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.
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?
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What is haggis?
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?
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
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.
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.
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.
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...
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).
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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
Ultimate Vegan Haggis
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
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?
Notes
- 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
Nutrition
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Sue
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.
The Pesky Vegan
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!
Marsha
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.
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you've been enjoying the haggis, cheers!
Terri
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
The Pesky Vegan
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!
Karen peace
1 and a half tablespoons of marmite?
Or is that teaspoons?
The Pesky Vegan
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!
Lesley Boyland
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!
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it!
Gina
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.
The Pesky Vegan
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!
Caroline Rudkin
Regularly make this lovely haggis...great combo
The Pesky Vegan
Good stuff, thanks for the review!
Therese
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.
The Pesky Vegan
High praise indeed, glad you've been enjoying the recipe!
Marna
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!!!
The Pesky Vegan
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!
Penelope Lauder
Do you think I could use bulgur wheat as a sub for the pinhead oatmeal?
The Pesky Vegan
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!
Penelope Lauder
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.
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks – yes I've played around with making burgers before and it works quite well!
Anita
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.
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! I love cooking with pinhead oats and hope to have a few more similar loaf-style recipes out soon!