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Easy Poutine Recipe

When seasoned fries meet gravy and cheese curds, Poutine is born. This easy Poutine Recipe is drizzled with homemade Poutine Gravy and cheddar cheese curds. A comfort food gift from Canada. Learn how to make Poutine, a Canadian classic.

Poutine in a black pan.

When trying a restaurant for the first time I usually ask the waitstaff for menu recommendations. A new-to-me restaurant in Provo, Utah called Station 22 serves a promising dish of fries and gravy. When the server recommended Poutine, I was intrigued. I suppose if I was from the upper Midwest or Canada, I would have known exactly what I was getting.

The dish was served piping hot and and using my fork I grabbed one of the french fries. The melted cheese was stringy and inviting. The combination of the light colored gravy, melted cheese and cheese curds was perfect. My daughter and I split this serving and finished every last fry and curd. I almost licked the plate, we were in the corner, I don’t think anyone would have noticed. Since then I have been meaning to re-create this dish. Today I am sharing my Canadian-American Poutine recipe with you.

What is Poutine?

According to Wikipedia, Poutine is a dish consisting of french fries, cheese curds and brown gravy. Many people claim to have invented this dish but the general consensus is that it came about in the early 1950’s.

Poutine gravy is usually made starting with a roux and then adding beef stock or chicken stock to make a somewhat thin golden brown gravy that will drip down to the bottom of the pile of fries. A roux is simply fat and all purpose flour cooked until a nutty aroma develops and is the basis for gravy, sauces and as a thickener for soups.

Cheddar cheese curds are traditionally served on top of the fries before you pour the gravy over and of course, you will want to serve immediately as the gravy will make the fries soften.

Frozen french fries are actually better than any I have made homemade so I used frozen seasoned fries and was glad I did. This shortcut made this dish very easy to make. If you do decide to make your own, russet potatoes are the best for fries, in my honest opinion.

For the gravy I wanted to replicate the recipe from Station 22 so I opted to add milk to the roux instead of beef or chicken broth. First I sautéed some shallots in bacon fat until soft then added a clove of garlic, minced.

After adding more bacon fat, I then added the flour and cooked it until it turned a golden brown color. While slowly stirring, I added the milk, salt, pepper and Worchestershire sauce. It simmered until it developed the desired thickness.

When serving, I added mozzarella and cheese curds before pouring the gravy over and ate it immediately. Mozzarella cheese is not in the original version of Poutine but it is currently popular to add it for the melted cheese affect.

The cheese curds don’t melt but are super tasty and fun to eat. Some versions include shredded cheddar instead of mozzarella. In New Jersey and New York they skip the cheese curds and just use shredded mozzarella or cheddar, naming them Disco Fries.

I don’t know how you feel about this decadent junk food but when it’s below zero in January in Northern Utah, I will be cuddling up to a large bowl of some homemade easy Poutine. I love Poutine and I would like to personally thank our Canadian neighbors for this soul-feeding comfort food.

Poutine Pro Tips

  • To amp up the flavor, use seasoned fries.  If you want the gravy and cheese to take center stage, use plain fries.
  • Sprinkle extra mozzarella before pouring the gravy on in order to have extra gooey, cheesy goodness.
  • Eat this with a fork;)
A plate full of poutine.

Fun Poutine facts.

  • Canadian National Poutine Day is April 11th.
  • Poutine was originally called ‘Mixte’, a 50/50 mix of cheese and fries.  Gravy was added later.
  • Poutine is listed as number ten on Canada’s greatest inventions.
  • Canadian McDonald’s offer Poutine.
  • ‘Poutine’ was added to the Oxford English Dictionary as well as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2014.
  • While many claim to have invented Poutine, Jean-Paul Roy from Drummondville, Quebec was bestowed the official patent by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.
  • Poutine is a slang word for ‘a mess’ in Quebec.

Poutine Step-By-Step


Frozen fries on a baking sheet.

Layer fries on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Shallots and garlic on a cutting board.

While the oven is pre-heating, dice up a shallot and clove of garlic.

A mason jar of bacon fat.

Add bacon fat to a small skillet or sauce pan and heat over medium-low.

Flour in a cast iron skillet with shallots.

Cook shallots until soft, add garlic and cook for one more minute before adding the flour.

Milk added to the shallots, garlic and flour in a cast iron skillet.

When the flour is golden brown, add milk, beef or chicken stock while stirring continuously. Add salt, pepper and Worchestershire sauce. Cook until the gravy develops the desired thickness.

A cast iron skillet with Poutine gravy.

Pour the fries into your serving dish, sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese curds and pour gravy over. Serve immediately.

Cooked fries in an oven on a baking sheet.
Fries with gravy and cheese.
One french fry with gravy and cheese.

Be sure to read this article on How to Make a Roux. 

More Magic Fry Recipes

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Fries with gravy and cheese.

Easy Poutine Recipe

Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

When seasoned fries meet gravy and cheese curds, Poutine is born. This easy Poutine Recipe is drizzled with homemade Poutine Gravy and cheddar cheese curds. A comfort food gift from Canada. Learn how to make Poutine, a Canadian classic.

Ingredients

  • 28 oz bag of frozen seasoned fries
  • 2 Tbs bacon fat
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup milk (you may substitute chicken or beef broth)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 Tbs Worchestershire sauce
  • 1-2 cups of Mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups of cheddar cheese curds

Instructions

  1. Bake fries according to package directions.
  2. While the fries are baking, add 1/2 Tbs bacon fat in a medium skillet or sauce pan and heat over medium heat.  Add shallots, stir and cook until soft.  Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.
  3. Add garlic to pan and stir, cooking for one additional minute.
  4. Add flour and stir constantly.  Continue cooking until the flour develops a golden color and starts to smell nutty.
  5. While stirring continuously, slowly add liquid.  Add salt, pepper and Worchestershire sauce and continue stirring until the gravy thickens to desired consistency.  This may take 3-5 minutes and will come to a simmer.  Keep stirring to avoid burning the bottom.
  6. Plate out the hot fries, add the Mozarella and cheese curds, then pour hot gravy over.  Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Change it up with different types of fries.  Sweet potato fries would work with this.
  • For the original gravy, use chicken or beef broth instead of milk.
  • Skip the curds altogether and you have New Jersey's Disco Fries.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 469Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 614mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 15g

Did you make this recipe?

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Bob

Sunday 18th of July 2021

It's a staple in Canada. Google some Montreal recipes (where it originated) for the authentic thing. A Montreal chef won Iron Chef America in kitchen stadium and his lobster poutine dish was on the menu.

David

Tuesday 25th of December 2018

Wow! These look like quite a treat. Definitely not for everyday but once in awhile I deserve something like this. French fries plus gravy plus cheese, sign me up.

Tina

Thursday 27th of December 2018

HA ha, definitely not for everyday!

Miranda

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

How have I never had poutine?! It literally has everything I love in it. I love all of the information you added about poutine too! It will come in handy with my inquisitive husband when I serve this up!

Tina

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

Sweet! Thanks Miranda and hope your hubby enjoys it:)

Tina

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

Wow! These sound like the ultimate comfort food for potatoes! I adore cheese fries but the gravy puts these over the top. And you can get them at McDonalds in Canada, that’s amazing. Definitely making these as an appetizer while we tailgate this weekend.

Tina

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

Oh definitely comfort food. What a great idea for tailgating.

Marisa Franca

Monday 12th of November 2018

WOW!! Talk about comfort food! My gosh this dish heaven on earth. Crispy fries! Stretchy cheese! And to top it all off some delicious gravy. I wouldn't need or want anything else.

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