This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Delicious Italian Stuffed Mussels made with crispy breadcrumbs, lemon juice, parsley and garlic. A simple, easy recipe that’s packed with flavour. These stuffed mussels make a delicious appetizer or antipasto and are perfect for Christmas Eve celebrations.
These delicious stuffed mussels come from Molise, a southern region in Italy. They’re so easy to prepare and are packed with flavour from the garlic, zingy lemon and fresh parsley.
They even break the unwritten Italian rule of no cheese with fish as there’s a little Pecorino in the mix. I’ve seen this a lot in the southern regions and it really works.
I don’t know about you, but I’m used to serving mussels in a big bowl with lots of crusty bread for mopping up the juices like a classic Impepata di Cozze (Italian Peppered Mussels) so this recipe is such a nice change and a really fun way to serve them to guests.
If you love the breadcrumb mixture as much as we do, you can add it to any type of fish and bake it in the oven, it’s so good and a really easy way to add a lot of flavour and texture.
See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos and tips. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItIngredient notes and substitutions
- Fresh mussels – as with any fish and seafood it’s best to eat it as fresh as possible. I recommend going to a local fishmonger.
- Breadcrumbs – you can either make your own or use Italian Pangrattato or panko breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs must be unseasoned, do not use any crumbs with added salt, herbs or seasonings.
- Fresh parsley – I always use flat-leaf parsley.
- Pecorino Romano – alternatively you can use Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Garlic, lemon and chilli flakes – the garlic and lemon add so much delicious flavour and the chilli flakes are used sparingly do don’t worry if you don’t like spice.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
Clean and prep your mussels first
- It’s important to scrub your mussels under cold running water and pull off any beards. Rinse the mussels thoroughly to get rid of any sand or debris.
- Discard any broken mussels during the cleaning stage.
- If any mussels remain open after cleaning, give them a sharp tap on the counter and they should close. If they remain open it means they are dead and unsafe to eat so throw those ones away.
- Make the stuffing – once your mussels are cleaned, make the breadcrumb stuffing. Put the breadcrumbs, Pecorino, chilli flakes, parsley, finely chopped and garlic in a bowl and stir until well combined (photos 1 and 2).
- Combine wet ingredients – in a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt together for a few seconds. Pour the liquid mixture into the breadcrumbs and stir until well combined (photos 3 and 4).
- Cook the mussels – heat a large pot on a medium-high heat, keep it dry and don’t add any oil. Once hot, add the mussels and cover with a lid. Steam the mussels until they all open (3-4 minutes). Give the pot a shake every now and then (photos 5 and 6).
- Drain and prep – when the mussels are cooked, drain them in a colander. When cool enough to touch, remove the top shell of the mussels keeping each mussel attached to the bottom shell and cover them with breadcrumbs. You’ll need around 1 teaspoon of crumbs depending on the size of the mussel (photos 7 and 8).
- Bake – Lay all the mussels on a tray as you’re stuffing them then when done bake them in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove when the crumbs are slightly golden. Let them cool for 3-5 minutes and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Closed mussels – if any mussels remain closed after cooking just discard them. Do not force them open as they are not good to eat.
- Taste the crumbs – taste the breadcrumb mixture for seasoning and adjust to taste. You can add more chilli, parsley or cheese if you like. Note: the lemon will be very zingy at this point but the flavour is toned down a lot after baking.
- Other ways to use the breadcrumb mixture – the crumb mixture is absolutely delicious and will work well with most fish. Simply top a fillet of fish such as salmon with the mixture and bake in the oven. You could also scatter the breadcrumbs over pasta, really delicious!
The mussels are best served immediately while still warm but once the mussels have gone completely cold you can keep them at room temperature for up to 1 hour then they should be stored in the fridge. Once refrigerated eat them within 24 hours.
More Italian fish and seafood rcipes
If you’ve tried this Italian Stuffed Mussels recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest or sign up to our Newsletter to see more of our delicious food
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
Italian Stuffed Mussels
Equipment
- Baking tray
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (900g) fresh mussels, washed and cleaned
- 80 g (3/4 cup) fine breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons (12g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons (20g) Pecorino Romano, can also use Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 pinch chilli flakes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, (juice only)
- Salt
Instructions
To clean the mussels
- It's important to scrub your mussels under cold running water and pull off any beards.
- Rinse the mussels thoroughly to get rid of any sand or debris. Discard any broken mussels during the cleaning stage. If any mussels remain open after cleaning, give them a sharp tap on the counter and they should close. If they remain open it means they are dead and unsafe to eat so throw those ones away.
Make the breadcrumb mixture
- Finely chop 2 tablespoons parsley and crush 1 garlic clove add them to a small mixing bowl with 80g or 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1 small pinch of chilli flakes and 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Pecorino Romano. Mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mix the juice of half a lemon, 3 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt together. Whisk it until combined then add it to the breadcrumb mixture. Stir everything together until well combined then set aside.
Cook and bake
- Heat the oven to 200C (400F)
- Heat a large pot until hot then add the mussels (there’s no liquid added). Covered with a lid and let the mussels cook for a few minutes until they have opened then turn off the heat. Give the pot a gentle shake every now and then.
- Uncover, and drain the mussels. When they’re cool enough to touch, remove the top shell from each mussel so they’re still attached to the bottom shell and place them on a baking tray.
- Note: Do not force open any mussels that remain closed after cooking. Just discard them as they are not good to eat.
- Top each mussel with the breadcrumb mixture, lightly packing it into each shell.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove and serve.
Notes
- Discarding mussels – mussels that remain open after cleaning, give them a sharp tap and if they don’t close discard them. Mussels that remain closed after steaming should not be forced open as they too are not good to eat, discard them.
- Closed mussels – if any mussels remain closed after cooking just discard them. Do not force them open as they are not good to eat.
- Taste the crumbs – taste the breadcrumb mixture for seasoning and adjust to taste. You can add more chilli, parsley or cheese if you like. Note: the lemon will be very zingy at this point but the flavour is toned down a lot after baking.
- Other ways to use the breadcrumb mixture – the crumb mixture is absolutely delicious and will work well with most fish. Simply top a fillet of fish such as salmon with the mixture and bake in the oven. You could also scatter the breadcrumbs over pasta, really delicious!
- Storage – the mussels are best served warm straight after baking. Once they go completely cold they can remain at room temperature for up to 1 hour then must be refrigerated. Once refrigerated, eat the mussels within 24 hours.
- Serving suggestion – serve the stuffed mussels on a serving plate with a few lemon wedges and scatter over a little fresh parsley.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
