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A bowl of cooked mussels in a coconut curry sauce.
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4.66 from 47 votes

Coconut Curry Mussels

Mussels poached in a savory vegetable broth laced with coconut milk, garlic and red curry paste. They're finished with a dash of lime juice. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: coconut curry mussels
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 430.5kcal
Author: Susan Pridmore

Equipment

  • Chef's knife
  • Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds mussels
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1 14-ounce can coconut milk full fat
  • ½ cup vegetable broth,
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons lime juice

Garnish Options:

  • Sliced scallions, especially the dark green tops
  • Coarsely chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Scrub the mussels, and yank out any beards slipping through the shell with a pair of pliers. Put them on a bunch of ice cubes in a bowl and refrigerate until you need them. I’ve kept them that way for 1 day.
  • Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat – I use my Le Creuset large Dutch oven.
    Add the onion and pepper (it should sizzle when it hits the pan) and sauté until softened, about 6 – 7 minutes. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for another couple of minutes.
  • Thoroughly stir in the curry paste and cook for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, vegetable broth, lime juice, and stir. Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and carefully add the mussels. If you pile them in with abandon, the shells may break.
    Cover the pot and simmer just until the mussels open, 5 – 6 minutes.
  • Ladle some curried broth into bowls, followed by the mussels, and finishing with more broth.
    Be sure to discard any mussels that don’t open.
    Garnish with sliced scallions or cilantro if you choose. Serve immediately with sliced, warm baguettes with butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 430.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.8g | Protein: 29.7g | Fat: 24.3g | Saturated Fat: 12.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.2g | Trans Fat: 0.7g | Cholesterol: 109.9mg | Sodium: 1486.7mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 7.4g | Vitamin A: 6442.5IU | Vitamin C: 108.8mg | Calcium: 127.7mg | Iron: 10.3mg