Scotch Broth (Traditional Scottish Soup)
Scotch broth is a traditional Scottish soup made from lamb bones, and lots of vegetables, including leek and rutabaga (turnip/swede) and barley. It’s one of the most classic Scottish soup recipes you’ll find!
Originally published January 24th, 2012.
It’s raining here in Southern California, so it’s a great time to make a warm, hearty soup like Scotch broth.
Where does it rain on a very regular basis? Scotland, of course! So it seems apropos to make Scotch broth for dinner! It’s made from a lamb bone stock, barley, dried peas and lots and lots of veggies! Printable recipe is at the bottom of the post. (This insulated lunch bag isn’t quite as cute as the one in my photos, but I bought mine in Scotland.)
More about Scotch Broth
The first sentence, and the paragraph that follows is all that I had written when I shared this recipe in 2012. I had only published a handful of recipes at that time, and had absolutely no clue what I was doing! So let me give you some more background on this soup.
Why is it Called a Broth?
I think in recent times, we’ve become accustomed to calling a clear soup a broth. However, by definition, broth is also “a soup consisting of meat or vegetable chunks, and often rice, cooked in stock” which describes Scotch broth quite well (except for the rice). It’s similar to this bone marrow soup, which is another soup I grew up on.
Cock-a-leekie soup is more of a traditional broth, often served for Burns Night.
How is Scotch Broth Served?
Scotch broth is a very filling soup, with or without lamb in it, however, in days past, “the lamb was removed and kept warm and served as the main course with caper or nasturtium seed sauce.” – Janet Warren, A Feast of Scotland.
Typsy Laird: another Feast of Scotland traditional Scottish recipe
It was also served as a main course if the lamb was removed from the bone and put back into the soup in small pieces (which is what we always do). The broth was often accompanied by potatoes or “hodgils” (oatmeal dumplings) which were cooked in the liquid. -Janet Warren, A Feast of Scotland. I also recommend trying oxtail soup which is another classic British soup.
Is Scotch Broth Healthy?
Scotch broth is like a “super-soup” it’s so healthy! There are so many nutrients in this soup, from root vegetables, pearl barley, split peas, protein from the lamb and the cabbage and rutabaga/turnip/swede are high in antioxidants. (Two people have already written to me about the naming of the root vegetable which varies around the world).
Try this Haitian soup joumou sometime, it’s like a Haitian cousin to Scotch broth!
What Does a Rutabaga Look Like?
It looks like the root vegetable in the photo below, because this is a rutabaga in the US. It is not usually very large, creamy white on the outside, with a purple hue at the top, but a creamy yellow color on the inside.
It’s used in Scotland for haggis, neeps (turnips, which is rutabaga in the US) and tatties (potatoes).
Can I Freeze Scotch Broth?
Absolutely! Scotch broth freezes very well, which is a good thing because you will end up with a large pot of soup when you make this recipe.
This Scottish red lentil soup is quite a bit quicker to make, but also delicious!
Can I Make Scotch Broth Vegetarian/Vegan?
Yes, all you need to do is omit the lamb neck. I’d recommend using a vegetable stock instead of water, though.
Scotch Broth (Scotch Soup)
loosely adapted from two old cookbooks (one is Janet Warren’s A Feast of Scotland)
and my family’s version makes 8 hearty servings
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- lamb neck bones (or beef bones)
- salt
- barley
- split peas
- onion
- carrots
- rutabaga/swede
- leek
- cabbage
- black pepper
- parsley
Directions
Start the Scotch broth
Put the lamb bones into a Dutch oven or soup pot and add 8 1/2 cups (2 liters) of water, pearl barley, split peas and 2 teaspoonfuls of salt.
Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for one hour, removing any scum which comes to the surface. Just in case you’re not familiar with scumming a soup, this is what you want to remove and throw away.
While the broth is simmering, you can prepare the vegetables.
After an hour, the broth, barley and peas will look like this.
Add the Vegetables.
Add the chopped carrot, onion, leeks and rutabaga to the broth and stir. Add another teaspoonful of salt and bring to a boil. When the soup begins boiling, lower the heat and let the soup simmer for another half an hour, stirring occasionally.
Chop/shred the cabbage while the soup is simmering.
At this point, the broth looks like this.
After simmering for half an hour, remove the lamb and add the shredded cabbage and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the Meat, and Serve the Scotch Broth
This is what a vegetarian/vegan Scotch broth will look like. However, if you’ve used lamb, remove the meat from the bones, shred into small pieces and add it back into the soup. Add the chopped parsley and remove from heat.
Stir well; taste and adjust the seasoning. Ground black pepper is optional.
Ladle into bowls while hot.
Sprinkle with more parsley if desired.
And enjoy–some crusty bread is nice with this soup.
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Scotch Broth (Scotch Soup)
Special Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven (or large soup pot)
Ingredients
- 3 oz lamb neck bones (one or two, use beef if you don't like lamb, but lamb is authentic)
- 8 ½ cups water
- 2 tsp sea salt (or Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, to taste)
- ½ cup pearl barley (omit if making for a gluten free diet)
- ½ cup dried split peas (soaked overnight, or boil for 5 minutes and let soak for 1 hour)
- 1 onion medium (diced)
- 2 carrots medium (sliced)
- 1 small rutabaga (diced, turnip-if you're in the UK)
- 1 small leek (cleaned and sliced)
- 2 cups shredded cabbage (about half of a small head- I like Savoy, use kale if you don't like cabbage)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)
- 3 Tbsp chopped parsley (preferably fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Put the lamb bones into a Dutch oven or large soup pot and add the water, barley, split peas, and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for one hour, removing any scum which comes to the surface. Just in case you're not familiar with scumming a soup, this is what you want to remove and throw away.
- While the broth is simmering, you can prepare the vegetables.
- Add the chopped carrot, onion, leek and rutabaga to the broth and stir. Add another teaspoonful of salt and bring to a boil. When the soup begins boiling, lower the heat and let the soup simmer for another half an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Chop/shred the cabbage while the soup is simmering.
- After simmering for half an hour, remove the lamb and add the shredded cabbage and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
- This is what a vegetarian/vegan Scotch broth will look like. However, if you've used lamb, remove the meat from the bones, shred into small pieces and add it back into the soup. Add the chopped parsley and remove from heat.
- Stir well; taste and adjust seasoning. Ground black pepper is optional. Ladle into bowls while hot and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make vegan or vegetarian by omitting the lamb neck and using vegetable stock or cubes.
- Please don't worry about the size of the onion, carrots, etc. This is a soup, so measurements aren't critical.
Nutrition
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Christina, I am not a fan of rutabaga can you recommend another root vegetable instead? Parsnip?
Hi Rose, here’s my two cents, and if you don’t want to take it, use the parsnip, but it’s not going to taste the same.
Two cents: if you went to Scotland and ordered a bowl of Scotch broth at a cosy little pub in a quaint village, I don’t think you’d ask the server to omit the rutabaga (or turnip as it would be called there). First of all, the soup is pre-made, so they wouldn’t be able to, so you’d probably order it as is, and I bet you’d love it. Here’s the thing, with all the other veg and flavors in the soup, you’d be hard-pressed to taste the rutabaga on its own. So, I’d suggest trying it as written, and if you don’t like it, next time omit it, or add the parsnip, but at least you’ll know how the original tastes. Let me know what you decide :) I’m off to Scotland on Wednesday!
I can’t find lamb neck bones. Will lamb stew meat and some Vegetable Better than Bullion work? I am do excited to make this soup!
The vegetable BTB is fine, but I would look for a little lamb chop, or lamb bone. That’s what makes for good soup is the bones more than the meat. You can always order online, too.
When you say turnip in the recipe, some people mean small white turnips. Do you. Otherwise other people call swede, turnip. The turnip here in the UK is smallish and white. The swede is much larger, and are pink. Which one for the recipe please.
Hi Patricia, if you’re in Scotland, I’d say use a swede.
1) Could chicken be used? I don’t eat lamb.. if I use beef, what cut would be best?
2) I have whole Barley and quick Barley. Which should I use?
3) I have both Rutabaga and Turnips here in Memphis, TN! Which would be best?
Hi Kelly,
1. No chicken, but beef bones are great.
2. Either barley works.
3. If you are in the US: rutabaga.
Let me know what you think! :) CC
Thanks! I’ll let you know how it comes out!
Hi Christina! I love your recipes and all of the great Scottish info! I live in SoCal too, Orange County. Where can I get Haggis here? Must I order it online? Thx, I really love it!
Hi neighbor! You can order it online, but most Scottish shops also carry it!