---
title: "How to Make Cream of Mussels: The Ultimate Chilean “Choritos” Guide"
description: "An excellent recipe for Chilean mussels (choritos) cream made with simple and straightforward ingredients. It's quick to prepare but full of flavor."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-mussels-choritos-cream-recipe/
date: 2023-11-08
modified: 2026-02-15
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chilean-Mussels-Choritos-Cream-Recipe.jpg
categories: ["Soups"]
tags: ["Creams", "Soups"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# How to Make Cream of Mussels: The Ultimate Chilean “Choritos” Guide

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-crema-de-choritos/)

![A white ceramic bowl of steaming Chilean Mussels Cream, topped with golden-brown croutons and a sprig of fresh parsley.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Chilean-Mussels-Choritos-Cream-Recipe.jpg)

An excellent recipe for Chilean mussels (choritos) in cream made with simple and straightforward ingredients. It’s quick to prepare but full of flavor.

## Nutrition Facts

Each serving of Chilean Cream of Mussels contains approximately 320 kcal, 15 g of carbohydrates (including 5 g of sugar), 18 g of fat (saturated and unsaturated), 22 g of protein, 75 mg of cholesterol, and 650 mg of sodium. (*)

## How to Make Chilean Mussels Cream

Preparing mussels in cream is a delicious mixture of broth, vegetables, and white wine, ideal for serving hot, garnished with a little cream and fried bread croutons.

**Prep Time:** 15 minutes

**Cook Time:** 20 minutes

**Servings:** 4

### Ingredients

- 400 grams of cooked mussels
- 500 ml of boiling water
- 4 tablespoons of cream
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 cup of white wine
- 1 grated carrot
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 ½ tablespoons of butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons of flour
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
- ½ diced onion
- ½ teaspoon of paprika
- Bread croutons
- Fresh parsley leaves

### Instructions

1. In a medium-sized pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the diced onion and grated carrot, and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and paprika and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Pour the white wine into the pot and cook until the alcohol has evaporated and the liquid has reduced by half.

![A pile of fresh, black-shelled Chilean mussels (Choritos) ready to be cleaned and cooked.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Fresh-Mussels-300x193.jpg)

1. Let it cool, then pour it into a food processor. Add the cooked choritos and parsley, and blend everything until you get a smooth mixture. Set aside. In another medium-sized pot, melt the butter over low heat, add the flour, and stir until it forms a paste similar to a roux.

![Fresh milk being poured into a saucepan to create a smooth white sauce for the seafood base.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Milk-300x200.jpeg)

1. Gradually add the milk while stirring, and continue to add the vegetable broth until you have a liquid white sauce. Incorporate the blended choritos mixture and mix everything well to integrate the aromas, flavors, and textures. Reheat the mixture. Serve the choritos cream hot, garnished with a little cream, fried bread croutons, and fresh parsley.

## Expert Cooking Tips

- **Mastering the Roux:** In Step 3, when melting the butter and adding the flour, you are creating a roux. To avoid a “floury” taste, cook the paste for at least 1–2 minutes over low heat before adding the milk. This ensures the starch is cooked through and results in a much silkier texture.
- **Achieving a Velvet Texture:** For a true “restaurant-style” cream, pass the blended mussel mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (tamis) before adding it to the white sauce. This removes any small remaining bits of carrot or mussel fiber, leaving you with a perfectly smooth and elegant cream.

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

### 1. Can I use frozen or canned mussels?

Yes. Since the mussels are blended into the base, high-quality frozen or canned cooked mussels work perfectly. Just ensure they are well-drained and rinsed before adding them to the food processor to maintain the balance of salt in the recipe.

### 2. What is the best white wine to use?

A dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay is ideal. Chilean Sauvignon Blanc is particularly good for this recipe, as its acidity cuts through the richness of the cream and butter, enhancing the delicate flavor of the mussels.

### 3. How can I make this recipe alcohol-free?

You can substitute the white wine with an equal amount of vegetable broth and a tablespoon of lemon juice. The acidity from the lemon mimics the brightness that the wine would otherwise provide to the sauce.

### 4. Can I prepare this cream in advance?

Yes, but with caution. You can prepare the blended mussel base and the white sauce up to 24 hours in advance. Store them separately in the fridge. Combine and reheat slowly over low heat just before serving. Do not boil the soup once the cream has been added, as it may separate.

### 5. What can I serve as a side dish?

Traditional fried bread croutons are a must for texture. For a more substantial meal, serve with a side of warm crusty bread or a fresh Chilean salad (ensalada chilena).

## Benefits of Consuming Mussels

- Mussels are an excellent source of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. They contain omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, and manganese.
- They are rich in amino acids that stimulate the formation and release of growth hormones and also contain vitamin E and vitamin A, which are beneficial for eye health.

## Did You Know?

To preserve their conservation, in Chile, the extraction of choritos (mussels) is subject to a ban from November to December in regions I to XI, with a minimum extraction size of 5 centimeters.

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