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Home » Uncategorized » Traditional Scottish Recipes for a Burns Night Menu (and All About Burns Night)

Traditional Scottish Recipes for a Burns Night Menu (and All About Burns Night)

January 11th, 2019 | 39 Comments

A Burns Night menu consists of certain traditional Scottish recipes. I’ve done all the work for you and put most Burns Night recipes here in one place. You can also learn all you need to know about a Burns Night supper!

Traditional Scottish Recipes for Burns Night

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What is Burns Night? What is a Burns Supper?

Have you ever heard of Scotland’s National Poet: Robert Burns, also known as Rabbie Burns? He is the reason for the celebration of Burns Night on January 25th (his birthday). It’s an evening of celebration in honor of this famous Scottish writer and poet which includes the piping in of the haggis, poetry readings, whisky drinking and a Scottish supper (dinner).

Robert Burns
Robert Burns, credit unknown

The piping in of the haggis is a central part of the evening where a piper leads the haggis into the dining room from the kitchen, to begin the recitation of  “Address to a Haggis”, by Robert Burns. A Scot usually “addresses the haggis” and then plunges a knife into the haggis during the recital of the famous poem.

haggis neeps and tatties stack

What is Haggis?

All this talk about haggis won’t mean anything to you if you’ve never heard of it before. Haggis is not for the faint of heart (no pun intended) as it contains sheep’s heart, liver and lungs IN THE UK. It’s typically prepared and then put into a sheep’s stomach, which gives it its unappealing look. However, if you’re brave enough to give it a try, I bet you’ll find (like many others have) that it’s delicious! 

In the US, you’ll have to go with a tinned version like this, because the real deal contains sheep’s lung which is banned in the States (since 1971). Don’t get me started on this because banning a natural product makes no sense to me when so many ingredients ARE allowed which are banned outside of the US!

Can of haggis

GET 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE BY USING THIS LINK TO THE SCOTTISH GROCER 
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What are Neeps and Tatties?

During a traditional Burns Night supper, haggis, neeps and tatties (haggis, turnips (UK)/rutabagas (US) and potatoes are served as the main course. 

Learn more about Scottish poet Robert Burns with this book.


 

How Does a Burns Night Supper Begin?

Before the meal begins, Selkirk Grace (which Burns either wrote or is attributed to him) is recited:

Some hae meat, and cannae eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
but we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

My unprofessional translation:

Some have meat and cannot eat,
And some would eat that want it,
but we have meat and we can eat 
So let the Lord be thanked.

Carrbridge, Scotland
Carrbridge, Scotland, where I won the World Porridge Championships (specialty award) in 2014 – Click this photo for the recipe!

What Happens After Grace?

The starter is served, then the haggis is carried in on a tray following a piper who “pipes in the haggis”. The host recites Address to a Haggis, which includes cutting into the haggis with a theatrical air, and everyone gives a toast to the haggis. The main meal is then served, followed by dessert which you can read about below.

What do you eat on Burns Night? 

Typically, Cullen Skink (smoked haddock chowder) or Cock-a-Leekie (chicken, leek and rice) soup is served to start the meal. This is followed by haggis, neeps and tatties or roast beef. The dessert is most likely to be Cranachan, a raspberry, oat, cream and whisky concoction, or Typsy Laird, a boozy Scottish trifle. The meal may end with a cheese course, naturally, serving Scottish cheese. (Recipe links are below.)

End of the Burns Night Supper

There are other traditional parts of the evening, including a toast to the lassies and more, but at the end of the night, the event closes with everyone singing Auld Lang Syne. The cup below is called a quaich, a traditional Scottish cup used to signify love, friendship and trust.

Whisky quaich rose

Here’s a fun idea from reader MJ ~ Fun tip: Have a Scotch whisky tasting
and make attendees read aloud Burn’s poems. Hilarity will ensue!

What is on a Traditional Burns Night Menu?

Soup

 – Cullen Skink

Cullen Skink with leeks

or

 – Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Cock a leekie soup in a bowl

Main Course for a Burns Night Menu

 – Haggis, Neeps and Tatties

spooning haggis to serve

 – Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Stack

Haggis neeps and tatties stack tower with whisky sauce for a Burns Night menu

or

– Balmoral Chicken

Balmoral chicken dinner on a plate with tartan and a dram of whisky

 – Chicken Braemar

chicken Braemar on a plate

or

 – Roast Beef

Roast beef- prime rib for a Burns Night menu

Dessert for a Burns Night Menu

 – Cranachan

Cranachan dessert for a Burns night menu

or

 – Cranachan Parfait (a twist on the traditional recipe)

Cranachan parfait from Mad About Macarons for a Burns Night menu

 – Typsy Laird

Typsy Laird Scottish Trifle for a Burns night menu

Cheese Course

 – Dunlop or Scottish Cheddar served with Oatcakes

Scottish Oatcakes and recipe

 – Shortbread and Whisky

shortbread fingers with a glass of Scotch whisky

My friend Janice has a haggis, neeps and tatties pie which is great to use up any leftovers from Burns Night!

Lang may yer lum reek!

Hungry for more Scottish recipes? Look no further!

Scottish Recipes collage

Click for more authentic Scottish recipes.

Traveling to Scotland or want some ideas
for planning a trip? 

Inveraray Castle

 

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Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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My Rants & Recommendations, Non Sequitur, Uncategorized · Burns Night, haggis

Reader Interactions

39 Responses

  1. Neil Thomson says:
    January 17, 2022 at 2:47 am

    Christina, I love your recipes but for the first time take issue in a minor way, As a sassenach Scot I say the traditional way is to fry the chicken for 10 minutes than poach for about 45 minutes seasoning with white pepper. This is a matter of taste but for me prunes are essential. However I LOVE your recipes

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      January 17, 2022 at 7:44 am

      Hi Neil, thank you for your comments. The recipe is adapted from Janet Warren’s A Feast of Scotland. I’ve never heard of frying chicken for chicken soup, but I imagine it is tasty! Of course, the prunes are essential for an authentic cock-a-leekie, but simply not for me. :) (I was confused at first, but realize that I think you meant to say THEN and not THAN)

      Reply
      • Neil Thomson says:
        January 17, 2022 at 4:08 pm

        Sorry for the typo. The prunes are a matter of taste. I hated then when a child. It was years before I started eating them as an adult. All the best for the Year of the Tiger

        Reply
        • Christina says:
          January 18, 2022 at 8:49 am

          Oh no worries, Neil! It was just one of those typos that actually change the whole meaning of the sentence, Murphy’s Law! I love prunes, so maybe I’ll have to give them a try in the soup! Thanks!

          Reply
  2. Scotch Broth (Traditional Scottish Soup) - Christina's Cucina says:
    January 26, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    […] Cock-a-leekie soup is more of a traditional broth, often served for Burns Night. […]

    Reply
  3. Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Stack with Whisky Sauce for Burns Night (Haggis with Turnips and Potatoes) - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 19, 2020 at 7:31 am

    […] For full traditional recipes and menu ideas for Burns Night, CLICK HERE. […]

    Reply
  4. 11 Authentic (and Simple) Scottish Recipes to Keep Scotland Close to Your Heart! - Christina's Cucina says:
    July 29, 2020 at 8:28 am

    […] Edited January 2019: I’ve just added a list of Scottish recipes for a Burns Night Supper! […]

    Reply
« Older Comments

Trackbacks

  1. Scotch Broth (Traditional Scottish Soup) - Christina's Cucina says:
    January 26, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    […] Cock-a-leekie soup is more of a traditional broth, often served for Burns Night. […]

    Reply
  2. Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Stack with Whisky Sauce for Burns Night (Haggis with Turnips and Potatoes) - Christina's Cucina says:
    August 19, 2020 at 7:31 am

    […] For full traditional recipes and menu ideas for Burns Night, CLICK HERE. […]

    Reply
  3. 11 Authentic (and Simple) Scottish Recipes to Keep Scotland Close to Your Heart! - Christina's Cucina says:
    July 29, 2020 at 8:28 am

    […] Edited January 2019: I’ve just added a list of Scottish recipes for a Burns Night Supper! […]

    Reply

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Meet Christina

A Scottish Italian cook living in Los Angeles, Christina is usually cooking, baking or (cr)eating something scrumptious. When she isn't in the kitchen, she loves to travel, near and far, as long as good food is involved. Christina is on a mission to save authentic Italian dishes from extinction, and is constantly promoting Scottish (and British) food as some of the best cuisine the world has to offer—one steak pie and sticky toffee pudding at a time.



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