Are you looking for some ideas on what to serve with mussels? Fortunately, this sweet and salty seafood has plenty of excellent pairing options. You will find plenty of side dishes to serve with this versatile seafood.
You can go for hearty or something a little light, whatever your preference you’ll find a great addition with these delicious sides. From salad and veg to something a little different, this list has plenty of ideas.
Contents
8 Delicious Side Dishes for Mussels
1. Crusty Rolls
While regular bread might work just fine there is something extra special about a crusty roll at the best of times. The added benefit of opting for a crusty roll with mussels is that the texture will contrast well.
If you like sourdough varieties then you could try opting to heat a nice crunchy sourdough roll, the steaming hot roll slavered in butter or a little olive oil is a perfect accompaniment.
You could also opt for something with extra flavor such as garlic bread. Garlic bread in the form of french sticks (crisp and firm) is widely available in most stores, but you can easily make your own if you prefer.
2. Lardons
Bacon lardons are a fantastic invention of the French. Try stuffing your mussels with a couple of these juicy and crisps chunks of bacon to make them burst with all those flavors at once.
About an inch long, and up to half an inch thick, lardons should be oven-baked or fried until they start to crisp up on the outside.
If you want our advice then you should opt for the smoked variety which will add another dimension to the flavors of these salty cured pieces of pork.
Try combining these with some other side dishes on this list to create an amazingly hearty meal.
3. Rice
Rice is nice and simple, but it works so well with seafood and mussels are no different. Rice is versatile and can take on the flavors of the food around it which will help make the mussels the focal point of the meal.
Try combining mussels with some tender white rice or some calrose rice if you prefer a stickier texture that will take on even more flavor from the mussels.
4. Asparagus
There seems to be no end to the number of foods that asparagus goes well with. The only question here would be the cooking method.
Try pan-frying your asparagus in a little garlic and butter for a rich flavor. Add a sprinkle of salt and a dash of lemon once cooked to finish them off.
Asparagus makes a great item to serve with mussels due to how asparagus is often a little firm. When you add the natural flavors with some additional ingredients – that is when this side dish comes to life.
5. French Fries
French fries can be a great accompaniment to mussels provided you eat them separately. Grabbing a crisp and delicious french fry between servings of mussel is a delight in and of itself.
6. Mushrooms
Mushrooms complement the flavor profiles so well and you can opt to add these with the bacon lardons to create an insanely hearty dish.
Opt for portobello mushrooms or button mushrooms that you can cook whole and remember to use plenty of garlic and butter to create a luxurious dish that would be fit for many an entree at fine restaurants.
7. Salads
Most salads will go well with mussels but you should consider opting for something with more of a crunch for better texture contrast.
A low-dressing slaw can work well in such situations or a caesar salad can also work.
You could even just go off the cuff and use whatever ingredients you have access to! Most salads work great with mussels so long as you don’t drown the salad in a sauce which can lead to flavor contamination!
8. Kimchi
I wanted to add this one in because it works surprisingly well. Kimchi is a staple in Korean cooking, this traditional side dish is made with fermented vegetables, typically napa cabbage or radish. It is then well seasoned with a variety of ingredients and fermented.
Kimchi has a depth of flavor and it can be hot owing to the spices. The added heat of this delicious side is why I love it with mussels. There are so many layers of flavor, the crunch, and then that little bit of heat.
Conclusion
Mussels are a seafood classic and for good reason, but there’s no need to always have them the traditional way. It’s often better to pair them with something delicious that brings new life to this classic dish. Hopefully, you now have some newfound ideas for what to serve with mussels for everyone to enjoy!