Moules Frites with Quick Aioli
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Making restaurant-worthy Moules frites at home is easier than you’d think! This Belgian classic sounds fancy, but it’s secretly one of the easiest dinners you can make – and it’s ready in under 30 minutes. This is everything you need to know.
I’ve been making moules frites for years, ever since my sister and I backpacked Europe together in our early 20s. You better believe I was ordering this on the daily whenever we saw it on the menu. What’s better than a steaming pot of tender mussels in garlicky broth with crispy fries on the side? Oh, and a delicious, creamy aioli!
Of course, I made it my mission to recreate that experience at home. I like to pull this recipe out of my back pocket whenever I have guests over that I want to impress – it’s the perfect recipe if you’re after something that feels really special, without the fuss.
How to choose mussels
The trickiest part of this recipe (that isn’t even hard, once you know what to look for) is selecting the best mussels. If they’re sold to you in a bag, it’s a good idea to open it to make sure they’re in good shape. Look for these things:
- Smell: They should smell briny, like the sea – if the smell is funky, ask for different ones.
- Shells: The shells should be closed. If you see an open one, give it a gentle tap on the counter – it should close by itself. If it doesn’t, skip it!
- Transporting them: If you’re more than a short walk from your grocery store, ask the fishmonger for a bag of ice to help keep the mussels cold on your drive home.
How to store leftovers
If you have leftover mussels, you can store them to eat later. Put them in a covered container and keep them in your fridge for up to 2 days – but don’t reheat leftover mussels. Instead, top them with a little finely minced onion and tomato and a squeeze of lime juice or a little sherry vinegar and serve them cold on the half shell. They’re delicious this way!
Moules Frites with Quick Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen fries (see notes)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 large shallots (sliced thin)
- 4 large garlic cloves (finely minced)
- 2 cups dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon EACH: chili flakes, salt, and pepper
- 4 lb mussels (cleaned)
- ¼ cup minced parsley
- ½ lemon (juiced)
Quick Aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove (grated to a paste with a microplane)
Instructions
- Begin by baking the fries according to the package directions. I usually bake mine a few minutes longer so they're extra crispy.1 bag frozen fries
- When the fries go into the oven, make the rest of the meal. In a small bowl, mix the quick aioli ingredients.½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 small garlic clove
- Melt the butter in a large, high-sided frying pan or a braiser over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 large shallots, 4 large garlic cloves
- Increase the heat to high, add the wine, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to the pot, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil rapidly until the wine reduces to about 1 cup.2 cups dry white wine, ½ teaspoon EACH: chili flakes, salt, and pepper
- Lower the heat to medium-high, add the mussels, cover the pot, and steam for 3 minutes. Stir the mussels and try to push any that have not opened to the bottom of the pot so they are closer to heat. Cover the pot and steam for 2 minutes more. Discard any mussels that have not opened after 5 minutes.4 lb mussels
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice.¼ cup minced parsley, ½ lemon
- Serve the mussels with the fries and mayo on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Tips for making moules frites
- Quantity: For a main course, plan on about 1 lb of mussels per person. If they’re just a starter, ½ lb per person is plenty.
- Storage: They are best the same day they’re bought, but they will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. If you are storing them, grab a few extra mussels as you’ll end up tossing a few that don’t make it.
- Keeping them fresh: Once your home, transfer them to a colander and set it over a large bowl, cover with a cloth, and put it in your fridge. Mussels need to breathe, so never cover the bowl with plastic. Also, remember not to clean the mussels until right before you cook them.
- Cleaning: Rinse each mussel under cold running water, and scrub the shell. If you notice a little stringy “beard”, pull it firmly toward the narrow end of the shell.
