened close enough, but then I put my big girl panties on, threw em’ into the pot and never looked back.

Up until now, I’ve let very few people in on my mussels secret. I prefer to wow my guests with my culinary skills and keep them in the dark about how little time I actually invested in the meal. But now the secret is out, and I no longer have my fake-out-fancy dish to impress my guests. But you can steal the idea…

Here’s What You Need:

• Mussels
• Vegetables – onion, green pepper, jalapeño pepper, and garlic.
• Coconut milk
• Seasonings – ginger, lemongrass, green curry paste, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. 
• Fresh basil – I love using Thai basil in this dish but if your local grocery store doesn’t carry it, you can use regular basil!
• Lime juice

How to Prepare Mussels

Before you cook mussels, you have to prep them a little bit! This was what always intimidated me but after knowing the steps, I have no idea why! It’s super simple, don’t be scared! Start by washing them thoroughly with your hands or a clean scrub brush. If you come across a mussel with an open shell, tap it lightly. If it closes, it’s ok to use but if it remains open you’ll want to toss it. 

After cleaning, you’ll need to “debeard”. The “beard” is a clump of hair-like pieces that come out of the shell. All you have to do is pull it out with your fingers or use a knife to scrape it off. 

When the mussels are cleaned and debearded, you’re ready to cook!

What to Serve with Mussels

These Thai Curry Mussels paired with my Crispy Baked Curly Fries will forever remind me of the South of France! Highly recommend the combination for a fun night in or a dinner party! You also can’t go wrong serving with a salad and rustic bread.

Thai Curry Mussels

Print Recipe

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You would not believe how easy and delicious these Thai Curry Mussels are! Dinner is ready in 15 minutes or appetizers to feed a crowd.

• Author: Davida Lederle
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, chopped*
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped and peeled ginger
• 2 tbsp green curry paste**
• 2 15 -ounce cans lite coconut milk
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• handful of fresh basil (thai basil is ideal but not necessary)
• 2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• juice, 1 lime

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Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add coconut oil and melt.
2. Add in onion cook for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add in lemongrass, green pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Add in curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and basil and bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, bring to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add in mussels and simmer for about 7 minutes, COVERED and then check to see if all mussels have opened. If not, cook for 1 more minute until they open. The ones that do not open after this time are dead and should not be consumed.
7. Squeeze lime juice on top and serve.

*This is how you cut lemongrass.
**I use Thai Kitchen green curry sauce.

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