Haggis, neeps and tatties served on a plate is simple, and easy, Scottish comfort food. Whether it’s served plain, or with a quick whisky sauce, it’s always a perfect meal for Burns Night.

haggis, neeps and tatties with jug of whisky sauce and a wee dram

Whether you’ve visited Scotland or not, you’ll surely have heard of haggis: the offal dish which is often served with turnip/swede/rutabaga (known by different names) and mashed potatoes.

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The three components of this dish are known as haggis, neeps and tatties.

Haggis neeps and tatties stack tower with whisky sauce

What are Haggis Neeps and Tatties?

Haggis is a Scottish creation consisting of sheep offal, oatmeal, onion, suet and spices and cooked in a sheep’s stomach. While it may sound unappetizing to the American palate, I can assure you, many people have been pleasantly surprised after trying haggis for the first time.

Neeps are actually more difficult to explain because they are turnips in Scotland, but rutabagas in the US. In England they are different names in different parts, including being called swedes. Anyway, they are cooked and mashed and served alongside the haggis.

Tatties are simply “potatoes.” In haggis, neeps and tatties, the potatoes are usually mashed.

You may have seen my older recipe for a haggis, neeps and tatties stack, which looks more elegant and appetizing, but more labor intensive than plopping on a plate. You can also read more on haggis, neeps and tatties on this earlier post.

While haggis is eaten all year long in Scotland, it has a special place on tables across the world on January 25th in honor of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, for a Burns night supper. Here, you can find my recommendations and traditional Scottish recipes for a Burns night menu. It’s good old Scottish scran (food!)

Traditional Scottish Recipes for Burns Night

If you’re planning to buy haggis for Burns Night, and you’re in Scotland, you know you’re golden. However, for the rest of us, especially in the US, we have a much more difficult endeavor in this quest. Unless you have a Scottish butcher near you, you’ll have to resort to tinned haggis, or make it yourself.

Unfortunately, haggis was banned from being exported to the US in 1971 due to containing sheep’s lungs which the USDA deemed to be a risk. I have to laugh because of what the USDA doesn’t consider to be a risk in our food! So many chemicals, preservatives and additives are banned in Europe, but are allowed in the USA. Go figure.

While it’s still very tasty, tinned haggis is simply not like the original. For many of you, this may actually be a blessing in disguise as it doesn’t contain as much offal (no heart or lungs), only liver.

You can choose Caledonian Kitchen haggis or Grant’s haggis. I think both are pretty good for being canned.

I recently shared the recipe for whisky sauce which goes perfectly with haggis, tatties and neeps, but also steak, Balmoral chicken and chicken Braemar. You’ll find the link for the recipe in the printable recipe card below.

spooning whisky sauce over a mini serving of haggis, neeps and tatties

My friend, Debbie, recently gave me these lovely mini cloches and I just had to try one with a tiny version of haggis, neeps and tatties! They’re just too cute!

Mini haggis neeps and tatties in a cloche.

Haggis Neeps and Tatties Recipe

By Christina Conte. Serves 4

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPES BELOW

Ingredients

rutabaga/turnip/swede (N. America/Scotland/England+Australia+NZ)
potatoes
salt
butter
milk
cream
haggis

Whisky Sauce

olive oil
shallot
whisky
beef stock
cream
salt
black pepper

NOTE: for ease of recipe writing, I will refer to the neeps as rutabagas

Make the Whisky Sauce

Have the whisky sauce made and ready to heat and serve ahead of time (full printable recipe below.)

How to Prepare the Neeps and Tatties

Peel the rutabagas. Cut into cubes, and place in a pot and cover with water and add some salt. Boil until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.

In another pot, peel the potatoes. Cut into cubes, place in a pot and cover with water and add salt, just as the rutabagas. Boil under ready, about 13 minutes,

Drain the rutabaga and mash with some butter. Taste and season with salt.

Drain the potatoes and mash with butter, milk and cream. You’ll want a nice, creamy result, but you can omit the cream and just use milk, if desired. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Heat the Haggis.

Put the tinned haggis into a non stick pan and heat gently. You can do this over low heat while the neeps and tatties are nearly cooked.

How to Serve Haggis Neeps and Tatties

Neeps and tatties on a plate with a jug of whisky sauce

Spoon some of the mashed rutabaga (neeps) onto one side of the plates, then spoon some of the mashed potatoes on the other side, leaving a space between them. Have the whisky sauce heated and ready to pour.

Spoon a quarter of the haggis onto the plate in the middle of the two root vegetables.

Now pour the whisky sauce over the top–this is really a must if you’re going to do the dish justice. You can give everyone a little jug of gravy to themselves, or pass a larger jug around.

haggis, neeps and tatties on a plate with sauce

Enjoy with a wee dram of whisky.

Have I convinced you to try haggis, neeps and tatties? I hope so because it’s delicious!

Slàinte Mhath!

Cranachan makes a wonderful ending to a Scottish meal of haggis, neeps and tatties!

And don’t forget the shortbread for Burns Night! Read the rave reviews on my recipe, then give it a try!