38 Scots Inspired Burns Night Supper Recipe Ideas (2024)

FAQs

What is a typical Burns Night menu? ›

Our traditional cullen skink recipe (a Scottish fish-based soup) is a great way to kick things off. You simply can't celebrate Burns Night without the classic haggis, 'neeps and tatties', aka mashed potatoes and swede. A rich whisky sauce is an ideal accompaniment to this flavourful dish too.

Haggis, neeps and tatties is a classic main course for a Burns Supper, sometimes people have haggis starters such as deep fried haggis bonbons!

Our modern Burns Night menu from chef Roberta Hall-McCarron is a little bit different but equally delicious. One thing's for sure, the traditional Scottish dessert cranachan is the pudding for the job, and a wee dram of whisky is non-negotiable.

Traditional Scottish Steak Pie With Chips and Brussels Sprouts. Steak pie is hugely popular in Scotland. It is most often associated with New Year (Hogmanay) but is widely eaten at all times of the year, making it the perfect haggis substitute for a Burns Supper.

Speaking of drinks, it wouldn't be a proper Scottish celebration or Burns Night without the mention of whisky.

Scotland's national dish is haggis, a savoury meat pudding, and it's traditionally accompanied by mashed potatoes, turnips (known as 'neeps') and a whisky sauce. Which brings us to the national drink – whisky.

After the meal, the speeches and entertainment begin in earnest, starting with a toast to the monarch, known as the Loyal Toast. This is followed by the main toast of the night, to the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns. The Immortal Memory should be a heartfelt toast to his life and works.

While there is no formal greeting for Burns Night, people generally say “Sláinte Mhath” to one another. This is pronounced “slanj'-uh va” and translates as “Good Health!”. You can also say “Oidhche Bhlas Burns”, which means “Happy Burns Night”.

Neeps are what Scots, Irish and a lot of Northern English people call turnips - ie the big orange veg. Others call those a swede. The wee white ones - whether you call those a turnip or not - are not part of a 'neeps and tatties' recipe.

Trio of Scottish desserts - warm clootie dumpling, butterscotch ice-cream and traditional crannachan.

Which vegetable is traditional for Burns Night? ›

A cooked haggis Haggis, neeps and tatties on a plate. At the end of the poem, a whisky toast will be proposed to the haggis, and the company will sit down to the meal. The haggis is traditionally served with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed swede turnip (neeps).

It's super easy to whip up Mary Berry's classic Scottish cranachan. Hold back some of the crunchy oats and raspberries for a pretty topping, but don't hold back on the whisky!

As haggis cannot be exported to the United States, it is instead made there, sometimes by Scottish companies. In one such use, which is stated to be otherwise the same 150-year-old recipe having the same ingredients as in Scotland, sheep lung is not used and the casing is artificial rather than stomach.

It was long illegal to import the dish from its ancestral home of Scotland, and Americans have been forbidden by law from making dishes that include sheep lungs since 1971. Yes, haggis' list of ingredients includes sheep lungs, as well as the animal's heart and liver.

The Selkirk Grace is a prayer, traditionally said to toast a Scottish dinner or meal, especially at social gatherings attributed to Scottish poet, Robert Burns.

Selkirk Grace is a poem commonly attributed to Robert Burns, a widely celebrated Scottish poet. It's often used on Burn's night as a giving of thanks before guests tuck into their Burn's night dinner.

When attending a Burns supper, the most traditional option for ladies is a kilted skirt. Our kilted skirts look lovely paired with a blouse and accessorised with a tartan sash or brooch for a more traditional style. Tartan dresses can also be worn for a formal Burns Supper and look great with plain or tartan heels.

People tend to wear traditional Scottish dress such as kilts, a sporran, or some form of tartan. For a quiet or casual Burns supper, a hint of tartan in any form is enough, whether this is a scarf, a pair of trousers, a hat or brooch and so on. For more formal occasions, traditional Highland Dress is typically worn.

The most traditional way to serve your haggis is with mashed potatoes and mashed yellow turnips. Or as the Scots call it: "mashed tatties and bashed neeps."