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Venetian Duck Ragu

⏱ ~95 min (est.)InvolvedPastaItalian
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

Servings4

Shopping list (6)

Pantry staples (you likely have these)

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How to make it

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan.
  2. Add the duck legs and brown on all sides for about 10 mins.
  3. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  4. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 5 mins until softened.
  5. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 min, then stir in the cinnamon and flour and cook for a further min.
  6. Return the duck to the pan, add the wine, tomatoes, stock, herbs, sugar and seasoning.
  7. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 2 hrs, stirring every now and then.
  8. 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.
  9. Pull off and discard the fat, then shred the meat with 2 forks and discard the bones.
  10. Add the meat back to the sauce with the milk and simmer, uncovered, for a further 10-15 mins while you cook the pasta.
  11. Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water, and add the pasta to the ragu.
  12. 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.
  13. Serve with grated Parmesan, if you like.

You'll use: Pan · Saucepan

Watch how it's made

Hosted on YouTube — pressing play loads content from YouTube.

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

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.