This whole roasted rabbit with potatoes and root vegetables is an easy and well-rounded meal that showcases the unique flavor of rabbit meat! With only 10 minutes of prep time, you don't have to have any experience cooking rabbit to turn it into a fabulous rabbit pot roast for dinner! All you have to do is season and sear the meat, add broth and veggies, and roast until everything is melt-in-your-mouth tender!
Tender Braised Rabbit Pot Roast Recipe
If you're looking for an easy and elegant roast recipe to prepare for dinner this week, this whole roasted rabbit is sure to impress. It's a one-pot meal that's incredibly tender, filling, and complete with red potatoes and root vegetables!
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I also have a delicious rabbit stew recipe to try when you are craving a cozy and comforting main course featuring tender rabbit meat!
🥘 Whole Roasted Rabbit Ingredients
If you aren't a hunter yourself, you can probably find a whole rabbit at your local butcher shop or meat market. Just pick up some fresh vegetables and red potatoes, and you're all set!
- Rabbit - A 2-2½ pound rabbit. You may need to remove organs from the body cavity.
- Salt - ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Ground White Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of ground white pepper.
- Paprika - ¼ teaspoon of paprika or use a paprika substitute if desired.
- Ground Thyme - ¼ teaspoon of ground thyme.
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Chicken Broth - 1 cup of chicken broth.
- Red Potatoes - 2-3 medium red potatoes, chopped.
- White Onion - 1 small chopped white onion, or use yellow onion.
- Carrots - 3 medium carrots that are washed and sliced.
- Celery - 3-4 stalks of celery that are washed and sliced.
- Garlic - 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced or crushed.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Whole Roasted Rabbit
After the rabbit is cut, seasoned, and seared, this recipe becomes completely hands-off! You will need a roasting pan (or Dutch oven), measuring spoons, a small mixing bowl, a cutting board, a chef's knife, and silicone kitchen tongs.
A 2-2½ pound rabbit is about 3 servings. Plus, the potatoes and veggies can be used as a side dish, so there's no extra work!
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4).
- Season. In the meantime, generously season your 2-2½ pound (1021 grams) rabbit on both sides with ½ teaspoon (3 grams) of salt, ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of ground white pepper, ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon (0.25 grams) of ground thyme.
- Heat oil. Heat 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of olive oil over medium-high heat in a roasting pan or Dutch oven.
- Sear. Once the oil starts to shimmer, sear your rabbit roast for 2-3 minutes on each side. As soon as a golden crust has formed, add 1 cup (237 milliliters) of chicken broth, 2-3 medium red potatoes (426 grams), 1 small white onion (70 grams), 3 medium carrots (183 grams), 3-4 stalks celery (160 grams), and 3 cloves of garlic (9 grams).
- Roast. Roast uncovered at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 45 minutes or until fork tender with an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) when checked in the thickest portion of meat.
- Rest. Remove from the oven when done and rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
🍴What To Serve With Rabbit Pot Roast
Although the potatoes and root vegetables in this recipe can be served as side dishes, you could also pair your rabbit roast with salad, bread, or cranberry sauce! Try my green garden salad, onion rolls, or apple cider cranberry sauce. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- You can use a stovetop-safe roasting pan or a Dutch oven. Another option is to sear the roast in a large heavy-bottomed skillet and then move it to a large baking dish that has enough room for the roast, vegetables, and broth.
- With a sharp knife, take off the hind legs and front legs of the rabbit. Next, cut the rabbit's torso into equal-sized pieces with kitchen shears, the size of which will depend on how large the rabbit is. I usually cut mine into 3 pieces. Save the choices part of the torso (the saddle).
- After cooking, give your roasted rabbit 10-15 minutes to rest. This helps the juices spread evenly within the meat.
- 3 medium carrots = approximately 1 cup sliced carrots, 3-4 stalks celery = approximately 1 cup sliced celery, 3 medium red potatoes (⅔ pound, 5-6 ounces per potato) = 15-18 ounces total with the skin on, or 1 ⅞-2 ¼ cups sliced potato.
- Feel free to drizzle the pan drippings directly over the roast and vegetables. You could also make a tasty gravy with the drippings and cornstarch. For more information, here's a guide on how to make gravy with cornstarch.
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place your leftovers in an airtight container and store them in your refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing Whole Roasted Rabbit
Freeze any extra roasted rabbit by allowing it to cool completely and placing it in a freezer-safe container. Enjoy within 3 months. Allow your leftovers to thaw in the fridge overnight, and follow the reheating instructions below.
Reheating Whole Roasted Rabbit
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4). Place the leftover roasted rabbit, veggies, and potatoes in an oven-safe dish with a splash of broth or water and cover with aluminum foil.
Reheat for 15-20 minutes or until heated through to your liking. Keep an eye on the roast to avoid overcooking so that the rabbit doesn't dry out.
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📖 Recipe Card
Whole Roasted Rabbit
Ingredients
- 2-2½ lb rabbit (remove organs from the body cavity if needed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2-3 medium red potatoes (chopped)
- 1 small white onion (chopped, or use yellow onion)
- 3 medium carrots (washed and sliced)
- 3-4 stalks celery (washed and sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced or crushed)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4).
- In the meantime, generously season your 2-2½ lb rabbit on both sides with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, ¼ teaspoon paprika, and ¼ teaspoon ground thyme.
- Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a roasting pan or Dutch oven.
- Once the oil starts to shimmer, sear your rabbit roast for 2-3 minutes on each side. As soon as a golden crust has formed, add 1 cup chicken broth, 2-3 medium red potatoes, 1 small white onion, 3 medium carrots, 3-4 stalks celery, and 3 cloves garlic.
- Roast uncovered at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 45 minutes or until fork tender with an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) when checked in the thickest portion of meat.
- Remove from the oven when done and rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can use a stovetop-safe roasting pan or a Dutch oven. Another option is to sear the roast in a large heavy-bottomed skillet and then move it to a large baking dish that has enough room for the roast, vegetables, and broth.
- With a sharp knife, take off the hind legs and front legs of the rabbit. Next, cut the rabbit's torso into equal-sized pieces with kitchen shears, the size of which will depend on how large the rabbit is. I usually cut mine into 3 pieces. Save the choices part of the torso (the saddle).
- After cooking, give your roasted rabbit 10-15 minutes to rest. This helps the juices spread evenly within the meat.
- 3 medium carrots = approximately 1 cup sliced carrots, 3-4 stalks celery = approximately 1 cup sliced celery, 3 medium red potatoes (⅔ pound, 5-6 ounces per potato) = 15-18 ounces total with the skin on, or 1 ⅞-2 ¼ cups sliced potato.
- Feel free to drizzle the pan drippings directly over the roast and vegetables. You could also make a tasty gravy with the drippings and cornstarch. For more information, here's a guide on how to make gravy with cornstarch.
- To store: Place your leftovers in an airtight container and store them in your refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze: Freeze any extra roasted rabbit by allowing it to cool completely and placing it in a freezer-safe container. Enjoy within 3 months. Allow your leftovers to thaw in the fridge overnight and follow the reheating instructions below.
- To reheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4). Place the leftover roasted rabbit, veggies, and potatoes in an oven-safe dish with a splash of broth or water and cover with aluminum foil. Reheat for 15-20 minutes or until heated through to your liking. Keep an eye on the roast to avoid overcooking so that the rabbit doesn't dry out.
Kayleen Butler says
Do you roast it with the bones in?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, just make sure that you remove everything in the body cavity. Thanks for asking!