Restaurant-Quality Coniglio al Rosmarino: Italian Braised Rabbit Recipe

Rabbit is abundant here in rural Andalucía. Farmed rabbit is always available at the supermarket, but having one — or maybe two — donated by a neighbour is lucky because it’s fresh and wild. With that luck comes the job of skinning and cleaning it yourself, but that’s part of the experience. Many men in my village hunt — I understand hunting for the pot, but I don’t get it when it’s purely sport.

I have a distant memory of a rabbit dish I once had in a restaurant in Italy – was it Genoa or Bari? The flavour and texture stuck with me. Back home, there are plenty of Spanish rabbit recipes:

• Conejo al Ajillo — Garlic rabbit
• Conejo al Chilindrón — Rabbit stewed with peppers and tomato
• Paella de Conejo — Rabbit paella
• From my time in France, I also loved rabbit with prunes and pig’s trotter in The Limousin

But today, I wanted something restaurant-quality, to emulate that Italian experience. Rustic is for another day — today it’s all about Coniglio al Rosmarino e Vino Rosso, a slow-braised, flavour-packed rabbit that’s simple yet refined.

Ingredients (4 Portions)

• 1 whole rabbit, jointed
• Fine sea salt, black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 carrots, cut into fine brunoise
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stick celery, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and left whole
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 200 ml good dry red wine
• 300–400 g chopped tomatoes

Method: How to Braise Rabbit with Rosemary and Red Wine

1. Season and Rest

Season the rabbit generously with salt and a little pepper. Leave uncovered in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. This firms the meat and improves flavour — standard restaurant practice.

2. Precision Browning

Heat olive oil in a wide, heavy pan. Brown the rabbit pieces slowly and evenly over medium heat until golden all over. Take your time — colour equals flavour. Remove and keep warm.

3. Clean Soffritto

Lower the heat. Add a touch more olive oil if needed. Add onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until soft, sweet, and aromatic – no colour. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary; cook 1 minute.

4. Reduce the Wine Properly

Pour the red wine into the empty side of the pan (or remove vegetables briefly). Reduce by two-thirds until syrupy. This removes harshness and concentrates flavour.

5. Braise Gently

Return the rabbit to the pan. Add the tomatoes, stir once, then bring to a bare simmer. Cover loosely. Cook on the hob for 60–75 minutes, turning pieces occasionally. The sauce should cling to the meat, not pool.

6. Finish Like a Chef

Remove the rabbit pieces and keep warm. Increase heat and reduce the sauce until glossy and lightly thickened. Taste and correct seasoning. Return the rabbit to the pan just to coat in the sauce. Let it rest off the heat for 10 minutes.

Plating and Presentation: Restaurant-Style Tips

• Serve three neat pieces per plate
• Spoon sauce over, not around
• Finish with a few drops of fresh olive oil
• Optional: a tiny pinch of finely chopped rosemary

What NOT to Do

• Don’t drown it in tomato
• Don’t rush the browning
• Don’t boil — rabbit tightens fast

Chef’s Sidebar: Sides, Wine Pairings, and Preparing Wild Rabbit

Sides That Work

• Polenta or mashed potatoes – soak up the glossy sauce
• Crusty bread – rustic and simple
• Roasted seasonal vegetables – carrots, courgettes, tenderstem broccoli
• Simple salad – bitterness balances richness

Wine Pairing

• Italian red – Chianti, Barbera, Montepulciano
• Spanish red – Rioja Crianza, Ribera del Duero
• Tip: Choose a wine with enough body to match the rabbit and sauce

Cleaning & Preparing Wild Rabbit

• Fresh, wild rabbit is a treat, but it requires skinning and gutting if you get it from a neighbour
• Use a sharp knife and clean, cold water. Take your time — it’s part of the connection with the food
• Joint the rabbit into pieces for even cooking

Chef’s Tip

• Pre-salting overnight elevates the dish
• Always brown slowly and reduce wine separately – flavour develops naturally

For more ways to cook it, have a look at my rabbit recipes.

If you've enjoyed the recipes, you can buy me a coffee ☕ — it helps keep the site going.

This coniglio al rosmarino recipe is part of the Game Recipes hub — a collection of wild and seasonal recipes from Casa Adora and the road — and sits with the other dishes in my Rabbit Recipes guide.

This recipe is also part of the Slow Cooker & Slow Cooking Recipes collection — braised meat, one-pot casseroles, confit, and slow roasts from Casa Adora and the road, gathered in one place. Browse all recipes here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef