Ask Chef Dennis

  • Recipe Index
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Seafood Recipes

Tuscan Mussels with Cannellini Beans and Broccoli Rabe

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

95
SHARES
Facebook95PinterestFlipboard
Jump to Recipe

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

Tuscan Mussels

Chef Dennis Littley
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.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Entree
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2
Calories 760 kcal

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 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 2 ounces white wine optional
  • pinch of crushed red pepper
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoon grated Romano cheese

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: 760kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 20gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 537mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 12gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 1.9mgCalcium: 204mgIron: 6.5mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Katrina {In Katrina's Kitchen} says

    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
  2. Wendy Irene says

    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
  3. anniebakes says

    May 24, 2011 at 9:10 pm

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

    Reply
  4. Lindsey@Lindselicious says

    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
  5. alyce says

    May 24, 2011 at 4:58 pm

    Love mussels. Thx for sharing.

    Reply
  6. Emily Malloy says

    May 24, 2011 at 2:44 pm

    You rock my socks off with this.

    Reply
  7. Lin Ann says

    May 24, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    Congrats on Top 9! No. 1! My daughter would soooo love this dish, and so would I. Fabulous

    Reply
  8. Peggy says

    May 24, 2011 at 1:29 pm

    These mussels sound terrific! I've never had them with cannelini beans before, but I bet it's a welcome addition =)

    Reply
  9. spiceblogger says

    May 24, 2011 at 12:21 pm

    I LOVE mussels! Sadly, I can not get them fresh where I live. Sometimes I can find them frozen, and they're ok. But nothing is like fresh, steamed mussels.

    This recipe looks delicious.
    congrats on Top 9!

    –shelley

    Reply
  10. baking.serendipity says

    May 24, 2011 at 3:50 am

    I think I need to give mussels another shot as well…perhaps with this recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Chef!

    Reply
  11. The Harried Cook says

    May 24, 2011 at 2:26 am

    Wow… I hated mussels too, and started eating them only a few years ago… Never seen mussels with beans before! Sounds fabulous! And thank you for the tip about freezing mussels. I had no idea! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  12. Happy When Not Hungry says

    May 24, 2011 at 2:10 am

    Wow these mussels look amazing! I've never tried making my own. These look beautiful!

    Reply
  13. Monet says

    May 24, 2011 at 2:02 am

    Hi sweet man. You and your wife have a few things in common 🙂 I thought I hated mussels until about a year ago. Now I can't get enough of them! I can't wait to give this recipe a try. Thank you so much for sharing this deliciousness…I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow. Hugs and love from Austin!

    Reply
  14. Monet says

    May 24, 2011 at 2:02 am

    Hi sweet man. You and your wife have a few things in common 🙂 I thought I hated mussels until about a year ago. Now I can't get enough of them! I can't wait to give this recipe a try. Thank you so much for sharing this deliciousness…I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow. Hugs and love from Austin!

    Reply
  15. Pacheco Patty says

    May 24, 2011 at 1:21 am

    I like your recipe Chef, you've really made a wonderfully satisfying meal out of your mussels. I'm glad the whole family is on board with liking mussels, they are so yummy;-)

    Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »


My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. 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.

More about me →

Fan Favorites

  • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
    Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
  • sliced meatloaf with the rest of meatloaf on a white platter
    Classic Meatloaf Recipe with Zesty Glaze
  • shredded cabbage mixed with coleslaw dressing in a glass bowl.
    Easy Homemade Coleslaw Recipe
  • Banana bread sliced on a cutting board.
    Banana Bread Recipe
  • chicken parm with pasta on a white plate
    Chicken Parmesan Recipe
  • seasoned crispy chicken legs on a foil wrapped tray
    Baked Chicken Legs

Featured In

Collage showing where Ask Chef Dennis has been featured.

Footer

↑ back to top

INFO

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

SUBSCRIBE

Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-quality recipes!

CONTACT

  • About
  • Contact

© 2009-2025 · Ask Chef Dennis · 30 N. Gould Street, STE 7204, Sheridan, Wyoming, 82801

Proud Member of:
Mediavine Publisher Network

Let's Get Social

Pinterest Facebook Flipboard Instagram YouTube LinkedIn

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.