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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Rabbit and potato gibelotte

Rabbit gibelotte is a French stew made with rabbit, bacon, pearl onions, and button mushrooms, simmered in white wine with potatoes. It takes about 1h30 to make, serves 4, costs €3.50 per person, and is rated easy. The key to success is keeping the simmer gentle so the rabbit doesn't dry out.

Tonight, a rabbit gibelotte just like at the old riverside guinguettes, simmered in white wine with bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms.

Rabbit and potato gibelotte
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.50
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring

Rabbit gibelotte belongs to that family of slow simmered dishes you'd expect to find at an old riverside guinguette. The rabbit cooks gently in dry white wine, while smoky bacon brings a salty edge and pearl onions add their own quiet sweetness. Button mushrooms round things out with a tender bite that pairs naturally with the meat.

This is a Sunday dish, or a weeknight meal for an evening when you're not in a hurry and can let it simmer undisturbed. The potatoes cook directly in the sauce and end up soaking up all that cooking liquid, turning the whole thing into a nearly complete meal in one pot. Mon Chou suggests it for the days when you want something comforting without any fuss.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Rabbit, cut into pieces 1
  • Smoked bacon lardons 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Pearl onions 250 g
  • Button mushrooms 250 g
  • Potatoes 700 g
  • Bouquet garni 1
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Pantry

  • Dry white wine 40 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the rabbit with the bacon lardons in the butter, then set them aside. 12 min

    Get good color on every piece, that's where the flavor comes from.

  2. Cook the pearl onions until golden, dust with flour, and stir to coat. 5 min

    Keep stirring constantly so the flour doesn't catch.

  3. Pour in the white wine, return the rabbit and bacon to the pot, add the bouquet garni, and cover. 35 min

    Keep it at a gentle simmer, rabbit is a meat that dries out fast.

  4. Add the peeled potatoes in large cubes along with the mushrooms. 25 min

    Pick a potato variety that holds its shape during cooking.

  5. Remove the bouquet garni, taste, adjust the seasoning, and sprinkle with parsley.

    Serve straight from the pot to keep everything hot.

Our tips to get it right

  • Go for farm raised rabbit if you can find it, the meat stays more tender after a long simmer.
  • Blanch the pearl onions for a couple of minutes before peeling, the skins will slip right off.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, let it simmer uncovered for the last few minutes so it reduces.

The variations

  • Swap the white wine for dry cider for a milder, slightly fruity version.
  • For an alcohol free version, use chicken broth with a splash of white vinegar instead of the wine.
  • Cut the potatoes into smaller cubes to shorten their cooking time and save about fifteen minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of the same dry white wine
  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Crusty country bread for the sauce

Storage

Rabbit gibelotte keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, though it's best to leave the potatoes out since they don't hold up as well after thawing. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make rabbit gibelotte ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually even better reheated the next day once the flavors have had time to meld. Prepare it up to the point of adding the potatoes, then finish cooking just before serving.

What cut of rabbit works best for this recipe?

A whole rabbit cut into pieces, with legs, saddle, and shoulder, works perfectly for this kind of slow simmer. The legs stay especially tender after the cooking time.

Can you use different mushrooms instead of button mushrooms?

You can swap in seasonal mushrooms like chanterelles or oyster mushrooms depending on what you find. The cooking time stays the same, just add them at the same point as the potatoes.

Why shouldn't the sauce boil hard?

Rabbit is a lean meat that dries out quickly if the heat is too high. A gentle simmer keeps the meat tender while still giving the flavors time to develop.

How long does it take to make a rabbit and potato gibelotte?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a rabbit and potato gibelotte?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a rabbit and potato gibelotte cost?

About €3.50 per serving, or €14.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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