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The scent of mussels steaming is a glorious aroma that fills the kitchen with the essence of the sea. As the liquid heats, garlic and mirin release their own irresistible aromas, making it hard to wait for the first bite. Add spicy sriracha, savory fish sauce and a squeeze of lemon, and you have a bowl of mussels with a deeply flavorful broth that begs to be soaked up with crusty bread.

This is one of those recipes you’ll want to reach for whenever you’re craving shellfish. It comes together quickly, feels far more indulgent than the amount of work involved and makes an especially good choice for a romantic dinner.

I created this recipe for Romancing the Stove, my cookbook of recipes for romantic meals. More than a decade later, it’s still one of my favorite ways to turn a pound of mussels into dinner.

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How to make spicy steamed mussels

Making steamed mussels is remarkably simple. The key is getting the mussels properly cleaned and then giving them just enough time in the hot, flavorful broth to open without overcooking.

How to prep your mussels and debeard

You’ll want to rinse the mussels in cold water. The most important step is to remove any mussels with broken shells as well as those that don’t close if you tap on the shell. These are bad mussels. Discard them immediately. Some fishmongers sell their mussels debearded. But if your mussels have a little hair-like clump of fibers on the side (the beard), you need to pull it off. Here’s a detailed description of how to debeard a mussel.

Cooking the mussels

Once your mussels are cleaned and debearded, the cooking goes very quickly. You’ll need a wok or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid. Heat the pan, add the mussels and the flavorful liquid, then cover and steam for about 4 minutes, or until the shells open. Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking.

What makes these mussels so flavorful?

This easy mussels recipe gets its richness from a handful of flavorful ingredients. Most of them, including garlic, olive oil and chicken stock, are pantry staples. But three ingredients give this broth its distinctive character: mirin, fish sauce and sriracha. Here’s what you need to know about each one.

Mirin If you’re a fan of mussels, then you’ve probably tried them steamed in white wine. But for this recipe, the mussels are steamed in mirin, a subtly sweet Japanese rice wine. Mirin has acidity but it’s typically less acidic than a dry white wine and it has a slightly different weight and feeling on the tongue. I like it here because that subtle sweetness rounds out the salty fish sauce and gives the broth a little more depth than you’d get from a crisp white wine.

You can buy mirin online if you don’t know where to find it locally.

Fish Sauce What is fish sauce? Fish sauce is one of the most intense flavorings I ever use. Be careful not to put too much in any dish. It is powerful! Fish sauce is made from salted, fermented fish. It really does sound terrible put this way, but the flavor it creates is earthy, salty and addictive when used in just the right measure.

It’s sold in Thai markets, Asian grocers and some mainstream grocery stores with a good international foods section. Or you can order it online.

Sriracha In my mind, the sriracha is what makes this healthy shellfish recipe sublimely sexy. This traditional Thai condiment is a chili pepper paste flavored with vinegar and sugar, so it really hits all the tastebuds. It gets its heat from red jalapeño peppers, which means that it isn’t super spicy. It just adds a bold zing to whatever dish is lucky enough to get a dash of this brightly colored sauce.

Although it used to be found primarily in Asian markets, sriracha is now sold pretty much everywhere. But if you can’t find it at your grocery store, you can always order sriracha online.

Are mussels healthy?

Mussels are a nutrient-rich seafood and a good source of protein, iron, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also relatively low in calories, making them an easy way to add more seafood and important nutrients to your diet. In this recipe, they’re paired with garlic, lemon, scallions and a flavorful broth, so you get plenty of flavor without needing a heavy sauce.

Why this spicy mussels recipe is the right recipe for a romantic dinner

As an expert on aphrodisiac foods, I’m asked all the time to describe a “perfect” romantic dinner. I’m always quick to answer that the meal has to be something both romantic partners enjoy. So in this case, if mussels are your thing, here’s why you should serve this dish on date night.

This is an easy recipe to prepare and one that can be fun to make together. The only modestly time-consuming step is the mindless task of debearding the mussels. And that time will be cut in half if you do it together. The rest of the prep and cooking is straightforward. Steaming is a great choice for date night because you can put a lid on the pan and forget about it while you enjoy each other for a few minutes.

Of course, this recipe is also aphrodisiac-rich, making it an excellent choice if the goal of your evening is a little seduction. Mussels have a long history as an aphrodisiac food. They provide several nutrients linked with supporting sexual health.

Then there’s the kiss of spice the sriracha brings to the dish. It can make the tongue tingle and help raise your body temperature. In addition, garlic, lemon and rice wine are also classified as aphrodisiac foods.

Closeup of spicy steamed mussels in a small, black pot

Spicy Steamed Mussels in Exotic Broth

Print Recipe

Steamed mussels are among one of the most simple seafood dishes to make. But this Thai-inspired version of steamed mussels layers flavor with garlic, cilantro and just a kiss of spicy sriracha.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian-inspired

Cooking Style Easy

Diet and Health Healthy

Seasonal Father's Day, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day

Ingredient mussels

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 8

Total Time 16

Servings

Calories 328

Author Amy Reiley

Ingredients

1 lb mussels
2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
1 clove garlic finely minced
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1-2 tsp sriracha* hot chili sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 scallions chopped, (optional)
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Rinse the mussels well in cold water, discarding any that won’t close when handled. If the mussels have not been de-bearded, remove the fibrous patch of hairs, or “beard,” sticking out from between the two shells by pulling with your fingers. If it's stubborn, cut it with a knife.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mirin, chicken broth, 1 tsp sriracha and fish sauce.*
In a nonstick sauté pan or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Sauté the garlic in the oil until edges brown, about 30 seconds.
Add the liquid mixture. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
Add the mussels, reducing heat to medium, cover and cook until all the mussels are open, about 4-5 minutes. (They may open sooner.) Remove from heat. Drizzle with lemon juice and top with scallions and/or cilantro. Or, if you prefer, just eat them naked—the way I like to do it.
Divide mussels between 2 bowls, discarding any that have not opened. Serve with a crusty baguette to sop up the juice.

Notes

* If you would like additional spice, you can add up to one more teaspoon of sriracha. But keep in mind that the additional heat will diminish the delicate sweetness of the mussels.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

A note on the provided nutrition information

The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition

For more of my aphrodisiac recipes, check out my cookbook Romancing the Stove: the unabridged guide to aphrodisiac foods.

This article was published in 2022 and republished in 2026 with an updated introduction and ingredient information.

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Amy Reiley

Eat Something Sexy's Creator & Editor-in-Chief Amy Reiley is the award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks. She has her Master of Arts in Gastronomy, awarded by Le Cordon Bleu and The University of Adelaide. She is also a Certified Nutrition Coach awarded by the International Sports Sciences Association and she is a California Certified Massage Therapist.

Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.

Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.

Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.

Spicy Mussels Recipe with Garlic, Mirin and Sriracha