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    Home » Recipes » Ultimate Vegan Haggis

    Ultimate Vegan Haggis

    Jan 21, 2020 by The Pesky Vegan | 361 Comments

    3502 shares
    Jump to Recipe >

    As a native Scotsman with a vegan food blog, this occasion is nothing short of momentous. After much trial and tribulation – and lots of meals to use up the leftovers of experiments gone wrong – it gives me great pleasure to share my recipe for the ultimate vegan haggis.  

    Vegan Haggis

    There are few things more Scottish than the hallowed haggis, and upholders of tradition will no doubt have steam coming out of their ears at the thought of veganising it. But times change, and all I’ll say is don't knock it until you’ve tried it.

    If you have any leftovers, why not treat yourself to a vegan haggis toastie, haggis fritter, or haggis quesadilla?

    I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

    What is haggis?

    Vegan Haggis Close-Up

    Often described as Scotland’s national dish, traditional haggis is a meat pudding that consists of sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, together with oatmeal, suet, and spices, all cooked inside the stomach of the animal itself. It is usually served alongside neeps (mashed swede or turnip) and tatties (mashed potato).  

    Haggis is eaten throughout the year in Scotland, but its popularity spikes around 25th January when it plays a central role in Burns Night celebrations. 

    The truth about haggis

    Want to know a secret? Most modern Scots don’t prepare haggis from scratch themselves. Like sausages, they either get it from a local butcher or – as is much more common – straight off a refrigerated supermarket shelf.  

    Fair enough. Even as a meat-eater, I rarely had sheep’s heart, liver, or lung lying around the house to make haggis with. 

    And while you could make the same argument about vegans or vegetarians buying their meat-free versions from a supermarket, at least there’s a viable alternative here to create your own from scratch. 

    What’s in vegan haggis?

    Vegan Haggis Ingredients

    It’s quite straightforward to recreate the texture and flavour of traditional haggis, with the key ingredients of pinhead oats, pepper, and nutmeg (just like in this vegan white pudding).  

    Beyond that, different recipes call for different lentils or beans to substitute the offal, and nuts or seeds to add some fat and texture. I include portobello mushrooms and yeast extract to cover the umami side of things.

    Is vegan haggis healthy?

    The oats, lentils, and sunflower seeds in this recipe are packed full of plant-based protein. In fact, one serving of this vegan haggis will provide you with over 50% of the recommended daily amount of protein.

    Pulses like lentils are nutritional powerhouses, offering fibre, vitamins, and minerals in a way that won't break the bank. Want to learn more? Check out my Beginner's Guide to Pulses.

    Using the right oats

    Pinhead Oats

    To get the right consistency, it’s important to use pinhead oats a.k.a. 'steel-cut' oats. I played around with several versions that used normal rolled porridge oats, but this resulted in a completely different texture (they're better for porridge or things like easy oat cookies). 

    I managed to track down pinhead oats in a local wholefood shop, where I also picked up the black beluga lentils.

    How to make haggis gluten-free

    Oats are a gluten-free ingredient, however they are sometimes processed in environments where there's a risk of cross-contamination.

    If you're wanting to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use pinhead oats, a yeast extract, and a vegan stock that are certified gluten-free.

    How to make vegan haggis

    Start by frying the onion and carrot together in a pan, followed by the mushrooms, lentils, and spices.

    Onions, Carrots, and Mushrooms Frying
    Lentils and Spices

    Then it's in with the pinhead oats, Marmite, and veg stock. Cook this together for 15 minutes until you have a very thick porridge mix, before turning off the heat and stirring through the chopped sunflower seeds.

    Vegan Haggis Mix
    Vegan Haggis Mix with Seeds

    Spoon the mix into a greased loaf tin and bake in the oven for approx. 30 minutes. To make the outside extra crispy, turn up the heat slightly towards the end.

    Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand for five minutes before serving.

    What to serve with vegan haggis

    Haggis is traditionally served alongside neeps (mashed swede or turnip) and tatties (mashed potatoes), as well as greens such as cabbage or kale. The neeps and tatties are both very easy to veganise – simply use plant-based butter and plant-based milk when mashing.

    If you want to take your haggis game up a level, I'd highly recommend pairing it with this Vegan Whisky Cream Sauce. Featuring a creamy cashew base, subtle sweet whisky notes, and hints of mustard and lemon, it's the perfect way to top it all off.

    Pouring Whisky Sauce over Vegan Haggis

    Variations/tips for vegan haggis

    • Quantity: If making larger quantities of the haggis, make sure you have large enough tins/dishes to bake it in the oven. 
    • Lentils: I'd highly recommend the black beluga lentils if you can find them, but tinned or pre-cooked cooked brown, green, or Puy lentils would also work.
    • Oats: It's important to use pinhead or 'steel-cut' oats for this – rolled porridge oats simply don't work in the same way. You could swap out some of the pinhead oats for cooked pearl barley.
    • Texture: If you want a meatier texture, try adding some plant-based mince.
    • Sauce: I personally like this dish without any sauce, but you could add gravy or vegan whisky cream sauce. Some people like to pour a dram of straight whisky over their haggis, but I'll leave that decision entirely up to you... 
    Vegan Haggis

    How to store vegan haggis

    Refrigerate: Store this haggis in the fridge for up to four days. The easiest way to reheat is in the microwave, but you could also reheat in the oven (covered with foil to prevent burning).

    Freeze: Store this haggis in the freezer in sealed containers or resealable bags for up to six months. Defrost before reheating in the microwave or in the oven (see above).

    Hey you – let me know what you think

    If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

    You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

    Keep in touch

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    More vegan recipe ideas

    If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

    • Ultimate Vegan Fish Pie
    • Vegan Biryani with Chickpeas
    • Vegan Goulash (Hungarian Stew)
    • Mushroom Biryani with Lentils
    • Vegan Cranachan (Scottish Dessert)
    • Vegan Skirlie (Oatmeal Stuffing)
    • Jackfruit 'Beef' Stew
    • Ultimate Vegan Lasagne

    You can also check out my full list of Scottish vegan recipes.

    Full recipe

    Vegan Haggis

    Ultimate Vegan Haggis

    The Pesky Vegan
    As a native Scotsman with a vegan food blog, it gives me great pleasure to share my recipe for the ultimate vegan haggis.
    5 from 133 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Scottish, Vegan
    Servings 4
    Calories 517 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 20 g plant-based butter or margarine
    • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
    • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
    • 2 portobello/flat cap mushrooms, finely diced
    • 1x 400 g tin black beluga lentils, drained (you could also use cooked brown, green, or Puy lentils)
    • 1 level teaspoon white pepper
    • 1 level teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 250 g pinhead oats (it's important to use pinhead or 'steel-cut' oats, see notes below for gluten-free option)
    • 1½ tablespoons Marmite (or other yeast extract if GF)
    • 400 ml veg stock (plus more water if needed)
    • 30 g sunflower seeds, chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the butter in a pan. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5-6 minutes.
    • Add in the finely diced mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
    • Add the lentils, white pepper, and nutmeg and stir through for a couple of minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
    • To the pan, add the pinhead oats, Marmite, and veg stock. Cook for 15 minutes on a low heat, stirring regularly. The mix should become quite thick, but add a splash more water if it seems too thick.
    • After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and stir through the chopped sunflower seeds.
    • Spoon the mix into a greased loaf tin and bake in the oven for approx. 30 minutes. To make the outside extra crispy, turn up the heat slightly towards the end.
    • Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand for five minutes. Serve with neeps, tatties, cabbage or kale, and vegan whisky cream sauce.
      If you have any leftovers, why not treat yourself to a vegan haggis toastie, haggis fritter, or haggis quesadilla?
    Rate this recipe 👇

    Notes

    Neeps & tatties: Haggis is traditionally served alongside neeps (mashed swede or turnip) and tatties (mashed potatoes), as well as greens such as cabbage or kale. The neeps and tatties are both very to easy to veganise – simply use plant-based butter and plant-based milk when mashing. 
    If you want to take your spud game up a level or two, I'd recommend checking out these Ultimate Vegan Mashed Potatoes. The post contains a comprehensive list of tips, tricks, and variations for the perfect vegan mash.
    Quantity: This mix will fill a 1lb baking tin. If you don't have a 1lb tin, you can simply use a larger one or divide the mix between smaller vessels. If making larger quantities of the haggis, make sure you have large enough tins/dishes to bake it in the oven. 
    Lentils: I'd highly recommend the black beluga lentils if you can find them (I got mine from a local wholefood shop). Tinned or pre-cooked brown, green, or Puy lentils would also work. If using dried lentils, these will need to be soaked and/or cooked in advance. Check out my Beginner’s Guide to Pulses for more info. 
    Oats: It's important to use pinhead or 'steel-cut' oats for this (I got mine from a local wholefood shop). I played around with several versions that used normal rolled porridge oats, but this resulted in a completely different texture.  
    Gluten-free: Oats are a gluten-free ingredient, however they are sometimes processed in environments where there's a risk of cross-contamination. If you're wanting to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use pinhead oats, a yeast extract, and a vegan stock that are certified gluten-free. 
    Variations/tips: If you want a meatier texture, try adding some plant-based mince. You can buy this frozen, fresh, or in a dried form that’s easy to re-hydrate. You could also swap out some of the oats for cooked pearl barley.  
    Sauce: I personally like this dish without any sauce, but feel free to add gravy or vegan whisky cream sauce. Some people also like to pour a dram of straight whisky over their haggis, but I'll leave that decision entirely up to you... 
    Storage: You can store this haggis in the fridge for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to six months. 
    If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
    • Ultimate Vegan Fish Pie
    • Vegan Stovies (Scottish Potato Stew)
    • Easy Vegan Scotch Broth
    • Vegan Cranachan (Scottish Dessert)
    • Smoky Mushroom & Red Lentil Pâté
    • Vegan Cottage Pie
    • Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)
    • Ultimate Vegan Lasagne
     
    * The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of four servings. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 28gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 562mgPotassium: 368mgFiber: 21gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2952IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 8mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Ultimate Vegan Haggis
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 517 Calories from Fat 99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11g17%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Sodium 562mg24%
    Potassium 368mg11%
    Carbohydrates 81g27%
    Fiber 21g88%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 28g56%
    Vitamin A 2952IU59%
    Vitamin C 5mg6%
    Calcium 84mg8%
    Iron 8mg44%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword scottish vegan recipe, vegetarian haggis, vegetarian haggis recipe, veggie haggis
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sue

      September 01, 2023 at 9:58 am

      Hi Alistair. I can't give this recipe a rating as I haven't yet made it! Haggis is hard to find in Australia but I can find the ingredients you've listed here. Aussies prefer Vegemite, but I prefer the ol' Marmite. Here it's called Our Mate because there is an Aussie product with the same name. I love the detail and information you provide, but especially the enthusiasm and humour you project.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        September 03, 2023 at 9:04 am

        Cheers Sue, yes I'm aware of the ongoing cultural duel between Marmite here and Vegemite down under! Plenty of Aussies have been in touch over the years to say they enjoyed this recipe so hope you do too!

        Reply
    2. Marsha

      August 15, 2023 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      This has become my go to Christmas or Thanksgiving dish. Love the idea of freezing the leftovers, but I cook this up, we feast on it for 2 or 3 days, and sadly there aren't any leftover to freeze. I use dried brown lentils because I can't find black, or canned lentils, and I cook them with a spoon of veggie bullion instead of the Marmite. Thank you so much for this recipe.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        August 19, 2023 at 2:28 pm

        Glad you've been enjoying the haggis, cheers!

        Reply
    3. Terri

      July 03, 2023 at 1:29 pm

      Hi PV ☺️

      I finally have steel cut oats 🥳
      Could this be put inside a pastry case, to create a pasty ?
      Love all your recipes
      Terri

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        July 05, 2023 at 7:53 pm

        Hi there, yes I've used this in lots of different ways and I'm sure a vegan haggis pasty would be great! The easiest thing would be to cook it as per the recipe (or slightly less time in the oven), allow to cool, and then include in something like what you've suggested. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    4. Karen peace

      June 25, 2023 at 8:37 am

      1 and a half tablespoons of marmite?
      Or is that teaspoons?

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        June 26, 2023 at 6:54 am

        Hi there, 1½ tablespoons is correct. Some people have been in touch over the years to say they like to add a little more after experimenting and tweaking – this haggis recipe has taken on a life of its own on the internet!

        Reply
    5. Lesley Boyland

      June 18, 2023 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      Astonishingly similar to traditional haggis, only better! My carnivore partner agreed that it's a winner of a recipe. (I confess I did add a little vegetable oil, in homage to the delightfully greasy haggis of my childhood, and stir-fried the leftovers - delicious.) Well done and thank you!

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        June 19, 2023 at 8:10 pm

        Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    6. Gina

      May 29, 2023 at 2:20 pm

      5 stars
      I have not tried this recipe yet, just got home from Scotland and want to try to reproduce the veggie haggis I had there but have a question about the recipe. How large of portabella mushrooms do I use? I can get them about an inch or two in the small size and 4 or more inches in the large size ones.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        June 03, 2023 at 7:48 am

        Hi there, great to hear you're giving this a go! Based on those descriptions, it's definitely the larger size that's used in this recipe. Happy cooking!

        Reply
    7. Caroline Rudkin

      May 28, 2023 at 7:09 am

      5 stars
      Regularly make this lovely haggis...great combo

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        May 28, 2023 at 9:33 am

        Good stuff, thanks for the review!

        Reply
    8. Therese

      May 24, 2023 at 6:22 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made this a number of times and both myself and my Scottish husband absolutely love it! He reckons it’s even better than meat based haggis (which I’ve never tried because ew!) but I’ll take his word for it 😁 It keeps so well and heats up great on day two or out of the freezer.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        May 28, 2023 at 9:33 am

        High praise indeed, glad you've been enjoying the recipe!

        Reply
    9. Marna

      May 10, 2023 at 2:49 pm

      I have made this numerous times and left glowing comments! So... I want to make this for very good friends visiting for the first time in years. I was wondering, I would like to make it ahead of time so I'm not cooking all day when they get here. If I make the Haggis the day before, should I cook it then and reheat it the next day or should make it and refrigerate it and I wait to cook it the next day when we eat it? Also, I am making the Whiskey sauce, can I make it the day before? Sorry if this is a repetitive question. I was going to search through the comments to see if this is answered but their are too many!!!! I have never seen so many 5 star comments for one recipe!!!

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        May 11, 2023 at 8:04 am

        Hi there! It depends how much time you think you have, but I'd be tempted to make everything in advance and just reheat in the microwave on the day! That said, I don't see any problems with preparing the haggis (i.e. all the steps before oven-baking) and then cooking on the day. With the sauce, I find that cashew-based sauces will thicken quite a lot after cooling/refrigerating, so it may just be a case of reheating gradually and adding a little extra liquid if necessary. Hope this helps!

        Reply
        • Penelope Lauder

          May 20, 2023 at 9:09 am

          5 stars
          Do you think I could use bulgur wheat as a sub for the pinhead oatmeal?

          Reply
          • The Pesky Vegan

            May 22, 2023 at 8:34 am

            Hi there, I'm afraid I haven't tried with bulgur but my guess would be that it maybe won't bind the mix quite as well as oats do? Afraid I can't say for sure without trying. Would be interested to hear if you did give it a go though!

            Reply
      • Penelope Lauder

        May 20, 2023 at 9:07 am

        I always make this in advance then put it in the fridge in its tin to firm up, then I slice it and open freeze it. After I thin out all the slices into one freezer bag. To cook I put the frozen slices on a baking tray and cook for about half hour at 180°C

        I’ve also thought these would make great burgers or ‘meat’ balls but haven’t tried that yet.

        Reply
        • The Pesky Vegan

          May 22, 2023 at 8:30 am

          Thanks – yes I've played around with making burgers before and it works quite well!

          Reply
    10. Anita

      May 04, 2023 at 7:11 am

      5 stars
      This is a wonderful recipe. Just made it for the first time, expected it to be a bit bland to be honest but it isn't. I keep slices of it in the freezer which can be microwaved in seconds to go with whatever veg I'm having for a really quick meal. Like the rest of the site it is no faff, this is incredibly cheap and simple and tastes wonderful. Thank you. PS it also has texture which is often the thing missing in vegan dishes.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        May 09, 2023 at 6:44 pm

        Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! I love cooking with pinhead oats and hope to have a few more similar loaf-style recipes out soon!

        Reply
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