Traditional Haggis, Tatties, and Neeps

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/30/23
Tested by
Julia Hartbeck
Tested by Julia Hartbeck
Julia is a professional food photographer and stylist based in England. She loves nothing more than reading cookbooks cover-to-cover and traveling the world to sample international cuisines.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Haggis, Tatties, and Neeps

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 20 mins
Total: 2 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

There are a couple of special celebration nights in Scotland—Burns Night and Hogmanay—when the traditional dish of haggis, tatties, and neeps is served. Haggis is a famous Scottish preparation similar to black pudding in texture, made out of sheep's offal (lung, liver, heart), spices, onions, and suet, and cooked in the animal's stomach. Nowadays, it's normally cooked in casings rather than the stomach. It is always served with mashed potatoes (called "tatties") and mashed turnips (called "neeps").

Keep in mind that depending on where you are located, neeps may mean something different. In England, neeps are considered turnips. However, in Scotland, neeps are considered rutabaga. Swede (Swedish or white turnips) are also called neeps.

The haggis makes or breaks this recipe, so make sure you buy a good quality haggis, be it traditional meat or a vegetarian type. A wee dram of Scotch whisky would be traditional to accompany this truly Scottish meal.

"This is traditionally eaten as a Burns Night dish, but is delicious all year round. The method of boiling the haggis is super-easy and ensures it is piping hot all the way through. Try crumbling the cooked haggis with a fork if you want an alternative presentation to slices." — Julia Hartbeck

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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds haggis

  • 1 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided

  • 4 tablespoons (2-ounces) unsalted butter, divided

  • 1/4 cup milk, divided

  • 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 1/4 pounds turnips, peeled, and coarsely chopped

Steps to Make It

Cook the Haggis

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Haggis, Tatties, and Neeps ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Cook the haggis first by placing it in a large pot and covering it with cold water. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to boil over high heat.

    Cook the haggis by placing it in a large pot and covering it with water, bring to boil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes per pound; for a 3 1/2-pound haggis, cook for 2 hours and 20 minutes. While the haggis cooks, prepare the potatoes and turnips.

    boiling the haggis in a pot with water

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Cook the Potatoes

  1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt.

    potatoes cooking in a pot with water

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Cover the pan with a lid and bring the potatoes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

    potatoes boiling in a covered pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Drain the potatoes. Do not wash the saucepan, you will use it again.

    drain the potatoes in a colander

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or ricer. Set aside.

    Mash the potatoes with a potato masher

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. In the pan in which the potatoes were cooked, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the milk. Melt over medium heat.

    add butter and milk to a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Add the potatoes to the pan and mix well.

    add potatoes to the milk and butter

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Add a pinch of nutmeg and pepper to taste and stir well to create a smooth, creamy mash. Set aside.

    add nutmeg and pepper to the mashed potatoes in the pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Cook the Turnips

  1. Add the turnips to a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt.

    turnips in a pot with water

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Cover the pan, bring the turnips to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

    turnips cooking in a covered pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Drain the turnips.

    drain the turnips in a colander

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Mash the turnips with a ricer or potato masher. Set aside.

    mash the turnips with a potato masher

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. In the pan that you cooked the turnips, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons milk. Melt over medium heat.

    butter and milk in a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Add the cooked turnips and stir until smooth and creamy.

    add turnips to the milk and butter in the pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Serve Haggis, Tatties, and Neeps

  1. Once cooked, remove the haggis from the water, place on a serving dish and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting it open with scissors or a knife.

    cut the Haggis open

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Slice the haggis and serve with tatties and neeps.

    Slice the haggis and serve with tatties and neeps, potatoes and turnips

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Traditional Haggis Dinner

Although a meal of haggis, potatoes, and turnips is hearty and filling enough, you can offer other dishes to make it a truly Scottish spread:

  • Start your meal with a small bowl of cock-a-leekie soup, a traditional chicken and leek soup, thickened with rice and flavored with carrots and spices.
  • Make the haggis your main dish, always making sure all guests have potatoes and turnips alongside their haggis.
  • Finish your dinner with Scottish cranachan, a delicious dessert made out of toasted oatmeal, cream, whisky, and raspberries, layered in a beautiful presentation.

What Do Haggis Taste Like?

Haggis are a unique food with an interesting taste. Many people agree that haggis has an earthy, nutty, and peppery flavor with a rather pungent odor. The texture is crumbly and grainy. Well-made haggis is quite delicious—comparable to black pudding, pâté, and even meatloaf—though lower-quality haggis can be disappointing.

Are Haggis Illegal in the U.S.?

Authentic Scottish haggis has not been available in the United States since the country placed a ban on the use and import of livestock lungs in 1971. In 1998, the U.S. also banned beef, sheep, and goat imports from the European Union due to concerns of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease). However, American companies have been producing lung-free haggis for a number of years and you can get vegetarian haggis. In 2020, an inspection update found regions in the U.K. at a negligible or controlled risk for BSE. That may affect the import restrictions on animal product imports, though not for haggis that include lungs.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1385 Calories
102g Fat
57g Carbs
59g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1385
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 102g 131%
Saturated Fat 55g 274%
Cholesterol 787mg 262%
Sodium 1177mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 57g 21%
Dietary Fiber 9g 31%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 59g
Vitamin C 63mg 313%
Calcium 124mg 10%
Iron 15mg 84%
Potassium 1607mg 34%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA APHIS | Animal Health Status of Regions. Aphis.usda.gov. 2020.