🇮🇹 Italian · Soup
🦪 Zuppa di Cozze
Zuppa di Cozze
A simple, briny Puglian mussel soup brightened with garlic, chili, and tomato, traditionally scooped up with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth.
This soup relies on genuinely fresh mussels and little else, their natural liquor combining with a light tomato base to create a broth deep enough in flavor that it needs almost nothing more than good bread alongside.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot with lid
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 dried chili, crumbled
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
- 300 g (10.5 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Crusty bread, toasted, for serving
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the garlic and chili until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add the mussels and wine, cover, and cook over high heat, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels open, about 4-5 minutes; discard any that stay closed.
- Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and set aside, straining and reserving the cooking liquid.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the pot and cook for a few minutes until they soften.
- Pour in the reserved mussel liquid and simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors.
- Return the mussels to the pot to warm through.
- Finish with parsley and season to taste.
- Serve hot in bowls with toasted, crusty bread for dipping.
Chef Tips
- Discard any mussels that don't close when tapped before cooking, and any that fail to open after cooking.
- Straining the mussel cooking liquid removes any grit before it goes into the final broth.
- This soup is genuinely simple -- resist the urge to add too many extra ingredients that would dilute the pure mussel flavor.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the mussels once returned to the pot, which toughens them.
- Skipping the straining step, resulting in a gritty broth.
- Using low-quality or not-fresh mussels, which this simple dish depends on entirely.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Mussels are an excellent source of iron, protein, and vitamin B12.
Cultural Note
Zuppa di cozze is a beloved coastal Puglian dish, reflecting the region's strong fishing tradition along the Adriatic and Ionian coastlines.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best eaten fresh; seafood soup does not keep or reheat well.
Reheating: Not recommended; the mussels toughen significantly upon reheating.
Serve with: Crusty toasted bread, A chilled Puglian white wine