Dinner for Two: Coconutty Mussels with Ginger, Lemongrass, Chili, and Cilantro on Rice Noodles Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated April 01, 2025
20120326CoconutMussels1.jpg
Kerry Saretsky

I consider a brimming, steaming pot of mussels to be the twenty-first century Lady and the Tramp. There's nothing more romantic than sharing a steaming pot of food and eating with your hands. We normally think of mussels as French, but this recipe is decidedly light, tangy, and exotic. The broth is simple but sophisticated; coconut milk, lime, chili, cilantro, ginger, and coconut milk add sweetness, tang, spice, and heat to the briny mussels. Served on a nest of rice noodles, this dish is so impressive, but so easy, quick, and cheap that it's kind of unbelievable. Bullseye.

Note: When you bring the mussels home from the store, throw out any that are open and don't close tightly when you tap them. Once cooked, discard any mussels that don't open.

Recipe Details

Dinner for Two: Coconutty Mussels with Ginger, Lemongrass, Chili, and Cilantro on Rice Noodles Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 35 mins
Active 5 to 7 mins
Total 40 mins
Serves 2 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 can coconut milk

  • 1/3 cup water

  • 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled

  • 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, bottom 6 inches only

  • A small bunch of fresh cilantro

  • 1 tablespoon juice from 1 whole lime

  • 1 jalapeno or Fresno chili, thinly sliced

  • 2 pounds of mussels (buy them de-bearded and scrubbed: usually, that’s how they come)

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 (10-ounce) package of precooked rice noodles, or 2 large handfuls of dried rice noodles soaked in hot water for 10 minutes

Directions

  1. Heat the coconut milk and water into a large stockpot over low heat. Meanwhile, slice the ginger into rounds. Halve the lemongrass, and beat it with the dull side of the knife to release its flavor. Tear the leaves from the cilantro stalks. Peel three strips of zest from the lime with a vegetable peeler.

  2. Add the ginger, lemongrass, cilantro stalks (reserve the leaves for later), and lime zest to the coconut milk. Raise the heat to high, bring the coconut milk mixture to a boil, then lower the heat all the way down to the lowest setting. Cover the pot and steep the broth for 25 minutes.

  3. Raise the heat to high and add the chilies and mussels. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the mussels open 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and stir in the roughly chopped cilantro leaves.

  4. Divide the noodles between two serving bowls, then divide the mussels and broth over the noodles. Serve immediately with lime wedges

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1372 Calories
63g Fat
86g Carbs
116g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 1372
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 63g 81%
Saturated Fat 41g 207%
Cholesterol 254mg 85%
Sodium 1890mg 82%
Total Carbohydrate 86g 31%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 116g
Vitamin C 76mg 380%
Calcium 226mg 17%
Iron 41mg 225%
Potassium 2007mg 43%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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