Mussels in a spicy tomato sauce (Arrabbiata)

Recipe

Mussels in a spicy tomato sauce (Arrabbiata)

Arrabbiata is a spicy Italian tomato sauce with chillies. Depending on your preference, you can decide how ‘hot’ you want to make the sauce. If the chillies are kept whole in the sauce, you will have a much milder flavour, compared to when you chop them. The seeds of a chilli is mostly where the heat lies, so remove the seeds if preferred. Chunks of fresh bread is absolutely delicious with this sauce, to soak up all the goodness. This version is made with mussels, but see the tips below for alternative protein options.

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

Make a batch of my Best Italian tomato sauce

And then you will also need:

2 red chillies, whole or chopped, if you prefer it spicier

400 g raw mussels, half-shelled or just the mussel meat, thawed and well drained

fresh origanum leaves, thyme or Italian parsley, for garnish

lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

fresh bread, torn into chunks

lemon wedges to serve

Method

1. Prepare the Best Italian tomato sauce, in a large wide-based frying pan or wok, and add the chillies with the chopped herbs. Note: the longer the chillies simmer in the sauce, the spicier the flavour will be.
2. Add the mussels to the simmering sauce and gently simmer for 10-15 minutes with the lid on until the mussels are just cooked. Season to taste.
3. Spoon sauce and mussels into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with bread and lemon wedges.

Tips

1. Replace mussels with any other cooked protein of your choice, like bacon, chicken or even strips of steak. Then simply allow the meat to heat through in the sauce and serve immediately.
2. Alternatively, a seafood mix of your choice would also be delicious. Let the mixture simmer until everything is cooked and heated through.
3. If you’re not a fan of a tomato-based sauce, make this white wine, lemony, cream sauce with mussels. It is equally delicious! Click here.

Photo by Adel Ferriera for LiG Tydskrif‘s Autumn 2026 issue.