This Venetian duck ragù recipe is regional Italian cooking at its best. It comes from right here in the Veneto where we live and it's one of our absolute favorite pasta dishes of all time. If you're familiar with our Venetian Duck Ragù w/Bigoli Pasta, then you probably already know how delicious it is. It's not the most well-known ragù outside of Italy, but thankfully that's changing. Duck ragù as it's simply called here (or Ragù d’Anatra and also called Ragù d'Arna in Venetian dialect) is a slow-simmered ragù made with duck, soffrito, garlic, herbs, spices, white wine, butter, duck or chicken stock, milk, and extra virgin olive oil all simmered to perfection and most often tossed with fresh bigoli (pronounced Bee-go-lee) or pappardelle pasta. And it's one of the best Italian dishes I've ever eaten.

an Ivy-covered building in Venice Italy with pink bricks, warm glowing lights illuminated at dusk and beautiful Ivy covering the awning and the tops of threshold

a bowl of Italian duck ragù in a bowl with a view of the italian rooftops in the distance

Authentic Northern Italian Duck Ragù Recipe

There are many Italian duck ragù recipes online, but this one is modeled on the most common one found here in the Veneto (Venice and the surrounding cities in this province where we live). This is the birthplace of Venetian duck ragù (Ragù d'Anatra pronounced "Donna-truh"). And it's often paired with another local specialty, fresh, fat, chewy bigoli pasta (or tagliatelle or pappardelle in this case).

I developed and tweaked this recipe specifically to taste like the "Bigoli d'Anatra" served at our favorite local restaurants and trattorias.
I used our favorite ready-to-heat-and-eat (nationally award-winning) duck ragù for side-by-side comparison and recipe development. It's made by a local family-owned artisanal food shop downtown that also mass-produces its products (including this ragù) and sells it commercially at grocery stores. It's delicious and allowed me to get just the right flavor and texture of authentic Venetian duck ragù.
Plus, my guy is born and raised right here in the heart of the Veneto and he also happens to be a huge fan of duck ragù. He taste-tested and weighed in at every step and provided valuable feedback.

We conducted a side-by-side comparison of my homemade duck ragù vs the artisanal version -- and he said my duck ragù was even better♡. He's extremely honest and serious when it comes to food, especially a dish we can eat out anytime we're in the mood. So, you can trust that this is as real and authentic as any Italian duck ragù recipe from this region of Italy will ever be.

dried pappardelle pasta nests next to each other with the package visible in the background — Pappardelle egg pasta "nests"

What is Italian Duck Ragù and What Does it Taste Like?

The best way I can describe the flavor of Italian duck ragù is that it tastes like the most delicious Thanksgiving meal but in the form of Italian pasta. This is likely from all the sage and subtle warm spice flavors that permeate the meat sauce. Along with the prominence of sage, there's also a slight hint of buttery rosemary, sautéed onions, carrots, celery, and garlic that disintegrates into the sauce as it slowly simmers before finally becoming a proper ragù. The next layer of flavor comes from the addition of white wine and the background notes of the warm spices -- cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, and a single clove.

Each of these spices is really subtle but helps create the unmistakable Venetian duck ragù flavor. None of them stands out directly or aggressively, but instead, add warmth and depth to the sauce. You might even be hard-pressed to identify the exact spices used because of the gentle way they're used to infuse the milk. And if all of these flavors weren't perfectly delicious enough, the ragù gets a generous sprinkling of grated Grana Padano cheese at the end.

a cozy serving of delicious duck Ragù pasta in a white pasta bowl

buttery yellow pappardelle with Venetian Duck Ragù twirled on a fork ready to be eaten

Cinnamon, Cloves + Freshly Grated Nutmeg are Spices often used in Northern Italian Cuisine

You might be thinking it's strange for savory Italian dishes to use cloves, cinnamon, or even nutmeg, but it's actually commonplace here. Especially in the northeastern regions of Italy where the influence of the great spice trade can still be seen (and tasted) today. Duck ragù is thought to have originated in Venice where the flavors and spices used in the dish reflect the influence of the Ottoman Empire. You can also see this influence in the architecture throughout the city. Duck ragù from this region (in its truest form) has no tomatoes in it. However, today many versions include small amounts of tomato paste or tomato purée but always in moderation to the ratio of duck meat. In our immediate area, I've never seen tomatoes added to duck ragù, but I can bet that it's also really tasty.

Venice canal with all white buildings on both sides connected by an ancient sky bridge

Love at First Bite -- The First Time I Ate Italian Duck Ragù

Bigoli with duck ragù is a pasta that my guy grew up eating regularly (pictured below) and as previously mentioned, it's one of his favorite pasta dishes. Years ago when he took me to try it for the first time, I wasn't thinking much of it when he described it to me. Instead, I was thinking, "yea, ok I'm sure it's good, but how good can duck ragù actually be?". It completely blew me away. The first thing I said was, "This tastes like Thanksgiving". The fat chewy porous fresh bigoli pasta and the meaty sage-filled ragù are as good as pasta gets. You may not be able to find fresh bigoli pasta where you live, but buttery chewy ribbons of pappardelle or tagliatelle egg pasta are a perfect fit for this rich and flavorful ragù. All of these types of noodles are also traditionally eaten with duck ragù.

A braising dish filled with fat bigoli egg pasta noodles covered in duck ragù

a view of ancient sculptures of people lining a walkway in the park with trees also lining the path

Below are a Few Versions of Local Italian Duck Ragù (Heat + Serve and Restaurant Versions)

two white containers filled with pre-made duck ragu and the other with raw fresh bigoli pasta — cold artisanal ready-to-eat duck ragù with raw bigoli egg pasta ready to be cooked (this isn't our favorite, but it's still excellent)

closeup of artisanal ready-to-eat duck ragù (cold)

final dish of pasta using the artisanal ready-to-eat duck ragù and bigoli pasta

a plate full of bigoli pasta from a local restaurant with wine glasses in view filled with a local red wine — a plate full of bigoli pasta from a local restaurant

a plate full of bigoli pasta from a local restaurant — another plate full of bigoli pasta from a different local restaurant

a plate full of bigoli pasta from a local trattoria

another plate of Italian duck ragù with bigoli pasta

a view of St. Mark's basilica in Venice Italy — St. Mark's Square, Venice, Italy

Classic Venetian Duck Ragù Ingredients

ground duck meat
pancetta (optional)
butter
extra virgin olive oil
sage
rosemary
onions
carrots
celery
garlic
bay leaf
salt + freshly cracked black pepper
stock
white wine
whole milk
a pinch of ground cinnamon
1 clove
freshly grated nutmeg
Grana Padano cheese

various duck breeds on the open and very green park grounds looking for food with an ancient Palladio domed structure "gazebo" in the background with terraced garden wrapping around it, trees and an arched bridge leading to the gazebo with a small lake — ducks in the park -- Italy

a bowl full of pappardelle pasta with duck ragù — Venetian Duck Ragù with Pappardelle

whole ducks in the cooler case at a local Italian supermarket — whole ducks for sale at our local Italian supermarket

a package of ground duck meat to make duck ragù — a package of ground duck meat ready to make duck ragù

How to Make Classic Italian Venetian Duck Ragù

Name: Italian Duck Ragù w/Pappardelle Pasta (Pappardelle al Ragù d’Anatra)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 ounces fresh bigoli egg pasta per person (80g); 1 lb 5 ounces duck meat from 1 whole duck, deboned and skin removed (610g); 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (35g); 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (55g); 1 tablespoon duck fat (13g); 12 fresh sage leaves, chopped (4g); 3 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage (about 20-25 whole dried sage leaves crumbled); 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, stem removed and rosemary chopped; 1/2 to 1 sprig freshly dried rosemary, crumbled; 2 1/2 ounces carrot, diced (about 2 medium carrots) (65g); 3 1/2 ounces yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 medium onions) (100g); 1 medium celery stalk rib, diced (40g); 2 garlic cloves, smashed (8g); 1 dried bay leaf; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste (6g); freshly cracked black pepper (30 turns on peppermill), or to taste; 1 cup of homemade or storebought duck stock or chicken stock; 2 ounces dry white wine (pinot grigio, soave, etc.) (50g); 5 tablespoons whole milk (70g); a pinch of ground cinnamon; 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick; 1 clove; freshly grated nutmeg (about 7-10 quick bursts on a Microplane grater)

It's definitely worth the time it takes to make this slow-simmered sauce, but if you really want to be efficient, double or triple the recipe and freeze portions of the ragù for easy MealPrep dinners anytime.

1. Clean and debone the duck. Break down the duck by cutting it down the center of the back and opening it up. Remove all of the skin and fat to a separate bowl. Using a boning knife (or another sharp knife) remove the meat from the bones and place it into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the meat about 5-6 times, or until the meat is about the size of ground pork. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Reserve the bones to make duck stock.
2. Render the duck fat from the skin. (You can skip this step altogether and move on to step 3, but I don't like to waste anything. And duck fat is like liquid gold in the kitchen). In a large dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot, add the duck skin and excess duck fat in a single layer and turn the heat on to medium. Cook slowly over medium heat until the fat has completely rendered and the duck skin is crispy. Remove the crispy skin and pour the fat into a heat-proof container.
3. Infuse the milk. In a small pot heat the milk until just before boiling, add the pinch of cinnamon, cinnamon stick, clove, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Allow the spices to steep in the milk while you proceed with the recipe. Strain the milk just before adding it to the ragù.
4. Fry the herbs. In the same pot, add the olive oil, butter, 1 tablespoon of duck fat, chopped fresh sage leaves, chopped fresh rosemary, and garlic. Sautée until the sage and rosemary are crispy, and the garlic is just golden brown.
5. Make the soffrito. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir the mixture to combine, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook stirring occasionally for about 10-12 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and translucent but not browned.
6. Cook the ground duck. Add the ground duck to the soffrito, dried rubbed sage, dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine and cook over low heat covered for 15 minutes or until the bottom of the pan starts to reveal a fond (browning).
7. Deglaze the pan + simmer the ragù. Add the white wine and simultaneously scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon as you stir the mixture. Cook for a couple of minutes to allow some of the alcohol to evaporate. Next, add the stock, strained milk, and a bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 1 hour. Adjust seasonings adding more salt and pepper if necessary (you may also remove the bay leaf at this point according to your tastes). Return the lid, and continue cooking over low heat for another 40 to 60 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened into a ragù.
8. Cook the pasta and finish the ragù. In lightly salted boiling water, cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. At just about 3 minutes before noodles are cooked to al dente, ladle in approximately ¼ cup starchy pasta cooking water to the ragù to help emulsify the sauce and better coat the noodles. Adjust seasonings, and add strained pasta to the sauce. Toss to combine and serve with freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese and Enjoy!.

Below are A Few of Our Favorite Italian Ragùs + What Sets Them Apart from a Regular Pasta Sauce

a ladle full of beef ragù with the sun shining on it — (Above + Below) Simple Northern Italian beef ragù, but cook it for another hour and the color and flavor deepen and develop even further.

a dutch oven with a thick Bolognese Ragù with a deep color — (Above + Below) Ragù alla Bolognese (Bolognese ragù)

Italian Duck Ragù in a dutch oven with a brown and slightly green speckled color from the sage — (Above + Below) Ragù d'Anatra (Italian duck ragù)

a bowl full of Reginelle tagliatelle pasta which is a tagliatelle egg pasta with zigzagged edges (with a beautiful beef ragù mixed in)

a closeup of an oozing hot square of lasagna Bolognese slice with layers of spinach egg pasta, ragù alla bolognese sauce, bechamel and Parmigiana cheese on a piece of brown parchment paper on top of a gold and pink tray

What is Italian Ragù and How is it Different from Pasta Sauce?

Ragù is different from the average pasta sauce for a few reasons. We've listed a few of the most common points and also provided some photos of our favorites above.

The soffrito. Ragù is typically made beginning with a soffrito (slow-cooked onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil).
The meat is braised. The meat in many ragù recipes is often braised with the soffrito for a prolonged period of time before adding in any liquid (stock, tomatoes, or milk).
There is more meat than liquid. After the addition of a liquid is introduced to the slow-cooked meat, the mixture will cook for at least another hour or longer until it becomes condensed, thick, and the proper consistency of a ragù. Not only does the longer cooking time create an intensely flavored final ragù, but it melts in your mouth.
A typical pasta sauce requires only that the meat be browned and just cooked through before adding the liquid. Pasta sauce also has a much shorter cooking time and contains more liquid (like canned tomatoes) than meat.

Bigoli, Tagliatelle, and Pappardelle -- The Perfect Egg Pasta to Eat with Venetian Duck Ragù

Raw Italian Bigoli egg pasta — Bigoli egg pasta

a "nest" of dry uncooked Reginelle Tagliatelle egg past — Reginelle Tagliatelle egg pasta "nest"

How to Cook Pasta Like a Pro Every Time

If you’ve eaten a forkful of pasta at your favorite restaurant you may have wondered why it can sometimes be so much richer and velvety (even tastier) than the stuff you make at home. Restaurants typically use more fat (and sometimes dairy) than you’d ever imagine cooking with at home. And one of the biggest differences between your spaghetti and theirs mostly comes down to cooking techniques and the quality of ingredients used. In order to bring out the best texture, flavor, and maximum pasta goodness, follow the guidelines below.

Don’t pre-cook your pasta noodles. In most cases, try to time the pasta so that the sauce is ready just before (or well in advance of) the noodles and not the other way around.
Add starchy pasta cooking water to the sauce. Just before the noodles are finished cooking to "al dente" doneness, add a little starchy water to the sauce and stir.
Don’t over-salt the cooking water. If the pasta cooking water is too salty, it'll make your final sauce too salty when it gets added. Alternatively, if the pasta water is not salty enough, the noodles will be bland.
Cook the pasta directly in the sauce at the end and toss. When you can, it’s good to finish cooking the noodles directly in the sauce for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. But this is not a technique to be used when making Pasta alla Carbonara because egg yolks are involved.
Don’t add any cheese while the sauce is boiling, simmering, or otherwise cooking. Adding grated cheese to a pasta sauce while it's cooking, causes the cheese to separate and become stringy. The fat in the cheese will separate leaving the sauce oily. Instead, remove the sauce or pasta from the heat and add the cheese after 15-20 seconds. Alternatively, in some recipes, you may serve the grated cheese at the table instead of adding it directly to the pasta.
Skip the dairy. Butter and cream aren't necessary to create a smooth velvety texture to pasta, although in the right amounts and in the right sauce the addition can be delicious. If you're using dairy to enhance the flavor, go for it, but if you're just trying to create a better mouthfeel, use the techniques above and you can't go wrong.
If the sauce is tomato-based use Mutti brand tomatoes (or the best San Marzano DOP tomatoes). My recommended canned tomato brand to use for all your tomato-based pasta sauces is Mutti. These are the best 100% Italian (non-GMO, no additives or preservatives added), tomatoes from near and around Parma, Italy. These tomatoes are available in the US (and other global markets including China. In Italy, if your family doesn't grow and can their own tomatoes, or buy them from a local producer, Mutti is a staple found in just about every cupboard here. The reason is simple. These tomatoes are delicious with intense real tomato flavor. We have access to an abundant variety of high-quality canned San Marzano DOP tomatoes that we love and buy, but we still always keep Mutti on hand. They're consistently great-tasting. This is important when I'm developing and sharing recipes. I want the Biting audience to have the best possible results when replicating a dish at home. Using a consistent brand that's available to me and you make the most sense. I'm not paid by Mutti. for the endorsement. They are just one of the best brands out there, and using them absolutely will make all the difference in your homemade pasta or pizza sauce.

Classic Italian Ragù tips + tricks + FAQ's

What's "soffrito" and is it the same as "mirepoix"? Soffrito is the Italian word for “under-fried” or “fried slowly". It's the process of gently cooking diced vegetables (usually onions, carrots, and celery) in olive oil until soft (not browned) and the flavors are released. It's similar to the French "mirepoix" which also uses onions, carrots, and celery but uses butter instead of olive oil to fry them in.
Can I substitute fresh sage leaves for ground sage or dried rubbed sage? You may substitute the fresh sage for ground or rubbed sage, but keep in mind that dried sage is more concentrated in flavor than fresh sage leaves. Furthermore, dried ground sage is more potent than dried rubbed sage which is fluffy and soft. Overall, fresh sage is more flavorful than any dried variety and retains its natural oils. This is why I like to use both fresh and freshly dried homemade rubbed sage in this duck ragù recipe. See the recipe notes section for sage equivalents and substitutions.
Can I substitute duck breast or duck leg meat for the whole duck? You can definitely use duck breast and duck legs in this recipe. Just use equal amounts as called for in the recipe (or close to it). You may need to use more or less olive oil if your ragù seems dry or not fatty enough. If you can get ground duck meat from your local butcher, even better. Ground duck is readily available in all the supermarkets where we live, but you may have to seek out a specialty shop in your area.
What can I substitute for bigoli pasta? Most likely you won't easily find fresh egg bigoli pasta in the States, but pappardelle and tagliatelle egg pasta are also traditionally used in this specialty pasta.