Description
Freshly baked mussels on the half shell topped with garlic butter, Parmesan cheese, crispy breadcrumbs, parsley, and lemon wedges, served on a platter.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16–20 fresh mussels, cleaned and on the half shell
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Rinse, scrub, and debeard the mussels. Discard any cracked or damaged mussels. Arrange the cleaned half-shell mussels on the prepared baking tray.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, black pepper, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and chives (if using). Pour in the garlic butter mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Spoon the breadcrumb mixture evenly over each mussel, pressing gently so it stays in place.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the mussels are heated through.
- For a crispier finish, broil for 1–2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with extra parsley and Parmesan. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Use only fresh, live mussels that close when tapped.
- Panko breadcrumbs create the crispiest topping.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts and browns better than pre-grated cheese.
- Prep Time: PT20M
- Cook Time: PT12M
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4–5 baked mussels
- Calories: 295 Kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 590 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 58 mg