Traditional Scottish Recipes for a Burns Night Menu (and All About Burns Night)
Burns Night is a special time for Scots. It consists of certain traditional Scottish recipes, and I’ve done all the work for you and put most Burns Night recipes here in one place. You can also learn all you need to know about a Burns Night supper!
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What is Burns Night? What is a Burns Supper?
Have you ever heard of Scotland’s National Poet: Robert Burns, also known as Rabbie Burns? He is the reason for the celebration of Burns Night on January 25th (his birthday). It’s an evening of celebration in honor of this famous Scottish writer and poet which includes the piping in of the haggis, poetry readings, whisky drinking and a Scottish supper (dinner).
The piping in of the haggis is a central part of the evening where a piper leads the haggis into the dining room from the kitchen, to begin the recitation of “Address to a Haggis”, by Robert Burns. A Scot usually “addresses the haggis” and then plunges a knife into the haggis during the recital of the famous poem.
What is Haggis?
All this talk about haggis won’t mean anything to you if you’ve never heard of it before. Haggis is not for the faint of heart (no pun intended) as it contains sheep’s heart, liver and lungs IN THE UK. It’s typically prepared and then put into a sheep’s stomach, which gives it its unappealing look. However, if you’re brave enough to give it a try, I bet you’ll find (like many others have) that it’s delicious!
In the US, you’ll have to go with a tinned version like this, because the real deal contains sheep’s lung which is banned in the States (since 1971). Don’t get me started on this because banning a natural product makes no sense to me when so many ingredients ARE allowed which are banned outside of the US!
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What are Neeps and Tatties?
During a traditional Burns Night supper, haggis, neeps and tatties (haggis, turnips (UK)/rutabagas (US) and potatoes are served as the main course.
Learn more about Scottish poet Robert Burns with this book.
How Does a Burns Night Supper Begin?
Before the meal begins, Selkirk Grace (which Burns either wrote or is attributed to him) is recited:
Some hae meat, and cannae eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
but we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.
My unprofessional translation:
Some have meat and cannot eat,
And some would eat that want it,
but we have meat and we can eat
So let us thank the Lord.
What Happens After Grace?
The starter is served, then the haggis is carried in on a tray following a piper who “pipes in the haggis”. The host recites Address to a Haggis, which includes cutting into the haggis with a theatrical air, and everyone gives a toast to the haggis. The main meal is then served, followed by dessert which you can read about below.
What do you eat on Burns Night?
Typically, Cullen skink (smoked haddock chowder) or cock-a-leekie (chicken, leek and rice) soup is served to start the meal. This is followed by haggis, neeps and tatties or roast beef. The dessert is most likely to be cranachan, a raspberry, oat, cream and whisky concoction, or typsy laird, a boozy Scottish trifle. The meal may end with a cheese course, naturally, serving Scottish cheese. (Recipe links are below.)
End of the Burns Night Supper
There are other traditional parts of the evening, including a toast to the lassies and more, but at the end of the night, the event closes with everyone singing Auld Lang Syne. The cup below is called a quaich, a traditional Scottish cup used to signify love, friendship and trust.
Here’s a fun idea from reader MJ ~ Fun tip: Have a Scotch whisky tasting
and make attendees read aloud Burn’s poems. Hilarity will ensue!
What is on a Traditional Burns Night Menu?
Soup
– Cullen Skink
or
– Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Main Course for a Burns Night Menu
– Haggis, Neeps and Tatties
– Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Stack
or
– Balmoral Chicken
– Chicken Braemar
or
– Roast Beef
Dessert for a Burns Night Menu
– Cranachan
or
– Cranachan Parfait (a twist on the traditional recipe)
– Typsy Laird
Cheese Course
– Dunlop or Scottish Cheddar served with Oatcakes
– Shortbread or Petticoat Tails and Whisky
My friend Janice has a haggis, neeps and tatties pie which is great to use up any leftovers from your Burns night supper!
Lang may yer lum reek!
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Hey Christina!
I love the post and coming from a Scottish heritage, I love learning about the traditions! And I love your whisky glasses. Would you mind sharing where you got them from?
Thanks gain,
Lynn
Which ones? The one in the haggis pic or the one in the shortbread pic? I believe I got them all in Scotland, but you can definitely find similar ones here in the US (assuming that’s where you are?) Here are my affiliate links to THESE WHISKY GLASSESand THESE WHISKY GLASSES.
My father’s family first came to the Colonies in the 1500s. I enjoy celebrating Burn’s birthday and learning about my heritage.
That’s so cool! I think it’s so important to keep and share our heritage, Vickie! Good for you!
While I enjoy your recipes and content…there are WAY too Many adds in your site!! It’s so distracting and unpleasant, It takes away from the things you post. They pop all over the place. It just screams chaos. It’s a shame to be so bombarded. I must unsubscribe. Blessings to you.
I’m sorry Sara, but I have no pop up ads, that’s one type I can’t stand myself. I’d love nothing more than to be able to have an ad-free site, but that would be like you going to work without getting a paycheck. I have to have ads since I hardly do any sponsored content, I post what I want and what I believe in, but I cannot afford the upkeep of my site without some sort of income to help pay for it. CC
Oh dear, another year goes by and I STILL haven’t tried haggis. 😂 I really must, perhaps when I go on that whiskey tour of Islay I’ve been hoping to take one of these days… Anyhow, happy Burns Night to you!
Oh do go to Scotland! That would obviously be the best place to try haggis, too! I think you’d like it! Thank you, Frank!
We hosted a Rabbie Burns night dinner for 7 people yesterday (a week early, I know, oh well). We served 2 types of cheddar with fine-milled and coarse-milled Nairn’s oatcakes as appetizers with Innis and Gunn beer, followed by Cock-a-Leekie Soup, Haggis, neeps and tatties (following your instructions to the letter and it worked great) served with Whisky Sauce, and Typsy Laird in individual glasses for dessert. Our guests had not had any of these foods before and quite enjoyed the meal, even the haggis which they were unsure about at first. Thank you for these recipes, the clear instructions and the helpful pictures – we couldn’t have done it without you.
That sounds wonderful, Johanne! I’m so happy you actually made the haggis and your guests enjoyed it, too! Fantastic! Makes me very happy to hear this. Thank YOU for letting me know my recipes helped you with your Burns Night supper (whether it was a week early or not)! :) Wonderful! CC
We hosted a Rabbie Burns night dinner for 7 people yesterday (a week early, I know, oh well). We served 2 types of cheddar with fine-milled and coarse-milled Nairn’s oatcakes as appetizers with Innis and Gunn beer, followed by Cock-a-Leekie Soup, Haggis, neeps and tatties (following your instructions to the letter and it worked great) served with Whisky Sauce, and Typsy Laird in individual glasses for dessert. Our guests had not had any of these foods before and quite enjoyed the meal, even the haggis which they were unsure about at first. Thank you for these recipes, the clear instructions and the helpful pictures – we couldn’t have done it without you.
Love all your delicious Scottish recipe roundup for Burn’s Night, Christina. Would you believe we had the piping of the haggis – full monty – at our wedding in Edinburgh? The French family either loved it or were all wondering what on earth was going on!
Your Burn’s Night celebration in California sounds wonderful.
I would love to have seen that, the French relatives watching the haggis come in, I mean! How fun that must have been! Yes, we’ll have fun at Burns Night, I’m sure!
And thank you so much for sharing my revisited Cranachan here, Christina. You’re a “honey”! xx
You’re welcome, Jill! Love all your recipes!