Warming Scottish tattie soup, perfect for winter. Cosy up with a bowl of this traditional Scottish potato soup (suitable for vegetarians & vegans).

https://www.tinnedtomatoes.com/2023/09/scottish-tattie-soup.html.

Scottish Tattie Soup (Traditional Potato Broth)

Name: Scottish Tattie Soup (Traditional Potato Broth)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 large leek, sliced; 2 large carrots, chopped; 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) floury potatoes; 1 ½ litres (6 1/3 cups) vegetable stock (3 stock cubes); salt and white pepper to season

Scotland's weather is often dreich, with lots of grey, wet days, so hearty soup is always a popular choice.

And Scottish tattie soup is so popular you'd think it was the National Soup of Scotland.

This traditional soup is a healthy broth, full of root vegetables, it will fill you up and it's very cheap to make.

What's not to love?

There are even tattie soup songs, including a tattie soup song by Harry Lauder in 1904, one by the Singing Kettle, and this one by Funbox

Why is soup so popular in Scotland?

We do get sun in Scotland, but also lots of rain and long, cold, dark winters, so homemade soup like this potato broth is often found bubbling away on the cooker in a large pot.

We Scots love soup.

Cheap - it doesn't cost much to make a pot of soup
Root vegetables - Scottish soup is usually made with root vegetables which are grown everywhere
Seasonal - root veg is available in Scotland year round
Easy - soup is easy to make
It goes around - it can easily feed a big family
Hearty - it fills you up
Healthy - full of veg, so definitely a healthy option
Low calorie - soup is generally low calorie (187 calories) and great if you're on a low-calorie diet like the 5:2 diet
Low fat - as long as you don't add cream or only a wee splash
Warming - just what you need on chilly nights during colder months
Comforting - like a hug in a bowl

What are tatties?

I do apologize if you've got this far and still don't have a clue what tatties are.

Tatties is an old Scots word for potatoes.

In some regions of Scotland, this changes to totties (taught-ees)

Tattie holidays

Potatoes have always been important in Scottish cuisine and when I was a lass there were the tattie holidays.

They were in October and children were allowed to take time off school to go tattie picking or tattie howking as it was also known.

Tattie holidays started in the 1930s when tractors would dig up potatoes and women and children (while the men were at war) would pick potatoes, carrying them in their washing baskets.

Each area had different tattie holidays, depending on when the harvest was.

This stopped in the 1980s when harvesters were more common, but schools and some businesses still close during tattie holidays.

Which potatoes are best in soup?

When making a delicious soup, floury potatoes work best.

They soften as they cook and thicken the soup.

In the UK floury potatoes are often called white potatoes, but there are specific brands like Maris Piper or King Edward.

In the US flour potatoes include Desiree, Estima and Rosamunda.

Traditional Scottish Tattie Soup in a White Bowl.

Is this the same as leek and potato soup?

This Scottish potato broth is not the same as leek and potato soup, but similar.

Leek & tattie soup, as I prefer to call it, doesn't have carrots added to it.

Also, as you may expect, it has more leeks.

The ratio of potato to leeks is swapped around.

Tattie soup has more potatoes and leek and potato soup has more leeks.

You get the idea.

Love leeks? Try my Creamy Vegan Leek Pasta.

Tattie drottle soup

What a fabulous name for a Scottish soup.

It's easy to confuse traditional tattie soup with tattie drottle, but there's one big difference.

Tattie drottle soup is made with milk instead of water (or vegetable stock).

An altogether more creamy soup, but still utterly delicious and comforting.

Is Scottish tattie soup always suitable for vegans?

Scottish tattie soup is usually suitable for vegetarians or vegans, but it's good to be a wee bit cautious as many soups in Scotland are flavoured with bones or a meaty broth.

If you're not making it at home, but eating it in a cafe or buying it in grocery stores or supermarkets, do check the ingredients.

Scottish potato soup served with thick brown bread.

What you need to make tattie soup

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this Scotch broth.

Olive oil - or butter (vegan butter)
Onion - white or brown onion
Leeks
Carrots
Potatoes - floury potatoes
Vegetable stock
Salt
White pepper

What no garlic?

Nope, no garlic, although you can add it if you like, but adding garlic isn't traditional.

Historically it would be made with butter (not oil), with no garlic and water instead of stock.

Try it with no garlic, it still has lots of flavour.

White pepper is a very Scottish ingredient

You may have noticed I added white, not black pepper to the ingredient list.

White pepper is used a lot in Scottish cooking.

It probably comes from our ties with France (we've traded with them for centuries), where it became popular during the Renaissance.

It's added to traditional Scottish clapshot too.

What to serve with leek and tattie soup

Tattie soup is best served with crusty bread for dunking.

Dunking is obligatory unless you're in a fancy restaurant!

If you want to make an easy homemade bread to serve with this Scottish soup, wholemeal beer bread, onion beer bread, or vegan cheese & chive beer bread, they are all super easy to make and no-knead.

More confident at making bread? Try a basic wholemeal loaf or a light rye bloomer bread.

Popular Scottish soups

If you'd like to try more Scottish soup recipes, try Scotch Broth with barley and Kale. Split Pea Soup made in the Slow Cooker, this thick stick-to-yer-ribs Tattie, Neeps & Carrot Soup or Scottish Lentil Soup.

Want to try more traditional recipes from Scotland, check out my page Scottish Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians.

How long will tattie soup last?

Once cool tattie soup can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To reheat it, pop it in a bowl in the microwave or heat it in a large pan.

It's great to take with you in a flask to school, work or if you are out for a walk on a crisp, cold day.

Can you freeze Scottish potato soup?

Cool the soup, divide into portions and freeze in soup bags or freezer tubs.

Just remember to label and date the bags or tubs before ladling in the soup.

It can be stored in the freezer for 3-4 months.

To defrost, leave a portion in the fridge overnight, then reheat to serve for lunch or dinner.

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How to make Scottish Tattie Soup

A step-by-step photo guide followed by a full printable recipe.

Step 1

In a soup pot or dutch oven heat oil and saute the onions and leeks until soft.
Add the carrots and potatoes.

Step 2

Mix well and cook for a few minutes, then add the stock.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to the simmer.
Once the soup is cooked, season and serve.
Enjoy!

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Dinner

Scottish

Yield: 6

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum