These mussel vinaigrette bites are a fabulous cold appetizer recipe, perfect for any occasion. Succulent mussels are paired with a zesty vinaigrette made from olive oil, vinegar and crispy vegetables like bell pepper, red onion, scallions and tomatoes.
Served on crunchy crackers, these mussel bites offer a perfect fusion of flavors and textures. Not only do they look beautiful and vibrant on a plate, they are also ideal for summer BBQ’s, festive gatherings or during the holiday season.
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Quick and easy mussel appetizer
How beautiful and vibrant do these mussel bites look! Whether you’re hosting a dinner party for any occasion or having a summer garden BBQ, you’ll want to serve eye-catching, flavorful appetizers that are easy to eat. This bite-sized cold mussel appetizer has it all: a unique fusion of flavors, balanced textures, elegant presentation and convenient finger food. It’s one of those appetizer recipes that your guests will love.
You can prepare these mussels in vinaigrette in advance and quickly assemble them on the crackers of your choice just before serving. This dish can be made with freshly cooked mussels or as a great way to use up leftover mussels.
Which ingredients to use
- Crackers: Use any crackers of your choice, in any shape, as long as they are small enough to serve as finger food. Flavored crackers, such as those with salt or herbs are fine as long as they complement the flavors without overpowering them. Be sure to choose crackers that are sturdy enough to hold the relatively moist ingredients without getting soggy too quickly.
- Mussels: I prefer using fresh or vacuum-packed mussels that are ready to be cooked as they will become tender and succulent after steaming. For a very quick appetizer, you can use canned or jarred mussels. However, be aware that their taste may be more briny or pickled.
- White wine: Add a splash of dry white wine when steaming the mussels for extra flavor.
- Tomatoes: Use a meatier type of tomato, such as Heirloom, Beef, Plum, Roma or Beefsteak tomatoes.
- Onion: Adds a nice crunch to the vinaigrette. Opt for a mild onion like red onion, sweet white onion or shallot.
- Bell Pepper: Any color of bell peppers is fine. Choose for one color or mix different colors. I used a yellow pepper in this recipe for a sunny color.
- Scallion: We’ll use both the white and green part of the scallion, finely sliced, in the vinaigrette and as garnish.
- Olive oil: A good quality extra virgin olive oil with a nice fruity taste.
- Vinegar: I use white wine vinegar, but any mild vinegar is fine, such as apple cider, sherry or balsamic vinegar.
- Seasoning: When steaming the mussels, add a good amount of freshly ground pepper. For the vinaigrette, all you need is seasalt (or Kosher salt) and freshly ground pepper to taste. A dash of smoked paprika powder (or pimentón) provides a nice kick.
How to clean mussels
Even though mussels might look clean, especially when bought in a supermarket or fish monger, they do still have sand and grit trapped inside their shells. So before cooking the mussels, you’ll need to give them a good and thorough rinse. You will also need to remove any beards and barnacles from the shells or it will all end up in your mussel dish and then your mouth.
- Rinse: Place the mussels in a large bowl filled with cold water. Stir them gently with your hands to help dislodge and loosen sand from the shells.
- Remove non-fresh mussels: Check the mussels carefully. Discard any with cracked or broken shells and those that float. For mussels with open shells, give them a gentle tap, if they remain open, discard them as they may not be fresh.
- Scrub and de-beard: Remove dirt and barnacles from the outer shell using a brush or a butter knife. Pull out any visible beards (fibrous threads) from the sides of the mussels.
- Final rinse: Once you’ve cleaned off all barnacles and beards, give the mussels a final rinse under cold running water to ensure all grit is removed.
How to steam mussels
Cooking fresh mussels is quick and easy, often taking less time than cleaning them. For this mussels recipe, I prefer steaming them with minimal additional flavors. I simply add white wine and freshly ground pepper for seasoning, though the wine is optional.
- Prepare the pot: Place the mussels in a large heavy bottom pot. Remember that cooked mussels double in size when the shells are open. Make sure the pot has a tight-fitting lid so they can properly steam. Season with pepper and optionally add the white wine. When not adding wine, don’t worry, the mussels still cary some water after being rinsed and when they start steaming they release their own juices from inside.
- Steam the mussels: Place the pot on high heat. They are ready when all the mussels are open. Discard any mussel that didn’t open after a few minutes. Cooking time usually ranges from 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the mussels. During cooking, shake the pot a few times up and down, with the lid still on, to allow equal cooking. Be cautious as the pot will be very hot.
- Drain and cool: Once cooked, drain the mussels in a colander or use a slotted spoon to remove them from the liquid. Let them cool slightly before removing the mussels from their shells.
Customize the mussel bites
Customizing mussel bites is a great way to adapt the dish to different palates and to create a unique appetizer for different occasions.
- Use canned or jarred mussels: When you want a quick appetizer, consider using jarred or canned mussels. It will save the time of cooking them. However, they will lack the tender juiciness of freshly steamed mussels. They will also taste like the liquid they were preserved in, which can be quite briny or pickled.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten free crackers, cucumber rounds or serve the mussels in vinaigrette still in their half shell.
- Add or substitute vegetables: Add other vegetables like cucumber, celery or radishes to change flavors.
- Add fresh herbs: Mix in fresh herbs with the vinaigrette like basil, cilantro, parsley and even mint.
- Make it spicy: Consider adding a minced jalapeño pepper, red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for some heat.
Serving suggestions
Arrange the crackers on a plate and spoon a small amount of vinaigrette and mussels onto each cracker just before serving. Avoid preparing them too early as the crackers will become moist and soggy.
Alternatively, serve the vinaigrette in a bowl with a small spoon alongside the crackers. Each person can then add the vinaigrette to the crackers themselves.
This appetizer is perfect for a summer BBQ or dinner party. It also makes a fresh and colorful option for festive gatherings during the holiday season.
More mussel recipes to try
Mussels Vinaigrette Bites
Ingredients
- 18 crackers
For the mussels
- 1 pound (½ kg) mussels weight includes shells
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) dry white wine optional
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
For the vinaigrette
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 1 bell pepper any color
- 1 scallion green and white part
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder mild
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the mussels
- Rinse, clean and de-beard the mussels. Remove any mussels that are not fresh or have a broken shell. (note 1)
- Add the mussels and the white wine in a large heavy bottom pot over high heat. Season generously with freshly ground pepper. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam the mussels for 3-5 minutes or until all the mussels have opened.
- With a slotted spoon remove the mussels from the pot (or drain in a colander) and let them cool.
Prepare the vinaigrette
- Remove the stem, seeds and white part from the bell pepper and finely dice. Core the tomato and finely dice. Peel the onion and finely chop. Slice the scallion in fine rings.
- Whisk the olive oil, white wine vinegar, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl into a dressing. Add the finely diced onion, bell pepper, tomato and scallion (keep some green for garnish) in the vinaigrette and mix to combine.
- Gently remove the mussels from the shells, add them in the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
Make the mussel vinaigrette bites
- Arrange the crackers on a large serving plate and spoon the mussels with the vinaigrette on top. Garnish with finely sliced scallion. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Clean the mussels: Rinse the mussels in a bowl with cold running water and discard any mussels that are floating or have a broken shell. Also remove the mussels that stay open after tapping them. If they remain open they are not fresh anymore. De-beard the mussels and remove the barnacles off the shells (with a scrub or butter knife). Rinse again under cold water until all the water is clean from grid and sand.
- Amount: I count on 3 crackers per person and a few mussels per spoonful. To make more crackers, adjust the amount.
- Cut the vegetables: Make sure that all vegetables are cut in equal sizes and not to have large chunks of bell peppers and only small dices of tomato. It needs to be equal in flavor for each bite.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment with rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #thetastychilli and tag me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
