This recipe takes me straight back to our trip to France. We ate at Léon de Bruxelles, famous for mussels served in all kinds of sauces. One of my favorites was moules gratinées, baked mussels with a savory topping and a golden crust.
A gratin is a classic French technique: everything is baked (or broiled) until the top turns crispy and browned. My home version adds panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch. The combination of garlicky mussels, tomato sauce, parsley, white wine, and that crisp topping is honestly addictive.
Protein-forward note:
Mussels are naturally high in protein, and this recipe is a great option when you want a satisfying meal without heavy cooking.
Protein per serving: 35 g
Protein score: Power (30g+)
Moules gratinées - mussels au gratin
Ingredients
- 32 mussels
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves sliced very finely
- 1 package of fresh parsley chopped
- 1 glass of white wine
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup of tomato sauce
- ½ cup of panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prep the mussels: Clean the mussels under running water. Discard any that are cracked or stay open when tapped.
- Open them: Steam mussels with a splash of water until they open. Remove from heat.
- Half-shell them: Remove the top shell. Place each mussel on its half shell on a baking tray.
- Make the sauce: In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant (do not burn it). Add mussels, white wine, salt, pepper, parsley, and tomato sauce. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Top and broil: Spoon a little of the mixture over each mussel. Sprinkle with panko and Parmesan.
- Broil: Place under the broiler until golden brown and crisp. Watch closely, this goes fast.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
It was really good! The sauce against the crispiness of the bread crumbs! was really wonderful.
Protein Boost Options (choose 1)
This is already high protein. If you want an even more protein-forward plate:
- Add a protein side: serve with a simple tuna salad or a boiled egg on the side.
- Keep carbs light: pair with a big green salad or roasted vegetables instead of bread.
- Increase mussels: use 40 mussels instead of 32 if you want bigger portions.
To make it a 40g+ protein meal
To make this a 40g+ protein meal: increase the portion to about 10 to 12 mussels per person and serve with a salad. Keep the bread optional.
Serving ideas
- As an appetizer with lemon wedges
- As a light dinner with salad and roasted vegetables
- For a fuller meal: add fries or crusty bread on the side
Tiny FAQ (2 questions with spellings)
FAQ
Are moules gratinées the same as mussels au gratin or gratinated mussels?
Yes. You’ll see moules gratinées, mussels au gratin, and gratinated mussels used to describe the same idea: mussels baked or broiled with a topping until golden.
Can I make mussels au gratin without breadcrumbs?
Yes. You can skip the panko and use only Parmesan and herbs on top, then broil until browned.
If you are cooking protein-forward after 45, check out my other high-protein recipes and meal ideas on the blog.
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We eat steamed mussels all the time but I've never made them open faced with a breadcrumb mixture. This looks delicious and I'll have to make them this way now! Thanks for sharing the recipe and your post makes me want to plan a trip to France too 🙂
Oh Karrie, Steamed mussels are great, but these have a crusty yummy covering coat that adds lots of flavor to the mussels! You definitely should plan a trip to France!
I love mussles, especially served warm/hot. I can easily imagine how delicious this dish is!
Hey Ben! me too! ???
Mussels are one of my husband's favorites Gaila! These look delicious. Can't wait to try!
Thank you Mary Ann! these were really fabulous! have a great week!
The French really know their mussels! Laura is a HUGE fan of mussels, so I might have to surprise her with this one sometime. I don't think we've ever had them in gratin form...what a fun idea. Thanks so much for sharing this one, Gaila! Yum!!
Hey David! yes it is a great idea to gratin these mussels! imagine the possibilities! ????
I usually cook my mussels in beer and steam them open, but I've never had them made like this before. These look so fancy and delicious!
Thank you Rachelle! yes these are lovely, kind of fancy, yes! These could be perfect with beer too!