Tagliatelle al Ragù Bianco di Coniglio (Tagliatelle with White Rabbit Ragù)

Ragù bianco is the tomato-free side of Italian slow-cooked meat sauces, relying on wine, herbs, stock and patient simmering for depth rather than acidity or sweetness. Here, rabbit gives the sauce a delicate savoury character: the meat is browned, gently braised with rosemary and garlic, then pulled from the bone and returned to the pan until glossy and tender. Wide ribbons of tagliatelle are well suited to this style of ragù, catching the shredded meat and light juices without overwhelming them. Parmesan folded in at the end adds richness and helps the sauce cling, making the finished dish refined but still comforting, best served immediately while loose and silky.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Italian pasta cooking
Flavor profile Savoury • Herby • Delicately rich
Techniques Browning • Gentle simmering • Shredding
Key equipment Dutch oven • Large pasta pot • Grater
Cooking style Make-ahead friendly
Time commitment Slow-cooked

Why this recipe works

  • Built-in depth: Browning the rabbit first creates a savoury fond, which is lifted with white wine and carried through the ragù.
  • Tomato-free balance: Wine, stock, rosemary and garlic give the sauce depth without overwhelming the delicate flavour of the rabbit.
  • Silky finish: Reserved pasta water and finely grated Parmesan help the ragù cling to the tagliatelle without making it heavy.

Get the most out of this recipe

Timing notes

  • Plan for hands-on prep and simmering: Most of the time is in the gentle simmer; the active work is browning, shredding the rabbit and finishing the pasta.
  • Serve straight after tossing: Once the tagliatelle is mixed with the ragù and Parmesan, serve promptly so the sauce stays loose and glossy.

Texture tips

  • Keep the simmer gentle: Small, steady bubbles help the rabbit become tender while keeping the sauce pale and refined.
  • Do not boil the finished sauce hard: After shredding the meat, reduce only until the ragù is moist and glossy rather than dry or tight.
  • Loosen with pasta water: Add reserved cooking water gradually as you toss the pasta, stopping when the sauce coats the ribbons lightly.

Make-ahead tips

  • Make the ragù in advance: The rabbit ragù can be cooked ahead, cooled quickly and refrigerated, then reheated gently before tossing with fresh pasta.
  • Freeze the sauce, not the pasta: Freeze the ragù on its own, then defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat with a little stock until piping hot.
  • Cook tagliatelle to order: For the best texture, boil the pasta just before serving and finish it directly in the reheated ragù.

Ingredient notes

  • Rabbit suits a gentle ragù: Rabbit is lean and mild, so it benefits from careful browning followed by slow, moist cooking.
  • Use fresh rosemary if possible: Fresh rosemary gives a cleaner herbal note; dried rosemary can taste sharper and should be used with restraint.
  • Reduce the wine properly: Letting the wine reduce before adding stock softens its acidity and keeps the ragù rounded rather than harsh.

Equipment you'll need

Colander Dutch oven Grater Large pot Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Joint the rabbit into serving pieces, then season all over with 1 tsp of the fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp of the black pepper. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife. Strip the rosemary leaves from 1 sprig and keep the remaining sprig whole.
  2. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the rabbit pieces well on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes in total, adjusting the heat so the fond turns deep golden but does not burn. Add the garlic, rosemary leaves and whole rosemary sprig, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the dry white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the base. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the wine has reduced by about half. Add the chicken stock, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover partially and cook for 55 to 60 minutes until the rabbit is very tender and pulls away easily.
  4. Lift the rabbit out onto a plate and let it cool just enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bones, discarding bones and the whole rosemary sprig, then shred the meat into small pieces. Return the meat to the pot and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until the ragù is glossy and moist, seasoning with the remaining fine sea salt and black pepper to taste.
  5. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season it with a little fine sea salt. Cook the tagliatelle until al dente, then drain, reserving a splash of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the ragù and toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, loosening with a little reserved water if needed.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat and finely grate in most of the parmesan, tossing until it melts into the sauce. Serve straight away with the remaining parmesan over the top and a final grind of black pepper. Keep the ragù loose and silky rather than dry.

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Recipe notes

Tips

  • Aim for a very gentle simmer: small bubbles at the edges keep the rabbit tender and the sauce pale.
  • If serving vulnerable groups, ensure the rabbit is cooked until piping hot throughout and the juices run clear.

Substitutions

  • Replace Fresh rosemary with fresh thyme for a softer, more floral herb note.
  • Replace Chicken stock with vegetable stock for a lighter, less meaty background.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days
  • Cool the ragù quickly, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Freeze the ragù only (not the cooked tagliatelle) for up to 2 months; defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of chicken stock until piping hot, then toss with freshly cooked tagliatelle.

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Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 1h 30min (30min active)
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Allergens:
    Gluten Milk Wheat
Freezer friendly
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Equipment you'll need

Colander Dutch oven Grater Large pot Wooden spoon

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Black pepper

1 cup ≈ 110.4 g
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Chicken stock

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
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Dry White Wine

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
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Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
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Fine sea salt

1 cup ≈ 268.8 g
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