• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Search All Recipes
    • Recipe Round-Ups
  • More
    • About
    • Work With Me!
    • Lifestyle
    • Outside the Kitchen
    • Kitchen Tips & Gifts
    • Contact

Framed Cooks

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Memorial Day Recipes!
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Memorial Day Recipes!
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ร—
    Framed Cooks ยป Recipes ยป Seafood

    Mussels In Cider

    Published: Oct 4, 2022 ยท Modified: Sep 17, 2024 by Kate Morgan Jackson ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Mussels are even more amazing when you add bacon and apple cider to the mix. So the next time you are craving a seafood supper, give these mussels in cider a try!

    A bowl of creamy mussels in cider sauce on a bed of pasta.
    Jump to:
    • Why we love this recipe
    • Ingredients you need
    • Ingredient additions and substitutions
    • How to make this recipe
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Want to round out your meal?
    • Other easy seafood recipes we love!
    • We want to know what you think!
    • Mussels in Cider

    Why we love this recipe

    Mussels are one of the easiest, most delicious and least expensive form of seafood, and they are available pretty much year round at your seafood counter, so I am always up for a new mussels recipe.

    Meantime, apple cider is pretty much a fall treat, and I love heating it up on the stove and having a mug of steamy cider as much as the next girl, but it’s amazing how much cider I always have left over, looking at me hopefully from my refrigerator.

    The logical answer is to use it in dessert, but being a savory first person, somehow apple cider always finds its way into my main courses (hello, slow cooker apple cider pot roast!).

    And then suddenly it dawned on me. I love mussels. I love apple cider. And so I steamed those mussels in that cider.

    Add a little cream and brandy and pasta and BACON to the party as a dreamy, creamy sauce and OH MY GOODNESS. Mussels in cider sauce, here I come!

    Ingredients you need

    Ingredients you need to make mussels in cider.

    Ingredient additions and substitutions

    • Cider: If you are making this outside of apple cider season, regular apple juice will do just fine.
    • Bacon: This can be swapped out with leftover chopped ham if you prefer. Simply add in the ham when you stir in the cream and the pasta.
    • Pasta: Any long pasta will work for this recipe – we love it with angel hair pasta, but spaghetti and linguine will work too.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to make this recipe

    Chopped bacon cooking in a skillet.

    Step 1: Place a half pound of chopped bacon in a heavy large skillet and cook until crisp.  Scoop it out and drain on paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan.

    Pasta draining in a strainer.

    Step 2: Cook pasta according to package directions and let it drain.

    Step 3: Rinse off 4 pounds of mussels, discarding any that are opened or cracked.

    cooked mussels with open shells in a pot.

    Step 4: Place a cup of apple cider and the mussels in the skillet with the bacon drippings. Cover, bring to a boil and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Toss out any mussels that didn’t open. Transfer mussels to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

    Mussels Cider sauce with cream, apple cider and brandy in a pot.

    Step 5: Add a quarter cup of brandy and a cup of heavy cream to the liquid remaining in the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the bacon and some chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

    A bowl of creamy mussels in cider on a bed of pasta.

    Step 6: Divide the cooked pasta between plates and pour some of the cider cream over each pile of pasta. 

    Recipe FAQs

    Where can I find mussels?

    They hang out at the fresh seafood counter at your supermarket, and you are going to be AMAZED at how affordable they are. Four pounds is going to seem like a lot, but I promise it’s the right amount. Pro tip: Don’t close them up in a plastic bag – you want them to be able to stay alive (eek) until you use them. If they open up before cooking, that means they aren’t good for cooking.

    Can I leave out the brandy?

    You can! The sauce will have a milder (but still delicious!) taste.

    It’s not apple cider season! Can I use apple juice instead?

    Yep! It will have a little less of an apple flavor, but you’ll still taste it!

    Have a question that I didn’t cover?

    Pop it in the comments section below and I promise to answer pronto!

    STILL have extra cider? (Raises hand‍!) Well, there’s always apple cider bundt cake, which would make the perfect dessert for this seafood supper!

    apple cider bundt cake

    Want to round out your meal?

    • Roasted butternut squash with feta in a bowl.
      Roasted Butternut Squash with Feta
    • Creamy whipped carrots in a bowl.
      Creamy Whipped Carrots
    • Cherry tomato green bean salad in a bowl.
      Green Bean Tomato Salad
    • Baked focaccia in sheet pan with parchment.
      Sheet Pan Focaccia

    This delectable mussels recipe is calling out for some veggie side dishes. We love a side of butternut squash with feta cheese, or some whipped carrots.

    And for dessert, we are loving that apple cider bundt cake!

    Other easy seafood recipes we love!

    • Lobster BLT Salad in a bowl.
      Lobster BLT Salad
    • Salmon with mustard sauce on a baking pan.
      Salmon With Mustard Sauce
    • Grilled seafood with lemon on a plate.
      Grilled Seafood Packets
    • Baked crab cakes on a plate.
      Baked Crab Cakes

    We want to know what you think!

    If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.

    Print

    Mussels in Cider

    A bowl of creamy mussels in cider on a bed of pasta.
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 1 review

    Mussels are even more amazing when you add bacon and apple cider to the mix. So the next time you are craving a seafood supper, give these creamy mussels in cider a try!

    • Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 6 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 12 ounces angel hair pasta or other long pasta
    • 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
    • 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed. Toss out any open ones, or ones with cracked shells.
    • 1/4 cup brandy
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • Fresh ground pepper
    • 1/2 cup chopped parsley

    Instructions

    1. Place the bacon in a heavy large skillet and cook until crisp.  Scoop it out and drain on paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan.
    2. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
    3. Place cider and mussels in the skillet with the bacon drippings. Cover, bring to a boil and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Toss out any mussels that didn’t open.
    4. Transfer mussels to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.
    5. Add brandy and cream to the liquid remaining the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the bacon and the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
    6. Divide the cooked pasta between plates and pour some of the cider cream over each pile of pasta.  Divide the mussels among the plates and pour the rest of the cider cream over mussels. Serve at once, putting a bowl on the table for people to toss their shells.

    Notes

    • Cider: If you are making this outside of apple cider season, regular apple juice will do just fine.
    • Bacon: This can be swapped out with leftover chopped ham if you prefer. Simply add in the ham when you stir in the cream and the pasta.
    • Pasta: Any long pasta will work for this recipe – we love it with angel hair pasta, but spaghetti and linguine will work too.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag @FramedCooks on Facebook or Instagram…we want to see it!

    42 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    Want every new recipe delivered right to your email inbox?

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Becca says

      September 26, 2023 at 12:55 pm

      This dinner felt like fall on the beach – loved it SO much!

      Reply
      • Kate Morgan Jackson says

        September 26, 2023 at 5:46 pm

        Fall on the beach – I love it! :)

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    Primary Sidebar

    Kate from Framed Cooks

    Hi, Iโ€™m Kate! Iโ€™m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. Iโ€™m so glad youโ€™re here!

    More about me โ†’

    Memorial Day Recipes!

    • Strawberry slab pie on a white platter.
      Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Tart
    • easy avocado chicken salad
      Avocado Chicken Salad
    • Sliced strawberry bread on a plate.
      Glazed Strawberry Bread
    • Mediterranean Chicken Salad on a plate.
      Mediterranean Chicken Salad
    • Strawberry Peach Sorbet in an ice cream glass.
      Easy Strawberry Peach Sorbet
    • Prosciutto Caprese Salad on a plate.
      Prosciutto Caprese Salad

    Reader Favorites

    • Pastina with egg and cheese in a bowl.
      Pastina with Egg and Cheese, Otherwise Known As Comfort Food
    • Lemon Garlic Lobster Pasta in a bowl with a fork.
      Pasta with Lobster Sauce
    • Grandpa's Coca-Cola Ribs on a cutting board.
      Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs
    • Pasta with Buttered Egg Sauce on a plate with a fork.
      Pasta with Egg Sauce
    • Soft scrambled eggs with ricotta on a plate.
      Ricotta Scrambled Eggs
    • Cheese Fries in a bowl on a wooden counter.
      Easy Cheese Fries

    Want every new recipe delivered right to your email inbox?

    Sign Me Up!

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Get in Touch

    • Contact

    Copyright ยฉ 2025 Framed Cooks

    All photographs ยฉ FramedCooks and may not be used for any purpose without written permission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.