Originally posted back in 2021.
Grab your haggis, we’re wishing you a happy Burns night! Held on the birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, events typically include reading poetry, raising toasts (with lots of whiskey for preference), and properly addressing the haggis before eating it.
I know – I really do – just how worried some people will be by the idea of doing a vegan version of this meaty dish. Traditionally made from those lesser eaten bits of a sheep (translation – offal like stomach and lungs), it’s the ultimate of waste not, want not food. It also known for a very distinct taste. Surprisingly a lot of that taste comes not from the meat but from spices. In the end, this wasn’t a difficult dish to make, the main point here is not to be afraid of the spices. A mix of lentils and walnuts give the meaty texture while the spices bring that deep haggis like flavour.
To serve this I encourage you to go with the traditional neeps & tatties (or turnips & potatoes for those of use that aren’t Scottish) but there’s one traditional part of this meal that I’m really not a fan of – whiskey sauce. As many of you know, I don’t drink but even if I did there’s little I could think that I’d hate more than whiskey sauce. If you love it, then go for it but I much preferred using my peppercorn sauce. What’s more important – Kenny approved, and declared it so close to the original you could barely tell. So with the Scotsman stamp of approval, I give you my recipe for vegan haggis.
Scotsman Approved Vegan Haggis
Ingredients
- 1.5 litres Vegetable Stock
- 200 grams Lentils*
- 1 Large Onion finely chopped
- 2 Sticks of Celery finely chopped
- 2 Carrots finely chopped
- 50 grams Walnuts chopped
- 350 grams Chestnut Mushrooms finely chopped
- 250 grams Pinhead Oats**
- 1 tbsp Yeast Extract
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground White Pepper
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp Mace
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- Oil for cooking
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- First things first, let’s get the lentils cooked. Rinse in a sieve and remove any small stones. Place into a small pan along with 1 litre of the stock and bring up to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until tender, this should take about 20-30 minutes. Drain well and place to one side.1.5 litres Vegetable Stock, 200 grams Lentils*
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (160 Fan/360 F) and grease a large loaf tin. Place a large wide pan on a medium heat. When the pan is warm, add the onion, carrot, celery, and walnuts and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the onions start to brown.1 Large Onion, 2 Sticks of Celery, 2 Carrots, 350 grams Chestnut Mushrooms, 50 grams Walnuts
- Add the lentils and spices before mixing really well. Finally add the rest of the ingredients, including the rest of the stock, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and make sure nothing sticks to the bottom, adding more stock if needed.250 grams Pinhead Oats**, 1 tbsp Yeast Extract, 1 tsp Ground White Pepper, 1 tsp Ground Coriander, 1 tsp Mace, 1 tsp Nutmeg, 2 tsp Salt
- Once the oats have cooked and the stock has reduced right down, tip the mix into the waiting loaf tin. Put into the oven and bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the top is crisp
- As mentioned above, serve with neeps, tatties, kale, and a generous serving of peppercorn sauce. A tasty meal that’s perfect for cold winter weather.
Notes
