Stovies is a traditional Scottish dish made with potatoes, onions and leftover meat, cooked together until soft, rich and full of flavour. Simple, hearty and deeply comforting, it's the kind of no-fuss cooking that turns humble ingredients into something special.
Personally, I'd say that the recipe passes down in families...as a young girl I used to watch my dad assembling the ingredients in a large pot. He would have watched either his mum or dad making them when he was growing up. The main ingredients in the recipe I watched my dad make were leftover roast beef or lamb, potatoes, onions and leftover gravy from the roast.
It's a very comforting dish and is a great way to use up leftovers from a roast dinner.
You'll also find that stovies are often served later in the evening at weddings or parties in Scotland.
Tips
- We like sliced pickled beetroot and oatcakes with our stovies, but I have seen people have tomato ketchup with it too!
- If you have leftover vegetables, eg: carrots and/or neeps, feel free to add them to the pot too.
- Optional variations:
- Roast beef stovies - the classic version using leftover roast beef.
- Lamb stovies - they're great with leftover roast lamb too!
- Corned beef stovies - this is a very popular version using a tin of corned beef.
- Sausage stovies - use sliced sausages for a different twist.
- Vegetarian stovies - use leftover roast veg and gravy made with vegetable stock.
- This stovies recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stovies are typically made with potatoes, onions and leftover meat, cooked together.
Leftover roast beef or lamb, corned beef or sausage all work well.
Yes - stovies freeze well for 2 to 3 months.
They should be soft and tender, but not completely mashed.
Yes - a vegetarian version can be made using leftover roast veg and gravy made with vegetable stock.
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How to make Stovies
Ingredients
- 320g leftover roast beef or lamb, cut or torn into bite size chunks
- 1.3kg potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled and thinly sliced (approx. 5 mm)
- 300g onions, chopped or thinly sliced
- 200ml leftover gravy
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- sliced pickled beetroot, to serve (optional)
- oatcakes, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Put a large saucepan or casserole pot on a medium heat and assemble the ingredients in layers, as follows:
- Spoon some gravy over the bottom of the pan
- Then add a sprinkle of onions and some chunks of meat
- Place a layer of the sliced potatoes next, then season with salt and pepper
- Repeat until all of the ingredients are in the pan
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Stir and use the spoon to break the potatoes into chunks. Cover again and leave to cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes. Stir and use the spoon again to break up the potatoes - they should be cooked through and soft enough that they mash up easily.
- Serve with sliced pickled beetroot and oatcakes (optional - see Tips).
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Stovies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 320 g (11.3 oz) leftover roast beef or lamb cut or torn into bite size chunks
- 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward) peeled and thinly sliced (approx. 5 mm)
- 300 g (2 cups) onions chopped or thinly sliced
- 200 ml (1 cups) leftover gravy
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- sliced pickled beetroot to serve (optional)
- oatcakes to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Put a large saucepan or casserole pot on a medium heat and assemble the ingredients in layers, as follows:1. Spoon some gravy over the bottom of the pan2. Then add a sprinkle of onions and some chunks of meat3. Place a layer of the sliced potatoes next, then season with salt and pepper4. Repeat until all of the ingredients are in the pan
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Stir and use the spoon to break the potatoes into chunks. Cover again and leave to cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes. Stir and use the spoon again to break up the potatoes - they should be cooked through and soft enough that they mash up easily.
- Serve with sliced pickled beetroot and oatcakes (optional - see Tips).
Notes
- We like sliced pickled beetroot and oatcakes with our stovies, but I have seen people have tomato ketchup with it too!
- If you have leftover vegetables, eg: carrots and/or neeps, feel free to add them to the pot too.
- Optional variations:
- Roast beef stovies - the classic version using leftover roast beef.
- Lamb stovies - they're great with leftover roast lamb too!
- Corned beef stovies - this is a very popular version using a tin of corned beef.
- Sausage stovies - use sliced sausages for a different twist.
- Vegetarian stovies - use leftover roast veg and gravy made with vegetable stock.
- This stovies recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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