Is Rabbit Meat White or Red Meat?

At Rabbit Choice Farms, we raise, process, and sell fresh rabbit meat to customers across Kenya, so we get this question a lot from first-time buyers: is rabbit meat white or red meat?

Rabbit meat is classified as white meat. It’s pale pink to white in colour, similar in appearance to chicken breast, and it’s grouped with white meats by nutritionists because of its low fat and low myoglobin content, not because of the animal it comes from.

If you’re new to rabbit meat and want to try it, you can order fresh cuts through our online shop or see pickup and delivery details on our Where to Buy Rabbit Meat in Nairobi page.

Why Is Rabbit Meat White, Not Red?

Meat colour comes down to myoglobin, the protein in muscle tissue that stores oxygen and gives meat its red or pink pigment. Animals with muscles built for sustained activity (cattle, for example) have high myoglobin content, which is why beef is dark red. Rabbits, like chickens, have muscle fibres suited to short bursts of activity rather than continuous exertion, so their myoglobin levels, and therefore their meat colour, stay low.

This is also why rabbit meat cooks up pale, much like chicken, and why it’s often compared directly to chicken breast in texture and appearance rather than to red meats like beef or lamb.

What Is Rabbit Meat Called?

Rabbit meat doesn’t have a separate culinary name in English. It’s simply called rabbit meat or rabbit. On some restaurant menus, particularly French-influenced ones, you may see it listed as “lapin” (the French word for rabbit), but this is a menu convention rather than a different cut or product.

Rabbit Meat vs. Chicken vs. Beef: A Quick Comparison

Rabbit meat’s combination of low fat and high protein is a big part of why it’s gained attention in Kenya as a health-conscious alternative. You can read more in our full breakdown of Is Rabbit Meat Healthy? Nutrition Facts, Benefits and What the Science Says.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rabbit meat white or red meat? Rabbit meat is white meat. It’s pale in colour and low in myoglobin, placing it in the same category as chicken rather than red meats like beef or lamb.

What is the meat of a rabbit called? It’s called rabbit meat, or simply “rabbit.” On some menus it may appear as “lapin,” the French term.

Is rabbit meat similar to chicken? Yes. In colour, texture, and fat content, rabbit meat is often compared directly to chicken breast, though many describe its flavour as slightly richer.

Does rabbit meat have less fat than red meat? Generally, yes. Rabbit meat is leaner than most cuts of red meat, which is one reason it’s often recommended as a lower-fat protein source.

Ready to try it for yourself? Order fresh cuts or a whole rabbit through our online shop, with pickup at our Ruaraka location or delivery across Nairobi, full details on our Where to Buy Rabbit Meat in Nairobi page. For cooking ideas, check out Easy Rabbit Meat Recipes for Kenyans.