Spicy Mussels Marinara with Garlicky Breadcrumbs
César Ramón•
May 27, 2025
This dish is ridiculously simple and comes together with just a handful of ingredients. My version features a robust, chunky marinara that isn't fussy at all. The mussels steam right in the marinara itself and gets finished with a heavy dusting of garlicky fried breadcrumbs (because you better not let someone's Nonna catch you adding cheese to a seafood dish!) Linguini or bucatini would make a delicious bed for this marinara, but some good crusty bread on the side would do the trick as well.
Ingredients (13)
Ingredients (13)
Spicy Mussels Marinara
Garlicky Breadcrumbs
Instructions
Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Discard any with cracked or broken shells. Remove the "beards" (the fibrous threads protruding from the shell) by pulling them firmly.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Pour in the white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce slightly, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon into a chunky sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the mussels to the pot, cover tightly, and steam for 5-7 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil, then add grated garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden (being careful not to burn it); add panko breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until evenly golden brown and crispy; remove from heat and immediately season with salt and pepper.
Serve in a large platter over pasta or with crusty bread on the side. Finish with a generous sprinkle of garlicky breadcrumbs and fresh chopped parsley.
