Pasta with potatoes and mussels is a traditional Italian pasta dish that brings together simple ingredients from the land with the intense, savory taste of the sea. Typical of Neapolitan cuisine, this comforting recipe is usually made with short pasta like mezze maniche, paccheri, or sedanini, or with small soup pasta shapes such as tubetti or ditali.
It’s very similar to classic pasta and potatoes, but the addition of fresh mussels gives the dish a richer flavor, a beautiful color, and a wonderfully briny aroma. You can prepare pasta with potatoes and mussels using either fresh or frozen mussels, although fresh ones will always give you the best result.
The mussels are first cooked in a simple sauté of garlic, parsley, and a touch of chili pepper. Keep the aromatics whole so you can easily remove them later. The cooking liquid released by the mussels is then filtered and used to flavor every step of the recipe. In fact, the pasta is not boiled separately in water, but cooked directly in the pan together with diced potatoes and a lightly sautéed onion, just like in many traditional Neapolitan one-pot pasta dishes.
For even cooking, make sure to cut the potatoes into evenly sized cubes. Add the mussel broth first, then a bit of tomato sauce and the pasta. Cover with water and let everything simmer until the pasta reaches the perfect texture and the sauce becomes creamy and full of flavor.
In just a short time, your pasta with potatoes and mussels will be ready to serve. It's a cozy, delicious dish that combines the warmth of comfort food with the unmistakable taste of Italian mussel pasta. Try it once and it will quickly become a favorite.
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Ingredients
Prep Time: 30 Min | Cook Time: 30 Min | Servings: 4
- 250 g (9 oz) ditalini pasta
- 400 g (14 oz) potatoes
- 800 g (1.7 oz) cleaned mussels
- 100 ml tomato passata (strained tomatoes)
- 1 small onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 chili pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Black pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
To prepare Pasta, Patate e Cozze, you only need a few basic kitchen tools.
- A large frying pan or wide pot is essential for cooking the mussels and for finishing the pasta directly in the sauce.
- You will also need a cutting board and a sharp knife to chop the vegetables, plus a fine-mesh strainer to filter the mussel broth.
- A wooden spoon or spatula is useful for stirring, and a lid for the pan is important to help the mussels open quickly and evenly.
- Finally, keep a bowl handy for the shelled mussels.
Instructions
Step 1) - Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan. Add the whole garlic clove, the parsley stems, and the chili pepper. Let them gently sizzle to release their aroma.
Increase the heat slightly and add the cleaned mussels. Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened. Shake the pan occasionally to help them open evenly.
Step 2) - Remove the pan from the heat. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Shell the open mussels and place the meat in a bowl. Set aside.
Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside. This flavorful broth will be used later to cook the pasta and the potatoes.
Step 3) - Peel the potatoes and cut them into small, evenly sized cubes. Finely chop the onion
NOTE: keeping the potato cubes uniform helps them cook evenly. They should be small because they need to break down slightly during cooking, which is what makes the sauce naturally creamy.
Step 4) - Sauté the onion in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil until soft and golden.
Add the potatoes to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Pour in the mussel broth you filtered earlier and let it come to a gentle simmer.
Step 5) - Add the tomato passata and continue cooking until the potatoes begin to soften and the flavors start to come together.
Season lightly with salt, then add the short pasta.
NOTE: go easy on the salt, because the mussel broth is naturally salty and very flavorful.
Step 6) - Cover with hot water and cook the pasta in the pan, stirring often as the water is absorbed. Add more water as needed during cooking.
NOTE: the amount of water depends on the texture you prefer. Add more liquid if you want a brothier pasta with mussels, or less if you prefer a creamier, thicker consistency.
When the pasta is al dente and the sauce has reached your desired texture, add the mussels and stir gently to combine.
Serve immediately with plenty of the creamy cooking sauce and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy your pasta with potatoes and mussels piping hot.
Storage
Pasta with potatoes and mussels is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers if needed. Keep the pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. When reheating, warm it gently in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Keep in mind that mussels tend to become a bit chewy when reheated and the pasta may absorb most of the sauce, so the texture won’t be exactly the same as when freshly made. For the best flavor and consistency, it’s always better to prepare and serve this dish on the same day.
Tips
- Choose fresh mussels if possible, as their flavor and aroma make a big difference in this dish.
- Keep aromatics whole when cooking the mussels. It makes them easy to remove and keeps the broth clean and clear.
- Cut the potatoes small and evenly, so they soften at the same rate and help create a naturally creamy sauce.
- Cook the pasta directly in the pan, not in a separate pot. This allows the starch to thicken the sauce and absorb all the flavors.
- Taste before adding salt. Mussel broth is usually quite savory, so the dish may need very little additional seasoning.
- Adjust the liquid depending on your preference: add more water for a brothier result, or reduce it for a thicker, creamier consistency.
More Italian Seafood Recipes You'll Love
- Mussels Marinara (Cozze alla Marinara)
- Classic Italian Stuffed Mussels (Cozze Gratinate)
- Spaghetti with Clams Recipe (Spaghetti alle Vongole)
- Italian Seafood Pasta Recipe (Spaghetti allo Scoglio)
Recipe Card
Neapolitan Pasta with Potatoes and Mussels (Pasta, Patate e Cozze)
Ingredients
- 250 g ditalini pasta - 9 oz
- 400 g potatoes - 14 oz
- 800 g cleaned mussels - 1.7 oz
- 100 ml tomato passata - (strained tomatoes)
- 1 small onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 chili pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- black pepper - to taste
- salt - to taste
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan. Add the whole garlic clove, the parsley stems, and the chili pepper. Let them gently sizzle to release their aroma.
- Increase the heat slightly and add the cleaned mussels. Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened. Shake the pan occasionally to help them open evenly.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Shell the open mussels and place the meat in a bowl. Set aside.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside. This flavorful broth will be used later to cook the pasta and the potatoes.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into small, evenly sized cubes. Finely chop the onion
- Sauté the onion in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil until soft and golden.
- Add the potatoes to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Pour in the mussel broth you filtered earlier and let it come to a gentle simmer.
- Add the tomato passata and continue cooking until the potatoes begin to soften and the flavors start to come together.
- Season lightly with salt, then add the short pasta.
- Cover with hot water and cook the pasta in the pan, stirring often as the water is absorbed. Add more water as needed during cooking.NOTE: the amount of water depends on the texture you prefer. Add more liquid if you want a brothier pasta with mussels, or less if you prefer a creamier, thicker consistency.
- When the pasta is al dente and the sauce has reached your desired texture, add the mussels and stir gently to combine.
- Serve immediately with plenty of the creamy cooking sauce and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy your pasta with potatoes and mussels piping hot.
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