Lamb & Haggis Meatballs with a Whisky Cream Sauce

Name: Lamb & Haggis Meatballs with a Whisky Cream Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 250 grams lamb mince; 250 grams haggis; 1 medium free-range egg (beaten); 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying); 1 tbsp butter; 2 shallots (finely chopped); 50 ml whisky; 300 ml double cream

Published on January 19, 2018 • Last updated December 22, 2022 by Elizabeth

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A modern take on a classic Burns Night Supper – lamb mince and haggis meatballs with a delicious and simple whisky cream sauce. Serve with tatties and neeps.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Lamb and Haggis Meatballs with Whisky Cream Sauce

This modern take on the classic Burns Night supper is a remarkably quick and easy recipe to make, and it’s the perfect introduction to haggis for people who aren’t really sure if they’ll like it or not.

The first time I ever ate haggis (and I confess I was sceptical too!) was in Ackergill Tower, in Wick, Scotland.

The haggis was piped in and Robert Burns’ ‘Address to a Haggis’ was recited by a sword-wielding kilted highlander with a booming voice who sliced into that haggis with his ceremonial knife with skill and grandeur.

We were in the Great Hall in the 14th baronial tower, stags’ head on the wall flanked by two aged military flags. The haggis was served on a bed of tatties and neeps with plenty of locally distilled Scotch whisky to wash it down.

It was the best haggis I’ve ever eaten. Alas, this was long before I ever thought to take photographs of my food so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

From then on I’ve had a fondness for the traditional Scottish dish, but alas, it’s not a fondness my family share.

So, to help gently introduce them to the idea of eating haggis (it really is quite a delicious meal!), I’ve combined it with equal parts of lamb mince and created this meatball recipe.

The lamb mince helps tone down the peppery spiciness of the haggis, and it pairs perfectly with the whisky cream sauce.

This recipe was also partly inspired by the haggis bonbons enjoyed at Meldrum House, a charming 13th-century baronial mansion in Ellon last year.

We were served these bonbons as part of our lunch menu, and I’m keen to try making them at home too.

To prepare these, I believe all you do is form the haggis into balls, dip in flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs. They’re then deep-fried and served with a dipping sauce.

The whisky cream sauce in this recipe is extremely easy to make too – simply saute a small finely chopped onion or a few shallots in a knob of butter, pour in a generous dram of Scotch whisky and leave it to cook so that the alcohol burns off.

This will leave the smoky whisky flavour without any bitterness.

Then, pour in the double cream and leave it to gently simmer and thicken as you get on with the meatballs.

Make sure you use a good quality single malt Scotch whisky for your sauce. It’ll make all the difference to the flavour.

Serve your lamb and haggis meatballs on a bed of tatties and neeps in the traditional way.

I’ve stacked mine using a large round cookie cutter as a mould – simply pack in your buttery neeps first, lift the cookie cutter slightly and finish off with a layer of your favourite mashed potatoes.

Garnish with a few of the meatballs and a sprig of something green for colour, and pour your whisky sauce around the base of the stack.

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin’-race!

How will you be celebrating Burns Night this January 25th? Let me know in the comments!