Homemade Haggis Spaghetti Bolognese

Not everyone will be attending a Burns Supper on the 25th, but you can have a super haggis supper at home. Why stick with tradition? Try something different like this seriously tasty haggis spaghetti instead of the usual haggis, neeps and tatties.

The inspiration for this haggis spaghetti

I love fusion food. The mix and match the food of different cultures to create your own magic.

In this case it’s classic Scottish and Italian food. My Haggis spaghetti bolognese is an Italian inspired way of serving this most traditional of Scottish dishes.

Traditional Burns Supper

*  Guests are piped into the room by a piper. Traditionally it was only men who attended a Burns Supper but now ladies are welcomed too, yeah to equality!

*  The Selkirk Grace is read out;

Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it,

But we hae meat and we can eat

And sae let the Lord be thankit.

*  The piper will announce the arrival of the haggis with a tune on his bagpipes.

* Address to the haggis – This is a special poem written by Robert Burns to show just how much he loved this most traditional of Scottish dishes.

*  Toast to the haggis – Everyone will raise their glasses and praise the haggis before a knife is plunged into it and it is then eaten.

*  After the meal many of Burns songs will be sung and his poems read. These include such favourites as Tam O’Shanter, My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose and Ae Fond Kiss. You’ll find other Burns songs and poems here.

Burns Supper Menu

The menu for a Burns Supper is very traditional with Cock-a-leekie soup as the starter (here is my recipe for cock a leekie soup). Clootie dumpling,  (a fruit pudding rather like Christmas pudding) for dessert. And of course the all-important haggis as the main course between those.

What is haggis?

Haggis is a pudding made from sheep’s pluck (the heart, liver and lungs) which are well minced along with onions, oatmeal, suet, spices, seasoning and stock.

This pudding mixture is traditionally pressed into a bag made from the lining of a sheep’s stomach. Nowadays you can buy haggis in plastic casing and even vegetarian haggis as well.

Haggis is served with mashed neeps (turnip) and tatties (potatoes) and a dash of whisky poured over the haggis as a sauce.

Whisky is of course the drink of choice for the evening.

Haggis Spaghetti

No, this isn’t just a case of chucking a haggis on top of spaghetti, there is just a wee bit more to it than that. Make a sauce out of the neeps (turnip/swede) that are usually served with haggis. Add in carrots, onion, garlic and tomatoes and of course the haggis.

Ways to cook haggis;

Boil it in its casing as I have here. Remove casing, slice and cook in a frying pan rather like black pudding. Take out of casing and cook in an ovenproof dish covered in foil. However, you cook your haggis do not add water! That is how you end up with the dreaded grey soupy haggis. A heinous crime!

Ingredients for haggis spaghetti

You will need a haggis for this recipe. Buy a good one. You can even get vegetarian haggis so this could easily be a vegetarian haggis spaghetti recipe!

Onion and garlic are your base ingredients as in so many recipes.

Carrot and turnip/swede and juicy cherry tomatoes add the extra flavouring to your haggis bolognese sauce.

Scotch whisky. No haggis dish would be complete without a splash of Scotland’s gold!

The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to make haggis spaghetti

Cook the haggis in its casing and wrapped in foil (this is just in case the haggis casing splits during the cooking) in boiling water.

Add the diced-up carrot and swede into the boiling water for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and saute the onion for 5 minutes then add the garlic for 1 minute.

Open up the cooked haggis and add this along with the cooked carrot and turnip plus the chopped cherry tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the whisky and season to taste. Then plate up the pasta and add this haggis spaghetti sauce and finish off with a grating of fresh parmesan and a few torn basil leaves for freshness.

How many does this haggis spaghetti serve

This is a recipe for two people. I used a 200g haggis. If you want to make it for more then just double up the ingredients and size of haggis of course!

Looking for more ideas for Burns Night? Then check out these recipes before you go;

Traditional Scottish cock-a-leekie soup

Cullen Skink (traditional Scottish fish soup)

How to make clapshot to serve with haggis

Fruit and nut chocolate haggis (serve with cheese)

Balmoral bites, the perfect nibble for Burns Night

Haggis baubles, a Scottish party favourite

Traditional Scottish cranachan cream

Scotch whisky granita

Find lots more tasty goodies here in my Scottish recipes section.

Have a great Burns Night when it comes. Let me know if you try my Haggis Spaghetti.

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.