Four haggis recipes for Burns Night that mix tradition and twists

From shepherd’s pie and mac and cheese to pakoras with Irn-Bru dip and haggis-stuffed beef steaks, these traditional recipes with a twist will make you fall in love with the Scottish staple, says Hannah Twiggs

Here’s four excellent reasons to try haggis this January (Aldi)

Prepare your taste buds and don your kilt. As we gear up for Burns Night, the celebration of Scotland’s beloved poet Robert Burns, Aldi has concocted a symphony of Haggis-inspired delights to tickle your palate.

What is Burns Night?

Picture this: Bagpipes playing, kilts swirling, and the air thick with the rich aroma of haggis – that’s Burns Night! Commemorating the life and works of Robert Burns, this Scottish soirée involves poetry recitations, toasts, and, of course, indulging in the iconic haggis.

Haggis shepherd’s pie: a highland twist on a classic

Kickstart your haggis havoc with a fusion of comfort and tradition – the haggis shepherd’s pie. This hearty dish marries the essence of Scotland with the cosiness of shepherd’s pie, creating a culinary masterpiece that’s bound to have your taste buds doing a Highland Fling.

Haggis mac and cheese: a cheesy affair with a Scottish twist

Brace yourself for a cheesy affair that’ll have your taste buds singing Flower of Scotland. Our haggis mac and cheese takes the classic comfort food up a notch with the bold flavours of haggis, creating a dish fit for a Scottish feast.

Haggis pakora with Irn-Bru dip: spice meets Highland spice

Get ready for a culinary crossroads where Indian spices meet Scottish staple. Our haggis pakora with Irn-Bru dip is a dance of flavours that’ll have your taste buds doing a Highland Fling. It’s a unique fusion that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Burns Night – a true celebration of diversity.

Haggis-stuffed beef steaks: a meaty ode to Burns

For those seeking a more substantial ode to Burns, we present the haggis-stuffed beef steaks. This indulgent dish combines the richness of Scotch beef with the robust flavours of haggis, culminating in a feast fit for a bard.

So, whether you’re a seasoned Burns Night reveler or a first-time participant, join us on this culinary escapade as we pay homage to the haggis in ways that’ll make Rabbie Burns himself raise a dram in approval. Slàinte mhath!

Haggis shepherd’s pie

Kids and adults alike will gobble this up (Aldi)

Shepherd’s pie filled with haggis and topped with a blend of potato and swede mash.

Serves: 4 people

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 small onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stick, chopped

1 small haggis, about 454g (see tip)

400g can chopped tomatoes

125ml red wine

½ swede, peeled and cut into chunks

2 large floury potatoes, such as maris piper, peeled and cut into chunks

Large knob of scottish butter, plus extra melted butter for brushing

Splash of scottish whole milk

75g scottish cheddar, grated

Fresh parsley, chopped to serve (optional)

Equipment:

4 individual pie dishes or 1 larger baking dish

Method:

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan, then add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until softening.

Meanwhile, remove all the packaging from the haggis and cut it into chunks. Put in a microwave-safe bowl and cook in the microwave for half the microwave cooking time, according to the pack instructions.

Add the warm haggis pieces to the veg in the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and red wine, then bring up to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the swede and potatoes in 2 separate pans of cold salted water, then bring to the boil and simmer until soft. The swede will take longer than the potatoes.

Drain both veg well and return to their pans for a few minutes to steam dry.

Mash, then add the 2 together and beat in the butter and milk until smooth and combined. Taste for seasoning.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas Mark 6.

Once the haggis sauce is rich and thickened, divide evenly among 4 individual pie dishes or put it in 1 larger baking dish.

Top with the mashed veg, brush all over with melted butter, then sprinkle with grated cheddar.

Finish in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden on top and bubbling around the edges.

Serve sprinkled with a little chopped parsley, if you like, on its own or alongside your favourite green veg.

Tip: You can replace the meaty haggis with a veggie one

Haggis mac and cheese

Try this for a cheesy alternative (Aldi)

A tasty twist on the traditional mac and cheese, this family favourite uses a combination of haggis along with the combination of cheeses to make a delicious comforting dish.

Serves: 4 people

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

200g haggis

300g macaroni

100g Scottish mature cheddar cheese

100g red leicester

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

30g scottish salted butter

1 heaped tsp dijon mustard

40g plain flour

500ml Scottish milk

3g fresh chopped parsley

30g fresh breadcrumbs

2 vine tomatoes

20g parmigiano cheese – finely grated

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic.

Cook the haggis as per the recipe instructions.

While the haggis is cooking, prepare the sauce: melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook on a low heat for a couple of minutes to soften. Add the flour and cook stirring for a minute. Gradually add the milk and whisk to a thick sauce. Add the mustard and season with some salt and pepper. Grate the cheddar and Leicester cheeses and add to the sauce. Take the pan off the heat and stir well.

Cook the pasta in some boiling salted water with a dash of olive oil for 8 mins till just cooked – drain well.

In a large mixing bowl combine the cheeses sauce and the pasta. Add half the mixture to an oven proof dish, sprinkle over half the haggis then top with the remaining cheese sauce and pasta mix. Sprinkle over the remaining haggis.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the parsley, and the grated parmigiano, sprinkle over the top.

Chop the tomatoes into medium size chunks and place these on top and push them into the mix Bake in the oven for 20minuites – until crispy on top.

Haggis pakora with iron brew dip

Put an Indian twist on the Scottish staple (Aldi)

An Indian inspired twist to a classic Scottish staple.

Serves: 4 people

Prep time: 50 minutes | Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 small haggis cooked following package instructions

Batter 200g plain flour

2 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp powdered cumin

2 tsp powdered coriander

Pinch of salt

200ml natural yogurt

100ml iron brew

Half a lemon

Oil for deep frying

For the Iron Brew dip:

300ml Iron Brew

250ml of mayo

Method:

Wrap the haggis in foil and cook in a large pan of boiling water as per the pack instructions.

Drain the pan then open the haggis and divide into 8 balls.

Mix the flour with the spices in a large bowl, add the lemon juice, yoghurt and Iron Brew & stir through to give a smooth tempura batter.

For the Iron Brew dip add 300ml Iron Brew to a sauce pan and reduce to a syrup cool, then mix with 250ml of mayo and season to taste then set aside.

Heat up the deep fat fryer.

Coat the haggis balls then cook off the pakoras in the hot oil until golden & crispy.

Pat dry on kitchen towel then serve with the dip!

Haggis stuffed beef steaks with mustard and whisky cream sauce

This makes a delicious showstopper for guests (Aldi)

These haggis stuffed beef steaks make a delicious meal for guests.

Serves: 4 people

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 180 minutes

Ingredients:

4 Scotch rump steaks, seasoned and dusted with flour

500ml beef stock

400ml of red wine

For the stuffing:

2 large haggis

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

2 tbsp finely chopped sage

Good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For cooking the beef:

2 tbsp beef dripping

2 onions, peeled and sliced in rings

4-5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into batons

For the whisky cream sauce:

Knob of scottish butter

8 tbsp whisky

300ml scottish double cream

100ml vegetable stock

2 tsp dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Open up the haggis and mix with all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl until combined.

Shape the stuffing into 4 generous sausages.

Flatten the steaks with a meat hammer or rolling pin to approximately 1cm thick.

Place the stuffing sausage onto each of the floured, seasoned steaks.

Roll up to make large hearty parcels and secure with wooden skewers or string to hold the stuffing in.

To cook, heat the dripping in a cooking pot over a medium heat and brown the stuffed beef fillets.

Once browned, add and fry the onions and carrots until softened.

Add the beef stock and wine.

Cook on a low heat, in the oven (preheated to 170C/gas mark 3), for 2½-3 hours until tender.

Remove the parcels and place on a serving dish then reduce the remaining stock on a high heat for 5 minutes.

Serve with creamed tatties or thick slices of bread and butter.

For a special occasion or Burns Night serve with a whisky cream sauce.

For the whisky cream sauce:

Heat a small pan to medium and melt the knob of butter.

Add your choice of whisky then light the whisky with the lighter and allow it to burn off the alcohol. This makes the sauce less bitter. Be careful at this stage, the flame can be quite aggressive but will burn out quickly.

Slowly add the cream, stock and mustard to the pan once the flame is out continuously stirring.

Allow the sauce to thicken and reduce then add salt and pepper to taste.

For more recipe inspiration visit www.aldi.co.uk