Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (2024)

Easy Scottish recipes for vegetarians and vegans, both traditional and modern recipes.

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (1)

BONNIE SCOTLAND

I was born and have lived in Scotland my whole life.

It's a beautiful country, where you're never far from the coast with long sandy beaches where you can sometimes spot seals and dolphins if you're lucky or beautiful lochs surrounded by hills.

If you want to want to walk or hike, you don't have to go far to find open countryside, hills and mountains with spectacular views.

We're also surrounded with forests full of wildlife, with birds (including birds of prey), squirrels, foxes and deer making their homes there.

The food in Scotland is diverse with influences from all over the world.

Traditional Scottish food tends to be a bit simpler, using local seasonal produce to make hearty dishes that are usually quite cheap to make.

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (2)

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH FOOD

Traditional Scottish food, the type passed down through the generations tends to be comfort food.

It's to do with the often bleak weather, where at any point in the year it can become dark and dreich with lots of rain.

The food of Scotland also reflects our climate and the crops.

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (3)

SCOTTISH BERRIES

The east coast of Scotland has the perfect climate for berries, with long daylight hours in summer and lots of sun, but not too hot for these sweet juicy fruits.

Berries are abundant in the wild and free for the picking while you are out on walks too. Bramble bushes are very common and overflowing with blackberries or raspberries.

You will find a lot of berries in our baking and desserts.

SCOTTISH CROPS

Our main crops are wheat, rye, barley and oats, which are milled in Scotland.

The barley is used in soups and stews and the oats we use in porridge, bread, cakes and savoury recipes.

We also grow a lot of rapeseed to make the most glorious yellow oil that's much healthier than olive oil, with a much higher burning temperature.


Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (4)

SCOTTISH VEGETABLES

Most of the potatoes sold in the UK are grown in Scotland, the other main crops are carrots, leeks, turnips (swedes), parsnips, onions, brussels sprouts and peas.

You'll also find lots of kale, chard, broccoli, cauliflower, broad beans, beetroot and lettuce available.

Our main crops appear in many of our traditional dishes, with soups and stews topping the charts. I did say we cook mainly hearty food, didn't I?

Many recipes are suitable for vegetarians and vegans, but others can be easily adapted.

Tinned Tomatoes started off as a vegetarian blog, but as our diets changed it became vegan-based, so you will find both vegetarian and vegan dishes below.

All recipes can be easily tweaked for a vegetarian or vegan diet, just use your regular milk, butter and cheese.

Some are traditional dishes, some are traditional dishes with a modern twist and others are new dishes using traditional Scottish ingredients.

They are all easy to make and come with photos and printable (you can save them as PDFs too) recipe cards.

I hope you enjoy the recipes. If there is any traditional Scottish recipe you would like to see, leave me a comment or email me at tinnedtomatoes@googlemail.com. I'm always happy to chat.

V = vegetarian
Ve = vegan

SCOTTISH BREAKFAST

A Scottish breakfast is a thing of many parts. During the week it may be porridge, cereal or toast topped with jam.

In a hurry, then it might be a slice of banana bread, a flapjack or a muffin on the go.

On a Sunday it's usually a more leisurely affair with homemade pancakes or a cooked breakfast, which can feature all or some of the following:

  • Tattie scones (potato scones) - an easy flatbread made with potatoes
  • veggie sausages
  • veggie haggis
  • fried potatoes (in slices)
  • fried mushrooms
  • grilled tomatoes
  • baked beans
  • scrambled or fried egg (if you're vegetarian)
  • wilted spinach (if you're pretending to be healthy)
  • toast (toasted or fried)

And for something sweet try these easy Scotch pancakes (or drop scones).

Make your own Easy Vegan Haggis

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (5)

TATTIE SCONES

Tattie scones, also known as potato scones or potato farls are a Scottish flatbread made from potatoes which are served for breakfast.

We mostly call them tattie scones as tattie is our Scottish word for potatoes or potato farls.

Farls comes from the old Scots word fardel which means a quarter. Tattie scones or farls are usually shaped into a flat round and cut into quarters in triangles, then cooked.

I like to roll the dough out and cut into small rounds with a cookie cutter.

They are best made from freshly cooked potatoes which are mashed, but they can also be made with leftover mash.

  • Easy Indian Spiced Potato Scones (an Indian twist on Scottish tattie scones) (vegan)
  • Scottish Potato Scones (and how to make a vegan cooked breakfast) (vegan)
  • Scottish Tattie Scones (and how to make a vegetarian cooked breakfast)(vegetarian)

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (6)

PORRIDGE

Porridge is a staple on Scottish breakfast tables. It's easy to make from porridge oats (rolled oats) and you can eat it plain or add lots of fruit (fresh or dried).

It will fill you up until lunchtime and give you energy to get on with your day.

Traditionally it was made in crofts in pots over a fire with no fancy toppings.

My dad ate it every day of his life for breakfast. He made it with water and a pinch of salt, which is very Scottish.

Many people in Scotland serve their porridge plain (made with milk or water) and often with a drizzle of honey.

I like it with some sweetness from a drizzle of maple syrup or fruit.

I now also make a modern version of oats, by serving it cold as overnight oats. It's really not Scottish, but it's my twist on a Scottish oat breakfast.

THESE ARE ALL SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS. Use your regular milk. The creme egg overnight oats can be made with or without the creme egg on top (both vegetarian and vegan versions are available to buy.


  • Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
  • Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats
  • Creme Egg Overnight Oats
  • Overnight Sweet Potato Oats

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (7)

FLAPJACKS

Flapjacks are closely related to porridge. The first flapjacks were just cold porridge that had set.

In crofts, porridge would be made in a pot over an open fire and poured into a porridge drawer, also known as a kist.

The porridge would be eaten hot for breakfast, then as it cooled in the drawer it would set and be cut into squares to eat and so the flapjack was born.

Today flapjacks are baked and can contain all sorts of spices, fruit and even chocolate.

.

THESE ARE ALL SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS.

  • Scottish Fresh Blueberry Flapjacks

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (8)

BANANA BREAD

Banana bread is such an easy bake and it's a great way of using up over-ripe bananas that might end up in the bin.

It's great served fresh, but it's even better toasted for breakfast and served spread with butter or dairy-free spread.

THESE ARE ALL SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS.

  • Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
  • Easy One-Bowl Chocolate Banana Bread
  • Homemade Oat Flour Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips (oat flour can easily be made from porridge (rolled) oats and used in place of plain (all purpose) flour)
  • Raspberry Banana Bread with Choc Chips

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (9)

SCOTCH PANCAKES

Scottish pancakes are more like American pancakes when it comes to rise, but we tend to serve them smaller.

Some people prefer crepes, from our auld friends the French, but wee fat Scotch pancakes remain the most popular.

  • Healthier Chocolate Banana Pancakes with Chocolate Sauce (vegan)
  • (vegetarian)
  • Scotch Pancakes(vegetarian)
  • (vegan)
  • Vegan Chocolate Chip Scotch Pancakes(vegan)

SCOTTISH LUNCH

Soup and sandwiches are popular lunch choices in Scotland.

We eat soup at home but also take soup to work in tubs to heat in the microwave or take it in flasks to drink when we are out and about.

I'm including homemade bread recipes that are great served with a hearty bowl of Scottish soup and sandwiches.

We also like a sausage roll or something in pastry for lunch, so I've included a few recipes for vegetarian and vegan sausage rolls and pies.

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (10)


SCOTTISH SOUP

Soup is one of our most popular dishes in Scotland and we serve it up for lunch and dinner.

It's cheap, easy to make and very filling. Even the most unused kitchen will often see a pot of soup on the go as it's easy even for beginners.

Our soups are usually made from our staple crops, onions, carrots, potatoes, turnip (swede), leek and broccoli. We also like to add pulses or grains to bulk soups out.

Scottish soup is usually hearty with a bit of texture but we do make some smooth soups too.

I know it's not polite, but we love to dunk bread into our soup!


  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • (vegetarian)
  • (vegan)
  • Fresh Ginger Parsnip Soup(vegetarian)
  • Fridge Vegetable Soup (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • Red Lentil Soup(vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • Scottish Fridge Lentil Soup (vegan)
  • Scottish Lentil Soup (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup(vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • Spicy Tiffin Eggs (vegetarian)
  • Tattie Soup (vegan)
  • Yellow Split Pea Soup (vegan)


WHAT TO SERVE WITH SCOTTISH SOUP

Here are a few ideas of what to serve with a pot of Scottish soup. They aren't all Scottish recipes but they go great with Scottish soup.

THE BREAD RECIPES ARE ALL SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS.

BREAD

  • Basic Wholemeal Bread (this style bread would be made in Scotland and is good for soup, but also slices well for sandwiches.
  • Basic White Loaf (this style of bread would also be made in Scottish homes)
  • Light Rye Bloomer Bread
  • No Knead Black Olive Beer Bread (no yeast)
  • Wholemeal Beer Bread (no yeast)

SCONES

Cheese scones are often served with soup in Scotland. Cut in half and spread with a generous amount of butter.

  • Blueberry Lemonade Scones (vegan)
  • Buttery Scottish Teatime Scones (vegan)
  • Classic Cheese Scones (vegetarian)

TOASTIES

Toasties are often served with soup or on their own with some salad.

  • Comfort Cheese Toastie(vegetarian)
  • (vegetarian)
  • (vegan)

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (11)

SCOTTISH SAUSAGE ROLLS & OTHER PASTRY LUNCH PIES

Us Scots love a bit of pastry at lunchtime. Sausage rolls, bridies or pies. A lot of it is very meaty, but it's easy to make a vegetarian or vegan alternative.


  • (pasties are an English treat but these have a very Scottish filling) (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • Rumbledethump Pies(vegan)
  • Scottish Savoury Puffs(vegan)
  • Spicy 3 Bean Sausage Rolls(vegan)
  • Spicy Lentil Vegan Sausage Rolls (vegan)
  • Spicy Tattie Puffs(vegan)
  • Vegan Haggis Sausage Rolls
  • (vegan)
  • Vegetarian Sausage Rolls(vegetarian)

SCOTTISH DINNER


A traditional Scottish family dinner is usually hearty fare with lots of stews and pies involved. Usually served with tatties (potatoes) and a selection of vegetables.

If it's Sunday dinner or a special occasion, there may be a starter and dessert or pudding too.

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (12)

SCOTTISH STARTERS


Here are some ideas for a Scottish style starter. Serve them with a small side salad. You can check out the lunch section for more soup ideas.


  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • Scottish Fridge Lentil Soup (vegan)
  • Scottish Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup(vegan)
  • Yellow Split Pea Soup (vegan)
  • (serve on oatcakes) (vegan)
  • Beer Battered Haggis Bites (vegan)
  • Vegetarian Scotch Eggs (vegetarian)

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (13)


SCOTTISH MAIN COURSE

As I said, dinner tends to be a hearty affair and is usually served with tatties and veg.

We serve our tatties mashed, boiled or roasted for dinner. We love our tatties! Oh and rumbledethumps as a side dish, you can't forget the rumbledethumps!

THESE ARE ALL SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS.

  • Cottage Garden Pie
  • Extra Veg Vegan Shepherd's Pie
  • Rumbledethump Pies
  • Scottish Mushroom Stew

BURNS SUPPER

  • Creamy Whisky Sauce for Haggis
  • Easy Vegan Haggis
  • How To Cook Neeps
  • Vegan Mushroom Gravy

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (14)


SLOW COOKER

THESE ARE ALL SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS.

  • Luxury Slow Cooker Macaroni Cheese (we love macaroni cheese in Scotland, it's served in homes, takeaways, cafes and restaurants thanks to all those Italians who arrived in Scotland during the war)
  • Slow Cooker Vegan Savoury Mince
  • Slow Cooker Scottish Stovies

SIDE DISHES

  • Rumbledethumps
  • Vegetarian Macaroni Cheese

SCOTTISH DESSERTS & PUDDINGS

We do love a pudding here in Scotland, served with custard, ice cream or pouring cream. We rarely say no to a dessert either.

Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (15)

DESSERTS

  • Scottish Cranachan(vegetarian)
  • Traditional Scottish Strawberry Trifle(vegan)

PUDDINGS

  • Creamy Rice Pudding with Toffee Bananas(vegan)
  • Rich Sticky Toffee Pudding(vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • Scottish Plum Crumble (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)

SCOTTISH BAKING

We do love our cakes and sweet treats in Scotland. When I was a child my mum was always baking or letting me help her make tray bakes and sweet treats.


Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (16)


BISCUITS

  • (vegan)
  • (vegan)
  • (vegetarian)
  • Scottish Flapjack Cookies(vegetarian)

CAKES


Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (17)

SCONES

  • Blueberry Lemonade Scones(vegan)
  • Blueberry Scones (vegan)
  • Buttery Scottish Vegan Teatime Scones(vegan)
  • Scottish Scones(vegetarian)

TRAYBAKES

  • Mars Bar Slice(vegetarian)
  • (vegan)
  • Scottish Chocolate Tiffin(vegan)

TRUFFLES

  • Audrey's Scottish Truffles(vegetarian)
  • Chocolate Orange Truffles(vegetarian)
  • Scottish Macaroon Snowballs(vegan)
  • Scottish Rum Chocolate Truffles (vegetarian or vegan)
  • White Chocolate Truffles with Peppermint(vegetarian)

I hope you try some of these Scottish recipes, both traditional and modern.

LANG MAY YER LUM REEK!


Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians (2024)

FAQs

Can vegans eat vegetarian haggis? ›

Enjoyed by vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike, Macsween vegetarian haggis is a mix of healthy fresh vegetables, pulses, oatmeal, seeds and spices.

Is vegetarian haggis good for you? ›

A vegetarian haggis is likely to be lower in calories, fat and saturated fat compared with a traditional haggis, with ingredients generally including oats, lentils, beans and a variety of vegetables and seeds. Both traditional and vegetarian haggis are packed with flavour!

What is vegetarian haggis made of? ›

Ingredients. Water, Carrots (11%), Swede (11%), Oatmeal, Pinhead Oatmeal, Barley, Vegetable Oils (Palm, Rapeseed), Leeks (6%), Lentils, Dried Onion, Chickpeas, Red Kidney Beans, Salt, Spices (Black Pepper, Pimento), Sweetcorn, Emulsifier (Mono and Diglycerides of fatty acids).

What does haggis taste like? ›

What does haggis taste like? Haggis is like a crumbly sausage, with a coarse oaty texture and a warming peppery flavour. It's most commonly served with neeps (mashed turnip) and tatties (mashed potato) and washed down with a wee dram of your favourite whisky.

What do meat eaters get that vegans don t? ›

Intake and status of vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and bone turnover markers were generally lower in plant-based dietary patterns compared to meat-eaters. Vegans had the lowest vitamin B12, calcium and iodine intake, and also lower iodine status and lower bone mineral density.

Does vegetarian haggis taste like real haggis? ›

Yes! You'd surprised to know that haggis is easily adapted to be vegetarian. Depending on the recipe, offal and suet are replaced with fresh vegetables, lentils, beans, mushrooms and seeds. The inclusion of oats and the seasoning means that the flavour is actually very similar to the meat version.

Why does haggis taste so good? ›

Haggis has a very meaty flavour which is rich and even slightly metallic due to the offal. The oats and onions add both sweetness and texture. Then you get a nice punch of heat from the black pepper and the other spices used.

Is haggis eaten hot or cold? ›

How to serve haggis. Serve hot with neeps & tatties and whisky cream sauce. Haggis also works well with leeks or carrots. For pudding, follow your haggis main with our clootie dumpling or another classic Scottish dessert, cranachan.

Is haggis bad for cholesterol? ›

However, haggis also contains high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, which can contribute to an increased risk of heart disease. It's important to balance your overall diet and limit your intake of high-fat, high-cholesterol foods to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Is black pudding vegan? ›

The Bury Black Pudding Company is the UK's leading specialist producer of black pudding. They have created Vegan black pudding which has a delicious herby, peppery flavour with a firm texture and traditional dark colour. It is easy to prepare and cook; simply slice and then fry, bake, grill or microwave.

What brand is vegetarian haggis? ›

Macski's Vegetarian Haggis was developed to offer the great taste of haggis to those who choose not to eat meat. Our vegetarian haggis was carefully developed to look, smell, and taste the way haggis should.

What should I eat for burns at night? ›

Main course: Haggis, neeps and tatties

Love it or loathe it, haggis is the dish at the heart of Burns Night. Try this simple recipe for haggis, neeps and tatties and follow our guide to buying and cooking the perfect haggis.

What's a full Scottish breakfast? ›

So, what is a full Scottish breakfast? Usually made up of bacon, link sausages, Lorne sausage (also known as square sausage or slice), black pudding, haggis, baked beans, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, tattie scones and fried eggs, the full Scottish breakfast is a sight to behold.

Can you eat haggis in us? ›

Haggis imports into the United States were prohibited in 1971 as part of a ban on the consumption of all livestock lungs. Authentic versions of old school haggis remain culinary contraband in the US, as hard to lay your hands on as Cuban cigars.

What is black pudding in Scotland? ›

Black pudding is another traditional Scottish dish that is very similar to haggis as they are both made with the same ingredients: onions, pork fat, oatmeal and spices. Contrary to haggis, black pudding is made from pigs' blood, which holds all the ingredients together.

Is Simon Howie vegetarian haggis suitable for vegans? ›

Description. A sumptuous blend of vegetables, bursting with flavour, mixed with oatmeal, pulses and spices. Haggis worthy of the occasion! *Simon Howie Vegetarian 454g Haggis is the UK's best selling vegetarian / vegan haggis.

Is MacSween vegetarian haggis vegan? ›

These are all cooked together and filled into a man-made casing to produce our unique vegetarian version of the national dish of Scotland. Approved by the Vegetarian Society, and suitable for vegans, this yummy alternative is appreciated by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Is Mcsweens veggie haggis vegan? ›

MacSween Vegetarian Haggis500g

Contains No Artificial Flavours or Colours. Vegetarian Society Approved - Vegan. For allergens, including Cereals containing Gluten, see ingredients in bold.

Is it OK for vegans to feed their pets meat? ›

Vegetarian Dogs and Cats

Many vegetarians and vegans feed healthful, meatless diets to their companion animals. One remarkable example is that of Bramble, a border collie whose vegan diet of rice, lentils, and organic vegetables contributed to a nearly record-breaking lifespan of 29 years.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Roderick King

Last Updated:

Views: 6164

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Roderick King

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: 3782 Madge Knoll, East Dudley, MA 63913

Phone: +2521695290067

Job: Customer Sales Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Embroidery, Parkour, Kitesurfing, Rock climbing, Sand art, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.