Homemade Pickled Mussels: A Traditional Spanish Tapas Recipe Full of Flavour
Homemade pickled mussels (known in Spain as mejillones en escabeche) are one of the most beloved seafood preserves in Spanish cuisine. Perfect as a tapa, appetiser, or to elevate salads and toasts, this recipe is affordable, healthy, and packed with Spanish flavour. Preparing them at home is simple, and it allows you to adjust the acidity, the level of paprika, and the aromatic intensity to your taste.
In this post, you’ll learn how to make pickled mussels step by step, discover a bit of the history behind escabeche, and pick up key tips to achieve a balanced, smooth, and delicious marinade.
What Is Escabeche and Why Does It Pair So Well with Mussels?
Escabeche is a traditional Mediterranean preservation technique that blends olive oil, vinegar, spices, and aromatics to create a flavorful acidic marinade. Although it’s now considered a hallmark of Spanish gastronomy, its origins reach far beyond the peninsula. The word escabeche comes from the Arabic al-sakbaj or al-sikbâj, referring to a Persian dish of meat stewed in vinegar and spices. When this culinary technique arrived in medieval Spain during the period of Al-Andalus, it evolved using local ingredients, particularly olive oil, paprika, bay leaf, and wine vinegar, giving rise to the Spanish version we know today.
By the 16th and 17th centuries, escabeche had become one of the most practical ways to preserve fish and meat before refrigeration existed. Sailors, fishermen, and travellers relied on it to keep food safe for long journeys. Coastal regions in northern Spain, especially Galicia and Asturias, quickly adopted the method because it was ideal for preserving abundant local seafood.
Among all the seafood prepared this way,
