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    Home » Recipes » Seafood Recipes

    Tuscan Mussels with Cannellini Beans and Broccoli Rabe

    Published: May 23, 2011 · Modified: Feb 21, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

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    5 from 3 votes
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    pinterest image for tuscan mussels

    If you love Mussels, then my Tuscan Mussel recipe is perfect for you!

    I’m not quite sure when it happened or exactly how it happened, but one day my wife decided she like mussels. This was, of course, the same woman who didn’t think she liked them for the last 12 years I have been asking about them….hmmm.

    mussels with broccoli rabe and cannellini beans in a large glass bowl with a slice of garlic bread against the bowl

    Now I’m not complaining mind you, I do enjoy a good plate full of steaming mussels with a loaf of crusty bread and lately, my sauce of choice has been aioli. One of the restaurants we had gone to a while ago served their mussels with white beans in the sauce, and they were absolutely delicious!

    Now once again, my wife who normally won’t even look at a bean, had no problems eating the mussels, beans and all! Not being one to miss an opportunity to use my beloved cannellini beans in a dish, I decided to replicate the mussels we had out at home!

    To say they were nothing special with the beans would have been an understatement.
    Somewhere along the line I had missed a crucial step to making the beans and the mussels one with the universe….sigh

    close up of mussels with broccoli rabe and cannellini beans in a large glass bowl with a slice of garlic bread

    I think you know me well enough by now to know that I don’t give up too easily, especially with food, so when I bought my seafood last week I picked up a bag of mussels too. As busy as the week was the mussels almost didn’t make it on the menu, and oh how I hate losing mussels!

    Here’s a tip too, if you do need to cook them, after cooking they freeze pretty good, but unlike clams, they do not freeze well raw, the meat kind of explodes. So steam them take the meat out of the shell and freeze it on a cookie tray and then place them in a ziplock bag until you need them!

    So let’s get back to the mussels! I mentioned the bag of mussels waiting for me patiently in the refrigerator, and right next to it was a head of broccoli rabe that had been beckoning to me every time I opened the door ( I have been on a broccoli rabe kick lately, its always on hand, right next to the pineapple)  I thought why not, it has to improve the flavor of the beans doesn’t it?

    Well my friends, let me tell you, It went beyond my expectations, the blending of the flavors was truly a match made in heaven! The bitter broccoli rabe helped enhance the flavor of the cannellini beans, and the mussels just danced across the plate so happy to be a part of this meal!!

    I now have a new go-to mussel recipe, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

    If you enjoyed this recipe you may also like these:

    • Quick and Easy Steamed Mussels  
    • New Zealand Mussels Five-Ways
    • Clams Casino
    • Oysters Rockefeller
    • Garlic Oysters

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    mussels with broccoli rabe and cannellini beans in a large glass bowl with a slice of garlic bread against the bowl
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    5 from 3 votes

    Tuscan Mussels

    For a taste of Italy try my mussels with broccoli rabe and cannellini beans.  It's a perfect blend of flavors!  Just make sure to have enough crusty bread to dip into the sauce.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time20 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 760kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds cultivated mussels Bag of mussels approx: about 2 pounds
    • 1 head broccoli rabe
    • 15 oz cannellini beans small can
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 6 tbsp Olive Oil
    • 2 ounces white wine optional
    • pinch of crushed red pepper
    • sea salt and pepper to taste
    • 2 tbsp grated Romano cheese
    US Customary – Metric
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    Instructions

    • Begin heating your pasta water, cook pasta per instructions on the box.
    • While the pasta is getting ready, clean your mussels.  Remove any seaweed or debris from the shell and discard any mussels that are open!  If they won't close when you tap them, they are dead.  Never eat dead shellfish! Rinse your mussels in cold water thoroughly, then allow them to drain in a colander.
    • Wash the head of broccoli rabe, and cut it into small strips about ¾ of an inch.
    • Slice 2 cloves of garlic and place in a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, as the garlic starts to cook, add the broccoli rabe and continue to saute for 7-10 minutes until the broccoli rabe is tender.
    • Open a small can of cannellini beans and rinse them in cold water.  Add the beans to the broccoli rabe, season with sea salt, pepper, and grated Romano cheese.  Add a little water to the pan from the pasta pot.   Set this aside until serving.
    • At this point you should begin cooking your pasta, DeCecco is my pasta of choice and it calls for 11 minutes which is just enough time to cook the mussels.
    • In another saute pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 cloves of sliced garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper.  Allow the garlic to begin cooking then add the mussels, the white wine and cover to let them steam open, after about 5 minutes the mussels will open, allow them to cook for another 2-3 minutes to fully cook the meat.  
    • Add the broccoli rabe mixture to the mussels. Cook until broccoli rabe is reheated. Serve and enhoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 760kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 537mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 204mg | Iron: 6.5mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Tracy

      September 01, 2020 at 7:52 am

      I do not see the pasta in the photos of the dish and would assume the beans were enough without any pasta. Is this a misprint?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 01, 2020 at 8:37 am

        it was made as an appetizer to eat with bread, but you could easily serve this over pasta.

        Reply
    2. Kristi Rimkus

      March 04, 2012 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      This is such a beautiful dish, I can see why your wife loves mussels now!

      Reply
    3. Hester aka The Chef Doc

      August 08, 2011 at 7:00 am

      It is always a pleasure to read your posts, Chef Dennis. And drool over them, too! I love mussels and this is a divine recipe 🙂 I'm so glad your wife got into them! I hope you had a lovely weekend.

      Reply
    4. Betty @ scrambled henfruit

      May 30, 2011 at 4:06 am

      I love mussels, but they intimidate me and I've never had the courage to cook them myself. These are looking so tempting though, that I may have to make a trip into town to get some while I'm feeling brave. Broccoli rabe and cannellini beans with garlic has always been a favorite of mine- I can just imagine how good it is with the mussels! 🙂

      Reply
    5. Adrienne

      May 26, 2011 at 10:39 pm

      These look delish! And your photos are wonderful.

      Reply
    6. mangiabella

      May 26, 2011 at 2:42 am

      i never used to like mussels, but the past few years I've truly acquired a taste for them…my momma must've rubbed off on me with that one, mussels marinara is her fav….i love the flavor combinations here, and the garlic…mmmm….that crusty bread…..I've gotta make this for my mom!

      Reply
    7. Healthy Mamma

      May 25, 2011 at 11:47 pm

      Perfect, perfect, perfect! I adore mussels and cannelini beans aaaand brocoli rabi! are you for hire? 😉
      I absolutely can not wait to make this! oh, and it's never to late to decide you like something, food or otherwise. 😉

      Reply
    8. Joy

      May 25, 2011 at 7:15 pm

      The mussels look wonderful.

      Reply
    9. Tiffany

      May 25, 2011 at 6:33 pm

      Gorgeous photo!

      Reply
    10. Katrina {In Katrina's Kitchen}

      May 25, 2011 at 4:45 am

      I was so so happy to be in the Top 9 with one of my favorite bloggers! Sorry that I'm late to the party. You know Blogger and the issues that they are having. Sigh. Anyway- your wife, I just love her!! She keeps you on your toes just like any good wife would do!! LOL ♥- Katrina

      Reply
    11. Wendy Irene

      May 24, 2011 at 11:48 pm

      Those mussels look so good, I honestly feel like I can smell them through the internet! I hope you and your wife have a wonderful evening 🙂

      Reply
    12. anniebakes

      May 24, 2011 at 9:10 pm

      Congrats on Food Buzz #1 once AGAIN!! woo hoo, anne

      Reply
    13. Lindsey@Lindselicious

      May 24, 2011 at 6:29 pm

      This looks great, I love mussels and yours look so delish. Especially with the beans and that piece of bread.

      Reply
    14. alyce

      May 24, 2011 at 4:58 pm

      Love mussels. Thx for sharing.

      Reply
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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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