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Snack & Appetizers

Baked Mussels au Gratin

Mussels au gratin are a tasty seafood appetizer that also works as finger food for an aperitivo with friends or at a buffet dinner.
Recipe Baked Mussels au Gratin
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 20 minutes
  • Cooking 15 minutes
  • Servings for 4 people

Mussels au Gratin are a tasty seafood appetizer from the culinary tradition of Southern Italy, where you can find them in every region, with a few small variations in the ingredients. Gratinéed Mussels, like Scallops au Gratin, are perfect to serve as finger food for an aperitivo with friends or at a buffet dinner, but they are also one of the typical appetizers of the Christmas season, perhaps as part of a seafood menu.

Of course, Baked Mussels au Gratin are so flavorful and light that they also suit summer menus very well, and they have the advantage of being quick and easy to make. The only thing to watch is to clean the mussels well before cooking them, so here is a guide that explains step by step How to Clean Mussels correctly and simply, with a few tips on how to choose and store them too.

To season our Mussels au Gratin, we chose the classic recipe with breadcrumbs, extra virgin olive oil, the mussels’ cooking liquid, and finely chopped garlic and fresh parsley. But as we will see, you can add even more flavor with a personal touch to suit your taste.

If you want other ideas for cooking mussels, try our other recipes: Impepata di Cozze (Peppered Mussels), Mussels Marinara, and Mussels in Tomato Sauce. And if you love shellfish, take a look at our collection of 20 Must-Try Seafood Recipes.

Now let’s head to the kitchen and put on our aprons: let’s see together how to make Mussels au Gratin.

Ingredients for 4 people

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Method

  1. To make the Mussels au Gratin, start by washing the mussels very well. Put them in a pot over high heat so they open (it will take about 5-6 minutes), then drain them and remove the half of the shell the mussel is not attached to. Clean the edge of the shell holding the mussel, then strain the mussels’ cooking liquid and set it aside.
    Mussels au Gratin, step 1: mussels opened in a pot
  2. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the finely chopped garlic and parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then add the mussels’ cooking liquid a little at a time: you want a paste-like but soft mixture.
    Mussels au Gratin, step 2: breadcrumb, garlic, and parsley mixture in a bowl
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the shells with the mussels close together, without overlapping. Spoon a teaspoon of the mixture into each shell, covering the mussels completely. Finally, sprinkle each mussel with extra breadcrumbs (for crunch), a little pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
    Mussels au Gratin, step 3: mussels in their half shells covered with the breadcrumb mixture
  4. Bake the mussels in a preheated oven at 200 °C (400 °F) for 12 minutes, then cook them for another 3-5 minutes under the broiler, raising the temperature to 250 °C (480 °F).
  5. Once golden and crisp, take your Mussels au Gratin out of the oven and let them cool slightly before serving. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!
    Baked mussels au gratin in their shells

Variations and Alternatives

One school of thought prefers to add grated Parmigiano to the mixture used to cover the mussels. We went with the classic recipe, but if you want to try this version too, add about 50 g of Parmigiano to the breadcrumb mixture. Another very flavorful version adds grated lemon zest to the breadcrumbs, which pairs well with the mussels and freshens their flavor.

Tips

We recommend always cooking the mussels first, so you can discard any dead ones, which stay closed. Finally, a little trick for getting Mussels au Gratin that are very crispy is to use medium-grain breadcrumbs.

Storage

Mussels au Gratin will keep in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 1 day.

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