I had the pleasure of dining at Piccolo Sogno, a charming Italian restaurant located in Chicago’s West town. I must say, I was blown away by the delicious food and exceptional service. One dish that stood out to me was the Mussels in Arrabbiata Sauce – it was simply divine!
As a food blogger and recipe creator, I couldn’t resist the urge to recreate this amazing dish at home and share it with you all. For those who are unfamiliar, Arrabbiata Sauce is a spicy tomato-based sauce that is commonly used in Italian cuisine. When paired with fresh mussels, it creates a mouth-watering flavor explosion that is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
Begin by thoroughly cleaning the mussels and discarding any that are open or have broken shells. In a large pot, sauté the garlic and onion until soft and fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and white wine, and bring to a simmer. Then, add the mussels to the pot and cover with a lid. Let the mussels cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until they open up.
Once the mussels have opened up, remove them from the pot and set them aside. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened slightly. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Finally, add the mussels back to the pot and stir gently to coat them in the sauce.
This dish pairs perfectly with crusty bread, which is great for soaking up all the delicious sauce.
I hope you enjoy my take on Mussels in Arrabbiata Sauce as much as I did. Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and feedback with me in the comments section below. Until next time, happy cooking!
Mussels in Arrabbiata Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs mussels
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 shallot sliced
- 1 can (14oz) whole tomato
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
- Add the minced garlic and finely chopped shallot and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the can of whole tomatoes to the pot and break them apart with a spoon.
- Add the dry white wine, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, occasionally stirring until it thickens.
- While the sauce is cooking, clean and debeard the mussels.
- Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Return the smooth sauce to the pot and add the cleaned mussels. Stir to coat them with the sauce.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let the mussels steam in the sauce for 5-7 minutes or until the mussels have opened up.
- Discard any mussels that have not opened.
- Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the mussels.
- Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the mussels and serve hot with crusty bread.