Skip to Content

Welsh Rarebit Poutine Recipe

Seasoned fries smothered in a cheesy Welsh Rarebit sauce makes for the ultimate comfort food known as Welsh Rarebit Poutine.

A white pan of fries with rarebit sauce.

“The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.”

Jeremy Paxman

For the uninitiated, Welsh Rarebit is a robust cheese sauce that starts from a roux– then beer is added along with sharp cheddar, mustard, worcestershire and a pinch of cayenne.  This cheesy goodness is usually drizzled over toasted bread and is traditional pub fare dating back to the 1700’s.  We are marrying the Canadian classic comfort food called Poutine with this Welsh comfort food by drizzling Welsh Rarebit over seasoned fries. If you don’t want beer, just substitute wine or apple cider. Easy!

I came up with this crazy idea after writing my post on Welsh Rarebit and had leftover cheese sauce. I was curious as to what else might go well with it. I dove into my freezer and came up with seasoned fries, tater tots (I’m a kid at heart) and frozen veggies. All of them were a hit with my family so now this is one of my go-to comfort foods. I had leftover seasoned fries from my post on Poutine. Since this is like Poutine, I am calling this invention Welsh Rarebit Poutine.

A baking pan of frozen fries.

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, a roux is ‘ a cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a thickening agent in a soup or a sauce’. The flour and fat are mixed together in even portions by weight, not volume. The purpose of a roux is to thicken sauces and soups. It also adds a little flavor when you cook the mixture to a nutty, golden brown. You could thicken sauces and soups with just flour but this will impart a raw flour taste. By cooking the flour in some fat first, the thickener is perfectly seasoned.

Traditional Welsh Rarebit | Cheese Sauce On Toast. A cheese sauce made with cheddar, beer, mustard, worcestershire sauce and cayenne. A cheesy grown up grilled cheese.

If roux rendering is new to you, read my article on How to Make a Roux.There are step by step instructions and more information on what you can use a roux for.

Traditional Welsh Rarebit | Cheese Sauce On Toast. A cheese sauce made with cheddar, beer, mustard, worcestershire sauce and cayenne. A cheesy grown up grilled cheese.
A white pan of fries with rarebit sauce.

What are your thoughts on this cheesy sauce? What other food can we decorate with Welsh Rarebit? Leave comments below so we can all see what you come up with. If you make it, snap a pic and #FusionCraftiness on Instagram. I wanna see!

A white pan of fries with rarebit sauce.

Welsh Rarebit Poutine Recipe

Yield: 9 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

A traditional Canadian comfort food is re-invented with the addition of the cheesy Welsh Rarebit sauce from across the pond.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbs all purpose flour (24 g)
  • 3 Tbs salted butter (42g)
  • 1 1/2 cups of beer (1 pint), your choice or apple cider
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper 
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne 
  • 1 Tbs dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
  • 8 oz sharp cheddar (200g)
  • 28 oz package of frozen fries, cooked according to package directions.
  • OPTIONAL GARNISH: scallions, parsley, black pepper, cheese curds

Instructions

  1. Cook fries according to package directions.
  2. While fries are cooking, in a medium sauce pan heat butter and flour over medium heat and stir constantly with a whisk until the roux turns a golden color and smells nutty.
  3. Add beer or apple cider and stir well with whisk.
  4. Add pepper, cayenne, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and nutmeg, bring to a simmer.
  5. Add cheddar and stir well.
  6. Continue to cook until cheese is melted and sauce is well developed.
  7. Serve by plating cooked fries and drizzling the cheese sauce all over.
  8. Garnish as desired.

Notes

  • Use seasoned fries like I did if you want more robust layers.  
  • Use plain fries if you want the robust cheese sauce to stand out.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 234Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 308mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Sheila

Wednesday 18th of January 2023

Here in Springfield Illinois we use this type of cheese sauce on our famous “ horseshoes.” It starts with a slice of toasted Texas bread on the plate layered next with a protein (most commonly a hamburger) then French fries and finally topped with the cheese sauce. Delish!

Tina

Saturday 21st of January 2023

Oh my GOSH Sheila, you are killing me! This sounds fantastic. I'm going to have to try that:)

Laura

Wednesday 7th of December 2022

What size bag of fries did you use?

Laura

Thursday 8th of December 2022

@Tina,

Thanks so much!

Tina

Wednesday 7th of December 2022

Hi Laura, I used a 28 oz bag of Rally's French Fries from the frozen section. Great question!

Sandwichman

Wednesday 21st of July 2021

I looked up rarebit poutine after I made some. My modifications were to add some defrosted frozen spinach and a rasher of crispy bacon. Bacon spinach rarebit poutine! I now have a new standby for those nights I don't want to cook anything complicated.

Tina

Wednesday 21st of July 2021

Oh that sounds great, never thought to add spinach. Bacon sounds like a natural complement. Glad you loved this!

David

Saturday 2nd of February 2019

Wow, seriously! This is what you posted on Instagram? This looks amazing, looking foreward to trying this. I think I would use the plain fries instead, I know how sharp rarebit can be. Way to go.

Tina

Saturday 2nd of February 2019

Thanks Dave, you're the best! Enjoy:)

Skip to Recipe