Juninho and Geremi were a class act in Boro's midfield and scored goals of the highest quality, Massimo Maccarone also netting from the spot.
A brace of goals by Mark Viduka was to no avail for Leeds who suffered a fourth successive defeat.
Alan Smith relished being restored to his favourite position in the Leeds attack alongside Viduka - and when his shot was parried by Mark Schwarzer, Nicky Barmby spooned the ball over the bar when it seemed easier to score.
Leeds did take the lead, however, in the 24th minute with Viduka's 11th goal of the season.
Barmby fed Viduka who took a return ball from Eirik Bakke. As George Boateng slid into a goalmouth challenge, Schwarzer came out and Viduka stabbed the ball into the unguarded net at the foot of the left post.
Boro were level in the 36th minute when Lucas Radebe brought Maccarone down from behind and the Italian sent Paul Robinson the wrong way from the penalty spot, shooting powerfully into the bottom left-hand corner.
Radebe was shown the yellow card, with Boro claiming he should have been sent off.
Boro had Stuart Parnaby carried off five minutes before half time with a hamstring injury, Colin Cooper leaving the bench to replace him.
But they took the lead a minute into the second half with a glorious right-foot strike from Juninho, the ball arrowing inside Robinson's right post from 20 yards.
Geremi's goal in the 63rd minute was even better - chipped in from 25 yards with Robinson just two yards off his line.
Viduka gave Leeds hope when Schwarzer fumbled substitute James Milner's shot and the Aussie prodded the ball in from a couple of yards, but it was too little too late for Venables’ side.