Mussels with Jamón and White Beans

Name: Mussels with Jamón and White Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1 kg fresh mussels; 4 tablespoons homemade tomato sauce; 1 onion; 2 garlic cloves; 1 large ripe tomato; 60 g cooked white beans; 1/2 zucchini; 1 glass mussel cooking broth; 160 g diced jamón; Salt; Black pepper; Extra virgin olive oil; Fresh parsley

Fish & seafood

4.5 (2 ratings)

The contrast between the rich, savory taste of Spanish jamón and the fresh brininess of the sea in these mussels is something you really have to try. It is a dish full of character where the sauce steals the show.

Every spoonful brings you straight to classic surf-and-turf home cooking, and it comes together in no time. Just make sure you have some crusty bread nearby, because you will definitely want to soak up every drop of that sauce.

Prep: 15 minCook: 20 minServes: 4

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Ingredients

1 kg fresh mussels
4 tablespoons homemade tomato sauce
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 large ripe tomato
60 g cooked white beans
1/2 zucchini
1 glass mussel cooking broth
160 g diced jamón
Salt
Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh parsley

Step by step

1Steam the mussels in a pot until they open up fully, then discard the empty half-shell from each one. Strain and save the cooking broth.
2In a skillet with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sauté the chopped onion and garlic until lightly golden.
3Add the finely diced tomato and zucchini, and cook until thoroughly softened.
4Stir in the tomato sauce and the cooked white beans, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and mix well.
5Add the diced jamón and let everything simmer together for about 5 minutes.
6Pour in the strained mussel broth, making sure no grit gets in, and add the cooked mussels.
7Toss over high heat for a couple of minutes so all the flavors come together.
8Serve hot with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley on top.

Tips and tricks

Strain the mussel cooking broth through a very fine mesh strainer or a clean cheesecloth to catch every bit of sand or grit.

Go easy on the salt when seasoning the sauce, as both the jamón and the mussel broth already add plenty of natural saltiness.

You can use canned cooked white beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained, to have this dish ready in just a few minutes.

Frequently asked questions

How should I store leftover mussels with beans?

Keep them in the fridge in an airtight container and enjoy within two days at most. Reheat gently over low heat so the mussels do not turn rubbery.

What type of beans works best in this recipe?

Rinsed canned white beans or beans you cooked from scratch work great. Medium-sized round white beans blend beautifully with the sofrito sauce.

Why do you need to strain the mussel cooking broth?

It is essential to pass it through a fine strainer to remove any lingering sand or shell fragments before adding it to the pan. That way you get all the ocean flavor with none of the grit.