Leek-Garlic Mussels Pasta in Tomato-White Wine Broth (Serves 2)
A simple, restaurant-y pasta using the amazing sale mussels. The broth becomes the sauce—garlic, leek, a little tomato, and a splash of lemon. Fast, fragrant, and very different from your recent crab pasta (no cream, no heavy garlic-butter).
Back to full listIngredients
- Fresh Wild Mussels 1 lb $3.99 (sale)
- Organic Leeks (bunch) 1/2 large leek, thinly sliced $5.49
- Simple Truth Organic® Garlic Bulbs 3 cloves $2.79 (3 ct)
- Organic Roma Tomatoes (or grape tomatoes) 8–10 oz, chopped $3.99
- Olive oil 2 tbsp
- Butter (optional) 1 tbsp
- Dry white wine or broth 1/2 cup
- Lemon 1/2 lemon
- Red pepper flakes (optional) pinch
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Spaghetti or linguine 6 oz (dry)
- Simple Truth Organic® Baby Dill (or parsley if you have it) 1–2 tbsp chopped $2.79
Instructions
- Clean mussels: Rinse in cold water, scrub shells, and pull off any beards. Discard any cracked mussels or any that stay open after a firm tap.
- Start pasta (stove): Boil salted water. Cook spaghetti/linguine until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Build sauce base (stove): In a large pot with a lid, heat olive oil (and butter if using) over medium. Add leeks, a pinch of salt, and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; stir 30 seconds.
- Steam mussels: Add chopped tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Add wine/broth, bring to a simmer. Add mussels, cover, and cook 4–7 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until most mussels open. Discard any that don’t open.
- Toss pasta: Add drained pasta to the pot. Toss 1–2 minutes, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to make it silky. Finish with lemon juice, pepper, and herbs. Taste for salt (mussels can be salty already).
- Serve: Divide between 2 bowls, topping with mussels and spooning broth over.
Health notes: Moderate-High. Shellfish is lean; keep oil modest and add extra kale if you want more greens.
Drink pairing: Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling.