Carrot and neep mashSweeter and brighter than neeps alone, for anyone new to rutabaga.
ChipsThick-cut and hot, next to haggis fried in batter.
ClapshotOne mash in place of two, with chives stirred through at the end.
Mashed neeps (rutabaga)Mash with butter and plenty of black pepper, in a pan of its own.
Mashed tatties (potatoes)A smooth, buttery mash to catch the crumbly haggis.
Mushy peasA soft green spoonful beside a battered haggis and chips.
RumbledethumpsBake it until the top browns and serve a scoop in place of plain mash.
Savory minced beef (mince)Ladle it next to the haggis so the gravy runs into the mash.
SkirlieScatter the fried oatmeal and onion over the potatoes for crunch.
Sauces, gravy and seasonings 6
Brown sauceA dark, tangy stripe over chips and fried haggis.
Curry sauceServe it in a small tub for dipping chips and haggis alike.
Onion gravyThick enough to coat the mash without flooding the plate.
Peppercorn saucePour a little around the haggis and pass the rest in a jug.
Redcurrant jellyA small spoonful on the side, sweet and sharp against the spice.
Salt and vinegarShake both over the chips while they are still steaming.
On a breakfast plate 7
Baked beansKeep them to one side so the haggis stays crisp at the edges.
Black puddingFry a round next to the haggis for a dark, rich plate.
Fried eggSit it on a slice of fried haggis and break the yolk over it.
Fruit puddingA fried slice adds something sweet to a savory plate.
Square sausageA slice beside a slice of haggis, both browned on each side.
Tattie sconesFry them in the same pan and use one to scoop up the haggis.
White puddingMild and oaty. Slice it and fry it with the rest.
Other ways to serve it 5
A soft roll, for a haggis burgerFry a patty of haggis and add brown sauce or a fried egg.
Baked potatoSplit it, fork in butter and spoon hot haggis over the top.
Chicken breast stuffed with haggisWrap it in bacon, roast it and slice it across to show the filling.
Pizza with cheese and red onionCrumble cooked haggis over the top before it goes in the oven.
Puff pastry, for haggis rollsBake small ones and hand them round warm before the meal.
A soup first, cheese and sweets after 9
Clootie dumpling with custardA warm slice of spiced fruit pudding for a cold night.
Cock-a-leekie soupA chicken and leek soup, light enough to leave room for the haggis.
Cullen skinkThick and smoky. Serve a cup, not a bowl.
Dundee cakeA thin slice of fruit cake, with cheese if you like.
Oatcakes and cheesePut out a board once the plates are cleared.
Raspberries, cream and toasted oatmealLayer them in a glass with a little honey.
Scotch brothA small bowl to start. The barley makes it filling.
ShortbreadOne or two fingers with the tea or coffee.
TabletCut it into small squares. It is very sweet.
Drinks 3
CoffeeBring it at the end, with the shortbread.
Hot tea with milkStrong and plain, poured as the plates go out.
Raspberry cordial with sparkling waterPink, sharp and cold, in a tall glass.
How it works
What to eat with haggis is settled in Scotland: neeps and tatties, which are mashed rutabaga and mashed potatoes. These 39 ideas add sauces, the soups and sweets of a Burns supper, a breakfast plate and chip-shop sides.
Read the full guide
What to eat haggis with, by tradition
Haggis is the main course of a Burns supper, held on or near 25 January. By tradition the neeps and the tatties are boiled and mashed separately. The supper opens with a soup, such as Scotch broth, cullen skink or cock-a-leekie, and can close with oatcakes and cheese, then coffee. From Aberdeen northwards, mince is commonly served with the haggis too. In Orkney the two mashes are combined with chives as clapshot.
Away from the supper table
Scottish chip shops fry haggis in batter and sell it with chips as a haggis supper. In a haggis burger the fried patty sits in a bun, and a full Scottish breakfast sometimes includes haggis.
Let boiled neeps steam dry in the colander before mashing, or the mash turns watery.
Warm the plates. Haggis and mash cool fast once they are served.
Questions and answers
What sauce goes with haggis?
A peppercorn cream sauce or an onion gravy. Balmoral chicken, a chicken breast stuffed with haggis and wrapped in bacon, can come with peppercorn sauce too. A small spoonful of redcurrant jelly adds something sweet and sharp.
What vegetables go with haggis?
Neeps are the traditional one; the same root is also called swede. Carrot mashed into them makes the mash sweeter, and rumbledethumps, a dish of potato, cabbage and onion from the Scottish Borders, brings some green.
What do you eat with a haggis supper from a chip shop?
Chips come with it. Around Edinburgh the usual seasoning for a chip-shop meal is salt and sauce, a brown sauce thinned with water and vinegar. In Glasgow and elsewhere, salt and vinegar or ketchup are preferred.
What goes with vegetarian haggis?
The same plate. Vegetarian haggis swaps the meat for pulses, nuts and vegetables, so neeps, tatties, clapshot and oatcakes all still fit.
What do you drink with haggis?
Without alcohol: hot tea with milk, raspberry cordial topped up with sparkling water, or coffee at the end of the meal.