Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (2024)

By

Elaine Lemm

Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (1)

Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.

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Updated on 09/11/20

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Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (2)

This Gaelic saying so neatly sums up the attitude toward food in Scotland: "Smairga nitarcuisairbiadh," which translates to "he who has contempt for food is a fool." Meaning,there should be a love and enjoyment of Scottish food, both traditional and modern. The country's affinity for their cuisine can easily be seen in these 14 favorite Scottish recipes.

Haggis, porridge,and whiskey are just a few of the foods and drink the Scots have created over the years, making the best use of the offerings nature handed to them from the rugged mountains, lakes, sea lochs, and streams, as well as the fertile valleys and moorlands.

Scottish food is steeped not just in the landscape but also in the history and heritage of the country, which though part of the United Kingdom, still maintains its unique identity which you will find in the following recipes.

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Watch Now: Traditional All-Butter Scottish Shortbread

  • All About Haggis

    Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (3)

    Haggis is not merely for Burns Night (a celebration in January commemorating the life of a Scottish poet)but is a true traditional dish of Scotland loved and eaten there as well as in many other parts of the world.

    Haggis is made from sheep pluck (the often-discarded parts such as lungs, heart, etc.), which is minced and mixed with oatmeal, suet, and seasonings and then stuffed into the sheep's stomach, sewn, and cooked. The meat and the method may sound off-putting, but the combination of ingredients is delicious—you simply must try it.Haggis is the meat in that most famous of Scottish recipeshaggis, tatties, and neeps.

  • 02 of 14

    A Bowl of Scottish Porridge

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    Discover the healthy and nutritious Scottish breakfast dish of porridge, a long-standing recipe that was originally cooked in a pan and stirred with a woodenspurtle(stick). The use of oatmeal in this recipe makes this dish a healthy start to the day. Slow-release carbohydrates will sustain you from breakfast through lunchtime.

  • 03 of 14

    Tattie Scones

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    Tattie scones are a traditional part of a full Scottish breakfast and are sometimes also called potato scones; you may also hear them referred to as fadge or potato bread in Ireland. They are quick and easy to make and are a useful way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.Perfect fora breakfast plate—or any other time of day!

  • 04 of 14

    Cullen Skink

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    Cullen is a small town in Northeast Scotland and the home of one of Scotland’s most famous dishes,Cullen skink. It is a hearty soup and traditionally made with Finnan haddock (smoked haddock), potatoes, and onions. Cullen skink is also known as smoked haddock chowder in other parts of Britain. You can also useArbroath smokies—haddock that have been smoked over hardwood in and around the seaside town of Arbroath (hence the name)—a very traditional Scottish smoked fish.

    Continue to 5 of 14 below.

  • 05 of 14

    co*ck-a-Leekie Soup

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    co*ck-a-Leekie soupis essentially a peasant dish and has many regional variations—some going back centuries, revealing just how important this dish is to Scottish food. There are recipes with chopped grilled bacon, others withbeef stockor Jamaican pepper, someeven with stewed prunes in the finished dish thanks to French gourmet,Talleyrand. Whichever way you make this easy recipe, it is sure to be a winner.

  • 06 of 14

    Scottish Stovies

    Ask 100 Scots for a traditional stovies recipe and you will get 100 different answers—everyone has their own version (and of course theirs will be the best).

    Stovie means "bits from the stove," which essentially means all the leftover bits from a Sunday roast. Not that you have to be restricted to the pickings from your Sunday lunch—stovies—which is basically a meat and potato stew—can also be made using a tin of corned beef or some cooked minced beef or sausages.

  • 07 of 14

    Rumbledethumps

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    You just have to love this silly-soundingname which in no way explains what it is, but it is still fun. A dish of Rumbledethumps is the Scottish way of using up the leftover mashed potatoesand other vegetables to create a hearty, sustaining casserole-like side dish (or you can eat this on its own). So easy to make, you will fall in love with it.

  • 08 of 14

    Scottish Oatcakes

    Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (10)

    Oatcakes are to Scotland what a baguette is to the French. The flat cakes made mainly from oats have for centuries been considered the Scottish national bread. They are quick and easy to make and are a delicious snack or accompaniment to cheese.

    Continue to 9 of 14 below.

  • 09 of 14

    Scottish Shortbread

    Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (11)

    Though Scottish shortbreadis traditionally eaten on NewYear'sEve, this shortbread recipe is too good to save for just one night! The all-butter recipe makes for a melt-in-your-mouth cookie. Be sure to handle the dough as little as possible and to use cold hands and tools to achieve the "shortie's" signature light and crumbly texture.

  • 10 of 14

    Tipsy Laird

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    Tipsy laird is essentially the same astrifle, the pudding that has graced British tables for centuries. Also a traditional part of Burn's Night, this dessert is not only delicious but also pretty to look at. Layers of sponge cake, raspberries, custard, and whipped cream are flavored with a bit of whiskey (instead of the British sherry), which can be eliminated if serving the dish to children.

  • 11 of 14

    Scottish Cranachan

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    The traditional Scottish Cranachanis a dessert that is often served at celebrations. The red raspberry puree layered with whipped cream flavored with whiskey and honey create a festive treat that is bursting with flavor. Toasted oats add a nutty taste and crunchy texture.

  • 12 of 14

    Scottish Tablet

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    Scottish tabletis for those with a sweet tooth—this fudge-like candy is exceptionally sweet. The recipe here calls for four pounds of sugar! But the good thing is just a little bite should satisfy your craving. Feel free to add flavorings such as peppermint.

    Continue to 13 of 14 below.

  • 13 of 14

    Clootie Dumpling

    Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (15)

    Clootie dumplingsare very different from what Americans know as dumplings—either the pouch-like Asian appetizer or the biscuit-style topping for a Southern stew. The Scottish dessert is more of a fruitcake, combining oats with currents and spices, as well as suet—animal organ fat.This hearty pudding is very much at the heart of Scottish celebrations including both ​HogmanayandBurn's Night supper.

  • 14 of 14

    Dundee Cake

    Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (16)

    Dundee cake can also be called a Scottish Christmas cake (though it is eaten year round) and iseasily identified by the almond decoration around the top. It is essentially a fruitcake traditionally including almonds, whiskey, and orange peel.

Not Just Haggis—These 14 Scottish Recipes Show the Cuisine's Diversity (2024)

FAQs

What food did the Scottish bring to America? ›

If you like sour cream, pancakes, clam chowder and that Yankee staple known as the New England boiled dinner, you can thank the Scotch-Irish settlers who sailed into Casco Bay nearly 300 years ago.

What is the main ingredient in haggis? ›

Traditionally, Haggis comprises of sheep's offal, mixed with oats, suet, onion, spices and is cooked inside a sheep's stomach.

What is a Scottish mixture of potatoes and turnips often eaten with haggis? ›

Neeps and Tatties

When served alongside Haggis, the meal in its entirety is called a “Burns supper”. Healthy and delicious, neeps and tatties is just another name for potatoes and turnips and can be found featured in many different kinds of Scottish dishes.

What are 3 foods that are from Scotland? ›

Explore more Scottish Cuisine on a Food Tour in Edinburgh

If the holy trinity of Scottish cuisine with Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties is not your style, there are many more to choose from iconic dishes like Scotch Broth to indulgent treats like Cranachan and Shortbread.

What culture did the Scottish bring to America? ›

Scotland has influenced America in the fields of economics, engineering, architecture, philosophy, business, medicine, geology, politics, law, chemistry, and sociology. Many cities and towns were named by Scots who, after arriving in America, named their new locale after their hometown.

What do Scottish eat for breakfast? ›

So, what is a full Scottish breakfast? Usually made up of bacon, link sausages, Lorne sausage (also known as square sausage or slice), black pudding, haggis, baked beans, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, tattie scones and fried eggs, the full Scottish breakfast is a sight to behold.

What is the national drink of Scotland? ›

WHAT IS SCOTLAND'S NATIONAL DRINK? Whisky! (Although IRN BRU likes to think of itself as Scotland's 'other national drink' too).

What is the most Scottish dish? ›

Scotland's national dish is haggis, a savoury meat pudding, and it's traditionally accompanied by mashed potatoes, turnips (known as 'neeps') and a whisky sauce. Which brings us to the national drink – whisky. Over 100 distilleries in Scotland produce this amber-hued liquid, many of which can be explored on a tour.

What is black pudding in Scotland? ›

Black pudding is another traditional Scottish dish that is very similar to haggis as they are both made with the same ingredients: onions, pork fat, oatmeal and spices. Contrary to haggis, black pudding is made from pigs' blood, which holds all the ingredients together.

Why does haggis taste so good? ›

Haggis has a very meaty flavour which is rich and even slightly metallic due to the offal. The oats and onions add both sweetness and texture. Then you get a nice punch of heat from the black pepper and the other spices used.

What does haggis taste off? ›

What does haggis taste like? Haggis is like a crumbly sausage, with a coarse oaty texture and a warming peppery flavour. It's most commonly served with neeps (mashed turnip) and tatties (mashed potato) and washed down with a wee dram of your favourite whisky.

Why is haggis illegal in the US? ›

Legality. In 1971, it became illegal to import haggis into the US from the UK due to a ban on food containing sheep lung, which constitutes 10–15% of the traditional recipe. The ban encompasses all lungs, as fluids such as stomach acid and phlegm may enter the lung during slaughter.

Can you get haggis in America? ›

Haggis imports into the United States were prohibited in 1971 as part of a ban on the consumption of all livestock lungs. Authentic versions of old school haggis remain culinary contraband in the US, as hard to lay your hands on as Cuban cigars.

What is the Scottish word for the mashed potatoes eaten on Burns Night? ›

Haggis, neeps and tatties are a traditional Scottish meal eaten on Burns night. It is the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep (haggis), mashed swedes or turnips (neeps), and potatoes (tatties).

What did Scottish people bring to America? ›

Today, throughout America and Canada there are more than 300 St Andrew's Societies, Caledonian Clubs and other Scottish Societies. Popular Scottish sports, golf and curling, were introduced to America by the Scottish immigrants.

What are Scottish Americans known for? ›

From the first patriots, presidents, and industrialists, Scottish Americans contributed significantly to the establishment and development of the United States. Scots and Scotch Irish were some of the first Europeans to settle in North America.

What did Scotland do for America? ›

Across the water, Scots were also making their mark on American history. Alexander Hamilton's father, James Hamilton, was a Scotsman from Ayrshire. Alexander Hamilton went on to establish the First Bank of the United States and helped write the American Constitution.

What did Scottish immigrants do in America? ›

Most Scots came in family groups and became farmers. The second half of the 1800s saw single men and women immigrate and work in factories during the Industrial Revolution. Don't forget the Scots-Irish (or Ulster Scots) from Northern Ireland. These people also came to America during the 18th century.

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