Venetian Duck Ragu

This Italian pasta builds duck legs, red wine and chopped tomatoes into a comforting meal you can have ready in about 95 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 13 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for pan and saucepan. At involved difficulty across 13 steps, it's worth setting aside proper time for.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Heat the oil in a large pan.
- Add the duck legs and brown on all sides for about 10 mins.
- Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook for 5 mins until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 min, then stir in the cinnamon and flour and cook for a further min.
- Return the duck to the pan, add the wine, tomatoes, stock, herbs, sugar and seasoning.
- Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 2 hrs, stirring every now and then.
- Carefully lift the duck legs out of the sauce and place on a plate – they will be very tender so try not to lose any of the meat.
- Pull off and discard the fat, then shred the meat with 2 forks and discard the bones.
- Add the meat back to the sauce with the milk and simmer, uncovered, for a further 10-15 mins while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water, and add the pasta to the ragu.
- Stir to coat all the pasta in the sauce and cook for 1 min more, adding a splash of cooking liquid if it looks dry.
- Serve with grated Parmesan, if you like.
You'll use: Pan · Saucepan
Watch how it's made

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Ingredient substitutions
- Red Wine
- beef stock + 1 tsp red wine vinegar · grape juice + vinegar
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Parmesan
- pecorino · grana padano · aged asiago
What to serve with Venetian Duck Ragu
- Spaghetti Bolognese Beef
- Spicy Arrabiata Penne Vegetarian
- Vegan Lasagna Vegan
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad Seafood
Tips & common questions
How long does Venetian Duck Ragu take to make?
About 95 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 13 steps and 15 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of red wine?
Try beef stock + 1 tsp red wine vinegar. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Recipe data for Venetian Duck Ragu via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.







