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    Home

    Mussel Soup Italian Style

    Last Updated: Jul 17, 2023 by Suzy Sakamoto · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Share on Facebook

    The absolute best and easiest Mussel Soup that's made Italian-style and comes together in 20 minutes! With gnocchi, roasted red pepper sauce, and fresh torn basil to top off a flavorful seafood soup! This a simple recipe for mussel soup that draws you in with more! So, Get your soup bowls ready!

    Mussel soup italian style with tomato and red pepper sauce, gnocchi, basil in pot

    Serve this delicious soup soup with homemade crusty bread. I recently made this Rosemary Parmesan Bread that is to die for!

    I had the inspiration for this recipe from my all time favorite go-to quick dinner in the cold seasons, which is, Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

    close up of mussel soup with red sauce, gnocchi, basil, peppers and onions in silver pot.

    Mussels have a deeper, richer seafood flavor than most other seafood. Making it the perfect partner for a creamy red base.

    And boy, oh boy, it did not disappoint. Just look at that closeup (above) of every bite of delicious!

    It's a great easy recipe to whip up for a weeknight dinner, date night, or guests!

    So get your ingredients together (there isn't many!) and cozy up with this Mussel soup recipe!

    Fresh Mussels cleaned

    Table of Contents

    • WHERE TO BUY MUSSELS
    • HOW TO MAKE MUSSEL SOUP
    • INGREDIENTS
    • STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
    • FAQ
    • TOP TIPS FOR THIS MUSSEL SOUP ITALIAN STYLE RECIPE
    • OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES TO TRY
    • Mussel Soup

    WHERE TO BUY MUSSELS

    When choosing mussels, make sure you get them from a trust local fish monger the day you're planning on cooking them.

    I received mine from our friends at Taylor Shellfish. The mussels were delivered to my door in great packaging. They were large and juicy!

    HOW TO MAKE MUSSEL SOUP

    First, gather your ingredients.

    The instructions come together easily after that with step-by-step instructions below.

    INGREDIENTS

    • Fresh Mussels.

    • Gnocchi. It's usually in a plastic package placed near other pasta. Gnocchi creates a small bite size chewy pasta that compliments the mussels.

    • Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. This is a creamy tomato and pepper base that is essential to this soup recipe. It's packed in a carton, similar to butternut squash soup, and found in most large grocery stores.

    • Red Bell Pepper. If you were in a pinch and didn't have red bell peppers, a good substitute is orange bell peppers.

    • Fresh Basil. A handful of chopped fresh basil to serve.

    • Gouda is a great option to shave onto each bowl to serve. It's optional but adds another level of cozy to this Italian mussel soup recipe.

    STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

    • To a large pot of boiling water, add Gnocchi and cook until they float for about 2 minutes.
    • Drain the gnocchi into a colander and set them aside. Return the pot to the stove on medium heat, and sauté olive oil, garlic, onion, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is slightly golden and red pepper is softened, about 2-4 minutes.
    • Add the red pepper soup and turn to high heat until it comes to a boil. Lid on.
    • Toss in the mussels and cook with the lid on until they open, typically takes a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and gouda to serve.
    Mussel soup in tomato sauce with roasted red pepper, gnocchi, and basil in white bowl

    FAQ

    HOW TO CLEAN MUSSELS BEFORE COOKING

    When purchasing fresh mussels, you will need to clean and debeard them before cooking.
    After being cleaned mussels will need to be cooked right away, so don't clean too far in advance. This process is fast!

    To clean mussels, grab their beard as close to the shell as possible and rip it off. Then rinse and scrub their shell under cold running water. Keep them in a clean dry bowl in the fridge until ready to use.

    How many minutes do you boil mussels?

    Mussels are boiled for just a few minutes until they pop open. This takes usually 2-4 minutes, depending on how hot your water or soup base is. Remove them or take them off the heat as soon as they open to avoid them overcooking.

    What to serve with mussel soup?

    There are a ton of great options to serve alongside, like crusty bread, steamed rice, garlic bread, roasted vegetables, roasted potatoes, spaghetti, risotto, or an appetizer of choice! Serving a seafood charcuterie board alongside for grazing is always a hit.

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    TOP TIPS FOR THIS MUSSEL SOUP ITALIAN STYLE RECIPE

    1. Boil the mussels only until their shells open. If you boil longer, they will get overcooked and become chewy. No one wants that!
    2. Cooking the gnocchi first and setting it aside will avoid your soup getting starchy.
    3. DISCARD any mussels that don't open during the boiling process.

    OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES TO TRY

    • Stout Steamed Mussels
    • Rosemary Parmesan Crusted Fish
    • Seafood Boil
    • Clam Jalapeno Poppers
    • Crab Rangoon
    • Crab Dip
    • storing steamer clams to last a week
      How To Store Clams (to Last a Week)
    • how to clean steamer clams
      How to Clean Clams (& Purge All The Sand)
    • paella with shrimp mussels sausage and chicken in a paella pan
      How to Make Spanish Paella
    • steamed clams in white wine sauce with crusty bread lemon and parsley
      How to Make Steamed Clams in White Wine Sauce

    Don't forget to send to a friend that loves seafood!

    Pot of mussel soup italian style with red sauce, gnocchi and fresh basil

    Mussel Soup

    Mussel Soup Italian style, with gnocchi, peppers, onion, and a creamy roasted red pepper sauce. Finished off with freshly grated cheese and fresh basil.
    This simple Seafood Gnocchi dish is a cozy, inviting meal that draws you in with more, and it takes only 20 minutes to make, from start to finish!
    5 from 4 votes
    Prep: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook: 15 minutes minutes
    Total: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
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    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs mussels rinsed, scrubbed, and debearded
    • 1 pack gnocchi
    • 1 carton roasted red pepper and tomato soup
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
    • 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
    • salt and cracked black pepper
    • handful of basil leaves
    • optional: Fresh Shaved Gouda

    Instructions

    • To a large pot of boiling water, add Gnocchi and cook until they float for about 2 minutes.
    • Drain the gnocchi into a colander and set them aside. Return the pot to the stove on medium heat, and sauté olive oil, garlic, onion, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is slightly golden and red pepper is softened, about 2-4 minutes.
    • Add the red pepper soup and turn to high heat until it comes to a boil. Lid on.
    • Toss in the mussels and cook with the lid on until they open, typically takes a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and gouda to serve.

    Notes

    Shellfish safety: If the mussels are open prior to cooking, gently squeeze them, if they remain open then discard them. 
    If mussels stay closed after cooking, discard them.
    Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
    *calories are just an estimate.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 390kcal

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    1. Terri Zimmerman

      November 04, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      I will try this, it sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • THE PERFECT TIDE

        November 12, 2022 at 8:39 pm

        It's pretty darn delicious!

        Reply

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    seafood blogger in the pacific northwest

    Hi, I'm Suzy! Welcome to my Pacific Coast kitchen!

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    Hi, I'm Suzy! Welcome to my Pacific Coast kitchen!

    Here you will find authentic Mediterranean recipes and a variety of fresh seafood recipes that are easy to achieve, feature fresh ingredients, and are packed with flavor! Growing up on the Mediterranean I cherish our current catch-and-cook lifestyle, and my seafood recipes are tested, perfected, and easy to re-create! Subscribe to get them via email, and in the meantime you can Shop My Kitchen!

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