Mussel Soup with Cream

When I was a senior in high school, I was fortunate enough to go on a school trip to France. It was there that I sampled my first plate of mussels. Sweet, briny and served in a rich sauce, they were like nothing I’d ever eaten before.

It wasn’t until years later, when I owned my own restaurant, that I first tried making mussel soup with cream. Once I did, it became a perennial favorite. On its surface, mussel soup with cream is a simple dish: Aromatics like celery, onion and garlic flavor the soup; clam juice and chicken broth form the base; and half-and-half adds richness. Although cleaning the mussels can take a bit of effort, the actual cooking is as easy as it gets.

Serve this soup for an impressive dinner, either as a first course or an entree. But because it’s so effortless, you can make it mid-week for a light meal with a crisp salad and crusty bread—which you definitely want for sopping up the broth.

How to Prepare Mussels

Clean the mussels right before cooking them. Because you’ll be using the mussels’ cooking liquid as a broth for the soup, you want the shellfish to be sparkling clean before adding them to the pot. Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing the shells, but don’t soak them; soaking can stress the bivalves and cause them to die. Just before cooking them, firmly pull the scrubby “beard” away from the shells with your fingers.

Ingredients for Mussel Soup with Cream

• Fresh mussels: Make sure you purchase seafood from a trusted source, whether that’s a specialty seafood shop or a conscientious fishmonger at your local supermarket. Seek out the freshest mussels you can, and use them within a day or two. In the fridge, the mussels should neither be submerged in water nor kept in an airtight container. Keep them in a bowl covered with a damp towel until you’re ready to use them.
• Onions: This is a job for white or yellow onions, not red ones. Chop the onions so they’re the same size as the celery.
• Celery: Celery pairs beautifully with seafood dishes and with cream. Although the recipe says to cut the onion and celery very small, you’ll end up pureeing the broth, so don’t worry too much about the size of the pieces.
• White wine or chicken broth: Depending on your preference, you can make this soup with white wine or chicken broth as the base (or use half of each). Because wine is acidic, you may want to add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for balance if you use chicken broth.
• Clam juice: Adding a bottle of clam juice brings a briny, oceanic flavor to the soup without the need for making shellfish stock.
• Parsley: This fresh herb adds a refreshing note to the soup. You can use curly or flat-leaf parsley in this dish. Chefs often prefer the robust flavor of flat varieties.
• Garlic: Don’t like mincing garlic? Consider using a microplane to grate it into the soup instead.
• Salt and pepper: First, add the amount of salt and pepper called for in the recipe. Then feel free to season it to taste before serving.
• Half-and-half cream: The smooth, rich flavor of dairy is lovely with saline shellfish. You could even use heavy cream if you prefer a richer consistency, similar to a bisque.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the mussels and broth

Tap the mussels, and discard any that do not close.

In a stockpot, combine the onions, celery, water, wine or broth, clam juice, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.

Step 2: Simmer the mussels

Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and add the mussels. Cover the pot and simmer the mussels until they have opened, five to six minutes. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon, discarding any that are unopened. Set aside the opened mussels, and keep them warm.

Step 3: Blend the base

Cool the cooking liquid slightly. In a blender, cover and process the cooking liquid in batches until it’s smooth, returning each batch to the pan.

Editor’s Tip: Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot.

Step 4: Finish the soup

Add the cream and reserved mussels, and gently heat them through (do not let the liquid boil).

Editor’s Tip: Gently heating the cream helps prevent it from curdling. And you only want to reheat the mussels until they’re warm. Overcooking mussels will render them a little dry and chewy.

Mussel Soup with Cream Variations

• Use other shellfish: Shrimp would make a nice alternative seafood in this dish, or you could add some with the mussels for additional complexity. You could also use clams, but they’re firmer and more salty, whereas mussels and shrimp are delicate and sweet.
• Skip the blender: If you like a chunky soup or simply don’t want to deal with the hassle of blending in batches, you can simply skip this step.
• Add other veggies: To make this soup more complex, consider adding vegetables like diced bell peppers, chopped tomatoes, carrots or baby spinach.
• Make it a meal: For a heartier bowl that’s more like a chowder, don’t blend the soup. Instead, add fresh or frozen corn, cubed potatoes, white or cannellini beans, or all the above.
• Add herbs: One teaspoon of fresh tarragon or dill will bring fresh anise flavor to this soup.

How to Store Mussel Soup

While it’s best to eat mussel soup with cream right away, you can store leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to four days.

How should you reheat mussel soup?

Reheat the mussel soup gently over low or medium-low heat on the stovetop. Skip the microwave for this one.

Mussel Soup with Cream Tips

What can you serve with mussel soup with cream?

Serve these creamy, brothy mussels with a veggie Nicoise salad, ratatouille with polenta or carrots Lyonnaise. You can’t go wrong with a crusty French loaf to soak up the juices, but the soup would be equally good with a French potato salad.