Traditional duck ragu' (ragu' d'anatra alla veneta) is a staple of northern Italian cuisine, and just as delicious as the classic bolognese.
In my Italian family, we make duck ragu' pappardelle on a regular basis, it's one of those comforting Sunday dinner recipes that never fails to impress.
So, after years of making it for my whole family, I'm really excited to finally share this recipe with you.
Similar to the classic bolognese, the meat is slowly simmered in its sauce for hours, to help develop a complex flavor and texture.
The result is a comforting, flavor-loaded pasta sauce that melts in your mouth.
If you're looking for an easy yet showstopping pasta sauce that will leave your guests hungry for more, give this duck bolognese a try, it's SO worthy!
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What is Duck Ragu'?
Venetian duck ragu (or ragù d'anatra alla veneta in Italian) is a traditional recipe from the Veneto region in Italy.
It's similar to the classic Italian bolognese sauce, but the duck bolognese features duck instead of beef, and it's lightly seasoned with cinnamon, to add a nice complexity to the dish.
Tomatoes were not traditionally part of the recipe, but they're widely added these days.
You can add a couple of whole canned tomatoes, or a teaspoon of tomato paste to add extra flavor to the sauce.
Duck Bolognese Ingredients
Venetian duck ragu' is made with very simple and basic ingredients, typical of Italian cuisine.
For this recipe you'll need just 8 ingredients:
- Duck: For a duck breast ragu' use duck breast only, for extra flavor, add duck leg meat. Remove the skin and chop the meat finely with the help of a knife.
- Soffritto: Most Italian sauces start with a soffritto, basically the Italian mirepoix, made with finely minced carrot, celery, and onion.
- Wine: Traditional bolognese needs wine. Use a good red wine or dry white wine. Verdicchio or Sangiovese wines are some of my favorite options.
- Stock: You'll need a little stock whilst you cook the sauce. You can use vegetable, beef, or chicken stock.
- Cinnamon: Not featured in the classic bolognese, but in the Venetian duck ragu is a key ingredient that adds a nice depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Tomatoes: Traditionally, duck ragu is white (no tomatoes), but you can add a couple of canned tomatoes for a splash of color. If using canned tomatoes, remove the seeds because they're bitter.
- Bay leaf: Adds sweetness and flavor to the sauce.
- Milk: Add a little milk to smooth out the sauce or an equal amount of freshly-squeezed orange juice, as some Venetian cooks do.
Chef tip: Vary the taste of the duck ragu' a little, for example by adding some grated orange zest at the end of cooking or adding 4 cloves whilst the sauce cooks (and discard them before serving).
How To Make Duck Ragu'
Once you have the right ingredients, this recipe for duck ragu' is pretty straightforward and quite easy to master.
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.
STEP 1. Cook the soffritto, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until the veggies have softened. Then add the duck meat and cook until browned.
STEP 2. Add wine and allow it to evaporate, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes (if using) and cook for 2 more minutes.
STEP 3. Add half of the stock, reduce heat to low, then slowly cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 + ½ hours.
STEP 4. When you see the sauce drying out, pour in the remaining stock. Towards the end, pour in about ¼ cup of milk, and cook until the sauce has a rich and dense texture.
In the meantime, cook your favorite pasta al dente (pappardelle, fettuccine, rigatoni, or the traditional bigoli are all good options).
Once ready, top your duck ragu' pasta with generous shavings of Parmigiano cheese and serve.
Venetian Duck Ragu Tips
Here are a few tips that will bring your duck ragu pasta to the next level.
- I like to use both duck breast and leg meat, which adds more flavor to the sauce, but if you find it difficult to clean, ask your butcher to do it for you, or simply use duck breast only.
- Chop the meat with a sharp knife instead of using ground duck meat (prepared using a mincer), it will give your sauce a better texture and a lot more flavor.
- Chop the veggies by hand. I know that using a food processor might be tempting, but the hand-chopped soffritto gives the ragu' a unique texture.
- Use a large heavy-duty pan or a cast-iron pot, that will hold the heat steady.
- Cooking the bolognese at very low heat is the real secret that will thicken your sauce.
- Leave the salt and pepper out until the very end. Your duck ragu' sauce should be seasoned once it is cooked through.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store leftover duck ragu sauce in an air-tight container, it will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezer: Duck ragu freezes beautifully! Simply transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on the stove for a couple of minutes.
More Italian Dinner Recipes To Try
- Traditional Italian Pasta e Fagioli
- Pollo alla Cacciatora (Chicken Cacciatore)
- Ricotta Meatballs - Italian Recipe
- Steak Pizzaiola - Carne alla Pizzaiola
- Pumpkin Risotto
- Polpette - Italian Meatballs
- Asparagus Risotto
- Authentic Italian Potato Frittata
- Ossobuco alla Milanese
Did You Try This Recipe?
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Duck Ragu' - Ragu' d'Anatra
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or butter
- 1 medium carrot, finely minced
- 1 celery stalk, finely minced
- 1 medium golden onion, finely minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 400 g duck breast without skin, finely chopped
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 2 canned whole tomatoes, optional
- 400 ml chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon milk, or fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Heat a large pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat. Add in the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf and cinnamon, and cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes, until the veggies have softened.
- Add the finely chopped duck meat and continue to cook, stirring often, until it's browned.
- Pour in the wine and allow to evaporate, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes (if using), followed by half of the stock. Reduce heat to very low, partially cover the pot with a lid, then slowly cook the duck ragu' for at least 1½ hours.
- Stir the sauce occasionally, and if you see it's drying out, pour in a bit of stock. During the last half an hour of cooking, pour in the milk or orange juice.
- The sauce is ready when it reaches a dense and rich texture. If it's still too runny, let it cook a little more .
- Serve with your favorite pasta (pappardelle, bigoli, rigatoni, etc), top with Parmigiano cheese and serve.
Notes
- I like to use both duck breast and leg meat, which adds more flavor to the sauce, but if you find it difficult to clean, ask your butcher to do it for you, or simply use duck breast only.
- Chop the meat with a sharp knife instead of using ground duck meat (prepared using a mincer), it will give your sauce a better texture and a lot more flavor.
- Chop the veggies by hand. I know that using a food processor might be tempting, but the hand-chopped soffritto gives the duck ragu' a unique texture.
- Use a large heavy-duty pan or a cast-iron pot, that will hold the heat steady.
- You can stir-fry the veggies in extra-virgin olive oil or butter. Use butter for a richer sauce, or olive oil for a more delicate result.
- Cooking the duck bolognese at very low heat is the real secret that will thicken your sauce.
- Leave the salt and pepper out until the very end. Your duck ragu' sauce should be seasoned once it is cooked through.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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