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.
Other suggestions for sides include vegan cauliflower cheese, vegan roast potatoes, and sprouts with tofu bacon.
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)
- Black Bean Burgers
- 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 (affiliate link – 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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Janet
Delicious, the texture of this is spot on, a bit too much marmite for my liking but will be perfect next time I make it 😊
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you enjoyed, thanks!
Allan Knox
Hi
As a fellow Scotsman one of he things I missed when I went vegan was haggis. I tried a few vegan version from haggis producers but they aren't very good. Just tried this recipe today. To be honest I was sceptical. But it is brilliant, I used brown lentils, cooked until they still had a bit of bite. Thank you so much
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks very much – great to hear you enjoyed the haggis!
Dee Fouraker
This recipe is delicious!! My friends were really impressed with the taste and texture of it. It is a hearty meal. You won't be hungry for many hours!
I cooked my own lentils and used 1 1/3 cups. It was perfect.
The Pesky Vegan
Great stuff, thanks!
Fiona Ewen
Love this Haggis recipe, made it today with the whisky sauce, yum! 😋
The Pesky Vegan
Good stuff, cheers for the review!
Frazer
Thanks so much for this recipe, it absolutely blew me away it’s so good! As a Scot living in the US where haggis is not readily available (use of innards is not approved for human consumption by the regulatory boards over here), I started looking for a veggie alternative and found yours. Made it for my wife and I the other night and she said it’s the best haggis she’s ever had, I’d agree too. It has all the taste and texture of the real thing but makes me feel even better about eating it. Thanks again for taking the time to make this, it’s a true game changer for me. I’ll be trying your white pudding recipe next!
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for the rave review, great to hear you both enjoyed it!
Dixie
I first discovered this recipe a couple years ago when several of us celebrated Burns Night virtually from our homes during the pandemic. They all pre-ordered traditional Scottish meals for the celebration, but I opted to make this vegan haggis, among other things. I’ve never tasted real haggis before, since I don’t eat beef, or whatever is normally in haggis (to me it looks terrible and I don’t wanna know), so I can’t tell you how much this does or doesn’t taste like the real thing. But I can testify that this is very delicious stuff. I’ve made it a couple times now, and have developed my own changes for it. I start by pre-cooking my own dried lentils (takes 15 minutes). Also, for some reason, the pinhead oats in my haggis come out a tad chompy if I don’t I pre-cook them; so I use your ‘Vegan Skirlie’ recipe for those (starting with the same amount of diced onions common to both recipes - how convenient!). Anyway, it’s really good stuff - thank you for this recipe! I also submitted a comment for your Whisky Cream Sauce - YUM!!
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for sharing! I saw your other comment about forgetting to add 5 stars to the review so have done it here instead – cheers!
Nan
This was a big hit with everyone, even the meat eaters! didn’t have marmite so I used Worcestershire sauce instead and it was very flavourful. I liked that I could make it ahead too. Held up very well. Definitely a keeper!
The Pesky Vegan
Great to hear you all enjoyed the haggis!
AL
Thank you! After living in Scotland for 20 years I moved back to my roots in the US and have been pining for haggis. I love veggie haggis as much as the regular kind, and this may be the best I’ve tasted. Followed the recipe to the letter and it was perfecto.
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you enjoyed, cheers!
James
Great recipe,
I did have to twerk it after the first tasting as it was missing something. After allowing the dish to linger, i realized it was, Allspice. 1/2 a teaspoon of allspice did the trick, a hit with the vegan and non vegan’s at our Burn’s dinner. Even used the extra to make Vegan Haggis rolls as an appetizer. Slainté
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you enjoyed!
Agata
Delicious! And extra success in the form of praise from my Scottish pal--she said it was just like her childhood. THANK YOU!!
The Pesky Vegan
High praise indeed, cheers!
Heather Sinclair
Great idea, just concerned that marmite is from meat? Vegemite better option?
The Pesky Vegan
Marmite is suitable for vegans (and all my recipes are vegan) – either Marmite or Vegemite would be fine here!
Alex
Yum! My meat-loving son-in-law loved this so much that he now insists on celebrating Burns' night two evenings in a row, first with meat haggis, then with this vegan one. Both haggises are to be brought in on a silver tray, with bagpipe music, and a recital of Burns' poetry. The two haggises looked almost identical on his plate (he had to try this vegan haggis even on the Burns' night proper, alongside his traditional meat-based haggis). It was a beautiful experience, further enhanced by the fab cashew cream whisky sauce, another dish that firmly established itself in our family menu. Thank you so much Alistair 🙂
The Pesky Vegan
Cheers, glad it went down well!
jari Lydén
This is THE BEST.
I have made it several times. Have eaten normal haggis in restaurants, shop bought, vegetarian haggis. You name it, I have had it.
Nothing can beat this!
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks, appreciate the kind words and glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Dave
1tsp of nutmeg seems a bit much. What is your opinion on cutting back or is the flavor important?
The Pesky Vegan
Hi there, haggis certainly does have that spiced flavour about it provided you stick to 1 level teaspoon in this recipe. That said, perhaps you could try with a little less this time around just in case you won't like the taste, then try a little more next time?
Dave
Should the oats be pre cooked ?
The Pesky Vegan
Sorry, I must have missed this comment – no, there's no need to cook the oats in advance.
G
nutmeg overkill? I thought so too while I was making it. Didn’t want it to taste sweet, which is an association I have with nutmeg. But then I decided to just do it per recipe (um, with a dozen substitutions perforce) and nutmeg was not dominant in the final well balanced mix of flavours.
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for sharing and glad you enjoyed it!
Craig Robertson
I want to make this for a class of P5s next week but we won't have access to an oven.
Any suggestions on how to approach it? (Hob is no problem. We will have access to a microwave and a kitchen-top air fryer)
Thanks!
The Pesky Vegan
Hi there! Interesting, I imagine an air fryer would work in much the same way as an oven to bake and crisp it up. If it were me trying it this way for the first time, I'd cook the mixture in the pan as usual, allow to cool, then probably shape into patties/slabs to then crisp up in the air fryer for 10-15 mins (rather than 30 mins) before checking to see how it's doing. There's no real risk of undercooking and I can't say for sure how it'll go without trying myself, but hope this helps!
Bill Stewart
Pretty good (saying this as somebody who's never had real haggis or tinned veggie haggis, but used to eat scrapple, which is the Pennsylvania German equivalent made of pork and cornmeal.)
I'd missed your comment about drained weight on a 400gm tin being about 250, so I used 400gm cooked weight of brown lentils. Adjusting that would've probably balanced the liquids a bit better. But cooling to room temperature after cooking makes it seem like the texture will be perfect tomorrow after a night in the fridge.
The Pesky Vegan
Hi there, yes the recipe calls for a drained tin of lentils and so 400g would be a bit much with all the other amounts. Glad to hear you still enjoyed it though.
Sophie
Hello! I’m about to make this recipe. Sounds wonderful! I cooked up my lentils and am wondering if I should use 400 grams of them or less to allow for the weight of the liquid in the tin?! Thanks! And if freezing is it best to freeze before it’s baked or after. Thanks kindly!
The Pesky Vegan
Hi there! If using lentils cooked separately, I'd suggest around 250 g (to match the real weight of tinned lentils after draining, like you say). Re. freezing, I've always done this after baking and once the haggis has cooled down. Hope this helps!
Ed (different Ed)
Thanks for the receipt! Planning to test drive your receipt today prior to our Burns Supper... any experience or thoughts about putting it in a casing for presentation? No offense RE: vegans intended.
The Pesky Vegan
Hi there, no I'm afraid I haven't tried that. Although plant-based casings are available so could be an interesting experiment!
Ed
Hi
Is there no salt in this recipe?
Cheers
The Pesky Vegan
Hi there, the yeast extract (Marmite) has a very salty taste and veg stock and plant-based butter will often contain some amount of salt, so I don't find it's necessary to add any extra in this recipe. That being said, feel free to season manually – especially if swapping out any of those ingredients. Hope this helps!
Carole
Excellent recipe, easy to make and very tasty. Can be made the day before which is useful. We are planning a plant based Burn's supper for 24 guests who are exploring plant based eating. Will be making this Haggis followed by the Cranachan for desert. Perfect !
The Pesky Vegan
Sounds like it'll be a proper plant-based feast - enjoy!