Homemade Poutine is a Canadian classic that everyone will enjoy! You’re going to love this delicious comfort food loaded with rich gravy and gooey cheese curds.
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About this Homemade Poutine recipe
Homemade poutine is the ultimate snack. It’s originally a Canadian dish and it’s begun making its way onto U.S. menus. The combination of flavors is so delicious and comforting, a real hearty and warming dish!
If you love loaded french fries or totchos, then you’re going to love authentic Canadian poutine. This dish originated in Quebec, but has since become popular all across the globe. And it’s no wonder why — it seriously tastes amazing!
After a long day, I love to wind down with a cozy late night snack and a drink. This is the perfect dish to pair with an ice cold beer, a glass of red wine or even some sangria.
This dish is cheesy, hearty and perfectly savory. Honestly, it could even be a meal at dinnertime too! So if you’re looking for an indulgent dish that is really simple to make, then this homemade poutine fits the bill. It’s just amazing!
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Rich gravy, gooey cheese curds and crispy french fries — who wouldn’t love this combo:
- Make this dish in a little over a half hour! It’s honestly so simple to put together and the end result is beyond worth it.
- This entire recipe is totally customizable. Use whatever kind of fries you want and add extra toppings if you want.
- Poutine is a great shareable dish. Make it for Friday night movie night as the best snack!
What is Poutine?
Poutine is a classic Canadian dish that originated in the 1950s in Quebec. It’s a really simple and comforting dish made of french fries, brown gravy and fresh cheese curds. It’s served hot so that the curds melt a little bit, making a gooey and cheesy combination that is so tasty!
There are a few different variations on this recipe, including vegetarian options and loaded options with extra toppings. You can even get creative by using this trio to make other dishes like a poutine burger. But the classic is just these three elements!
Tools & equipment
To make the poutine gravy, you’ll need a saucepan, whisk and measuring cups. You’ll also need a baking sheet to bake the french fries, or an air fryer if you want them extra crispy.
Make sure you’ve got a big enough plate or platter to serve on as well. But that’s really all you need!
Ingredients
These ingredients are all that you need to make the best easy poutine recipe:
- frozen French fries
- butter
- all-purpose flour
- beef stock or beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt
- cheese curds
- chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Substitutions & variations
Gravy: While the gravy is very easy to make, you could also use store-bought gravy if you prefer. It’ll take out a couple of the steps. This recipe is for a traditional beef gravy, but feel free to make the gravy with chicken broth, chicken stock or vegetable broth.
Cheese curds: If you can’t find cheddar cheese curds, cubed white cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese will work for homemade poutine.
French fries: Feel free to make homemade french fries to make this dish extra extra fresh, and they can be oven-baked, fried or air fryer fries. But a bag of your favorite frozen French fries —shoestring, crinkle, waffle, curly, whatever — thrown into the oven or air fryer works too! It’s a great shortcut.
For extra flavor, season your fries with seasoned salt or other spices like black pepper, garlic, paprika, red pepper or other tasty spices.
Toppings for Poutine
The classic toppings for poutine are beef gravy and cheese curds, but you can add all kinds of things! Think of it like a twist on loaded fries — you can add pretty much any topping you’d use on those, or get creative.
- bacon
- cubed steak
- pulled pork
- mushrooms
- queso
- diced green onions
- diced red onions
- eggs
- chili
Instructions
Bring a little taste of Canada into your home with this super easy recipe. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Poutine gravy
First, preheat your oven or air fryer and then cook the french fries according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Working quickly, add in the flour, stirring until thickened to form a thick roux.
Slowly add the beef stock in a steady stream, stirring as you pour it in. Simmer the gravy mixture until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir to combine, and remove from heat.
Assembling Poutine
Meanwhile, remove the fries from the oven when they are done according to the package instructions. Transfer the hot, golden brown French fries to a plate. Scatter some cheese curds over top and let them melt onto the hot fries.
Then pour on the gravy and garnish with a little fresh chopped parsley if you like. Serve your homemade poutine immediately and enjoy! Use your fingers or a fork.
Tips & tricks
While this recipe is pretty easy, check out these few tips to ensure success:
- Whether you’re using homemade gravy or store-bought, make sure it’s a thick consistency to where it isn’t runny but that it is thin enough to cover the plate of fries evenly.
- Allow the cheese curds to come to room temperature before plating them on the hot french fries with hot gravy. This will ensure that they melt just a little.
- For the best texture and flavor, serve the dish immediately after plating. As it sits, the gravy will begin to make the fries a bit soggy.
Food & drink pairings
This homemade poutine can be paired with many of your favorite bar snacks and appetizers! It’d be perfect with air fryer chicken wings, pulled pork pizza or fried pickles.
You can also use it as a side dish for meals like homemade pizza or popcorn shrimp. Or make some easy grilled chicken to serve with poutine!
For dessert, go for some Canadian butter tarts or a maple syrup milkshake!
Looking for the perfect Canadian cocktail to pair with poutine? Then make a Bloody Caesar with homemade Clamato juice! A maple old-fashioned or maple manhattan with Canadian whisky would be great nightcaps for a late-night snack too.
FAQ
This dish is best fresh, but you can store leftovers if you have them. It’s best to store & reheat the parts separately if you don’t think you will eat the whole batch. But you can also reheat it altogether on a sheet pan or in the microwave. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days!
Homemade poutine is made from french fries, a thick brown gravy and cheese curds. There are many different variations but this is the classic combo!
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Homemade Poutine
ingredients
- 28 ounces frozen French fries
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock or beef broth
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 ounces cheese curds room temperature
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley for garnish
instructions
- Preheat oven or air fryer and cook fries according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Working quickly, stir in the flour until thickened, to form a roux.
- Stirring as you pour, slowly add the beef stock in a steady stream. Simmer until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and salt.
- Transfer the hot French fries to a plate. Top with cheese curds and gravy. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot.
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