Haggis vs black pudding: ingredients and meal ideas
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4 min reading time
Compare haggis and black pudding, understand their ingredients and choose the right product for a supper, breakfast or smaller savoury dish.
Haggis and black pudding are different foods, even though both can appear on a Scottish breakfast plate. Traditional meat haggis combines meat and offal with oats and seasoning. Black pudding contains blood: for example, Charles Macleod Stornoway Black Pudding lists pork blood alongside oatmeal, fats, onions and spices.
If you are choosing between them, start with the meal you want to make. Haggis can be the centre of a supper with neeps and tatties. Black pudding works as a sliced breakfast component or an addition to another savoury dish. You can also serve both, allowing less of each than you would if either were the only main ingredient.
What is the difference in ingredients?
Recipes vary between makers, so compare the products you intend to buy. Macsween's traditional 907g haggis lists lamb, beef, oats, stock, onion and seasoning. Charles Macleod's standard black pudding includes beef suet, vegetable fat, oatmeal and pork blood. These examples explain the difference without assuming every brand uses the same recipe.
Question
Traditional meat haggis
Black pudding
What is the main distinction?
A seasoned meat, offal and oat mixture
A savoury pudding containing blood, with cereal and fat
How might I serve it?
As the main part of a haggis supper, or in a smaller breakfast portion
In slices alongside breakfast ingredients, or as part of a savoury starter
Can I assume it is gluten-free?
No; choose a product specifically labelled gluten-free
No; check the exact product's label
Is the standard product vegetarian?
No; choose a separate vegetarian haggis
No; the Charles Macleod product discussed here contains animal ingredients
Which should I choose for dinner?
For a traditional haggis supper, start with the Macsween haggis range. Choose the weight for your guest count and add mashed neeps and tatties. Our portion guide helps you plan the haggis quantity; our serving guide covers accompaniments.
If you already have a main dish in mind and want a smaller addition, consider Charles Macleod Stornoway Black Pudding. Plan how much you will use before opening a larger roll, then follow its instructions for storing any unused portion. Buying a large pack only helps when you have a practical use for the rest.
Can I use one instead of the other?
You can change the combination on a breakfast plate, but a recipe written for one product may need adjustment if you substitute the other. Do not assume equal quantities, texture or cooking instructions. For a first meal, keep the accompaniments simple so you can decide which combination you prefer.
When serving both, give each product its own preparation check. A time or method printed on a haggis pack is not a cooking instruction for black pudding. Follow the current pack directions, including any instructions about casings, clips, heating and storage.
What if someone has dietary requirements?
Check the whole plate, not only its main ingredient. The standard haggis and black pudding examples above should not be treated as gluten-free. A vegetarian haggis also does not make a breakfast vegetarian if it is served with meat black pudding or bacon.
For a meat-free meal, browse vegetarian haggis and check the chosen product's suitability for your guests. For an allergy or a particular ingredient requirement, read the current declaration and ask us before ordering if anything is unclear.
Choose the haggis or black pudding that fits your meal, check the pack size, then plan the sides and storage before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between haggis and black pudding?
Traditional meat haggis combines meat and offal with oats and seasoning; black pudding is a blood pudding. Recipes vary by producer, so compare the specific products. The Charles Macleod black pudding discussed here lists pork blood among its ingredients.
Can I serve haggis and black pudding together?
Yes. They can share a breakfast plate or form part of a larger savoury meal. Use smaller portions of each than you would for a single main ingredient, and balance the plate with vegetables, potatoes or other accompaniments you enjoy.
Can I replace black pudding with haggis in a recipe?
You can change a breakfast combination, but a recipe may behave differently if you swap its main ingredient. Texture, flavour and preparation instructions can differ. Start with a small batch and use the directions for the product you actually choose.
Can haggis and black pudding use the same cooking method?
Only if each pack independently gives suitable instructions for that method. Do not copy heating times from one to the other. Check packaging and casing removal, portion size and heating directions for each product before organising them on the same plate.
Are either haggis or black pudding automatically vegetarian or gluten-free?
No. The traditional products discussed here contain animal ingredients, and gluten-free suitability must be confirmed for the exact pack. For a meat-free meal, choose a suitable vegetarian haggis and check the accompaniments individually, including sauces and breakfast extras.
