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Home » Dinners & Main Course » Poutine Recipe

Poutine Recipe

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
January 24, 2023
5 from 2 votes


Last Updated January 24, 2023 | 0 Comments

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Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe made with crispy fries covered in squeaky melty cheese curds and savory beef gravy. One of the best dishes you will ever put in your mouth.

White serving platter covered with french fries, cheese curds, and smothered in homemade beef gravy.

Crispy, salty fries and squeaky cheese covered in a savory brown gravy, poutine is the ultimate indulgence and comfort food. Learn how to make this delicious Canadian dish at home.

What is Poutine?

A dish consisting of French fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy, Poutine was created in Quebec, Canada, sometime in the late 1950s. What was originally considered a late-night, greasy snack food that one would find at small diners, pubs, or roadside chip wagons, was eventually, many decades later, reimagined by chefs all across Canada, transforming poutine into an upscale and widely accepted dish. These days you’ll find many variations of poutine, from lobster to braised beef, chicken, pulled pork, ground beef, or sausage.

How to pronounce poutine

The correct Quebec French pronunciation of poutine is “poo-tin.” You will also hear English-speaking Canadians and visitors pronounce it how it looks in American English “poo-teen,” but that is incorrect.

All of the ingredients needed to make poutine set aside in individual serving bowls.

What is Poutine Made Of

Fries: Medium-thick fries with soft and fluffy insides and crunchy outsides. Sometimes the fries will be fried twice for extra crispy outsides.

Poutine gravy: Made with a combination of chicken and beef stock and personalized with seasonings and spices. The sauce should not be too thick or too thin. In Canada, poutine sauce is so popular that they sauce packets and canned gravy in the grocery store. Vegetarian versions of poutine gravy are also quite popular.

Cheese curds: You may be unfamiliar with cheese curds unless you live in Canada or the Midwestern US. Basically, cheese curds are made by separating the whey (the liquidy part of milk) from the curds. It’s a whole process which I will save for a separate post, but finding the freshest cheese curds is key to making the best poutine. Cheese curds have a mild, somewhat salty flavor with a rubbery texture. Fresh curds should squeak when bitten into. After 12 hours, cheese curds will lose most of what characterizes them as fresh (particularly the squeak) due to moisture entering the curd.

Substitute for Cheese Curds in Poutine

Cheese curds are the perfect addition to poutine as they are warmed by the hot gravy but not melted completely. In other words, they maintain their shape (and appealing squeak) without getting lost in the gravy. When fresh cheese curds are not available, mozzarella cheese or mozzarella cheese balls are considered an acceptable alternative.

Gravy being poured over a white plate filled with crispy fries and cheese curds.

How to Make Poutine

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch thick strips. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water and submerge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. Rinse the potatoes with three changes of clean water to remove as much starch as possible then drain completely. Lay the potatoes out on clean towels or paper towels and dry them completely before frying.

3. Preheat a deep-frying pan or large Dutch oven with 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in batches, carefully add 10-12 potato strips into the hot oil and fry for 5-6 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.

Collage of four images: The first image shows three peeled russet potatoes on a cutting board; the second image shows peeled potatoes cut into long matchsticks; the third image shows a bowl filled with water and sliced matchstick potatoes; the fourth image shows fries frying in hot oil.

4. Repeat this process, reheating the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit each time before adding additional potato strips. Remove the fries from the oil and transfer them to a cooling rack to drain before seasoning them generously with salt and any other desired seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika.

French fries cooling on a wire cooling rack.

5. To make the gravy, melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook until it is a golden-brown color.

6. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes, whisking continuously. Slowly add the beef broth and the chicken broth, whisking well to remove any clumps. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.

7. Just before the gravy is done simmering mix together the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl. Whisking the whole time, slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the gravy. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until thickened.

Collage of six images: The first image shows a large skillet filled with butter and flour; the second image shows a large skillet with the roux plus ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt; the third image shows a large skillet with a thick red paste made of butter, flour, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt; the fourth image shows beef broth and chicken broth in a large skillet; the fifth image shows cornstarch added to water in a small white bowl; the sixth image shows a thickened light golden brown homemade gravy.

8. To assemble, place the hot fries in a shallow serving dish and top with the desired amount of (room temperature) cheese curds. Drizzle with gravy.

9. Serve garnished with fresh parsley and fresh cracked black pepper, if desired.

Collage of three images: the first image shows French fries on a white serving plate; the second image shows french fries topped with cheese curds on a white serving plate; the third image shows French fries on a white plate topped with cheese curds and homemade gravy.

Storage and Reheating

Truth? The only part of poutine (the fries, cheese curds, and gravy) that is worth saving is the gravy. Ok, the fries, too. However, if your plan is to reheat the fries for a second batch of assembled poutine, then you’ll definitely want to reheat them in an air fryer to get them crispy again. The cheese curds, unfortunately, lose their freshness after about 12 hours, so plan on eating those right away.

Store leftover gravy in a airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat over medium to medium-low heat. If necessary, thin the thickened gravy with a little broth until the desired consistency is reached.

White serving platter covered with french fries, cheese curds, and smothered in homemade beef gravy.

How to Eat Poutine

You’ll want to enjoy your gravy-soaked fries and cheese curds while everything is still hot, the fries are still crispy, and yes, the cheese is still squeaky. In other words, poutine is best enjoyed right away. It’s also recommended to enjoy your fries with a fork – rather than your hands. Similar to American chili cheese fries, things get super messy, super fast. Utensils help.

More Delicious Recipes

  • Carne Asada Fries
  • Biscuits and Gravy
  • Best Alfredo Sauce Recipe
  • Hashbrown Casserole
  • Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

If you try making Poutine, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.

White serving platter covered with french fries, cheese curds, and smothered in homemade beef gravy.
White serving platter covered with french fries, cheese curds, and smothered in homemade beef gravy.

Poutine Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe made with crispy fries covered in squeaky melty cheese curds and savory beef gravy. One of the best dishes you will ever put in your mouth.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Canadian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 538 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds Russet Potatoes
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoon water
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup white cheddar cheese curds - or mozzarella balls, at room temperature
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Instructions
 

  • Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½-inch thick strips. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water and submerge for at least 1 hour (or overnight in the refrigerator).
  • Rinse the potatoes with three changes of clean water to remove as much starch as possible (these extra steps make for crispier fries). Drain completely and transfer the clean towels or paper towels. Dry completely.
  • Preheat a deep-frying pan or a large Dutch oven with 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Working in batches, add 10-12 potato strips into the hot oil and fry for 5-6 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy.
  • Reheat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and repeat this process until all of the potatoes have been fried. Remove the fries from the oil and transfer them to a cooling rack to drain before seasoning them generously with salt and any other desired seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika
  • To make the gravy recipe, melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook until it is a golden-brown color.
  • Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes, whisking continuously.
  • Slowly add the beef broth and the chicken broth, whisking well to remove any lumps. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent the gravy from burning.
  • Meanwhile, mix together the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl to create a slurry.
  • Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the gravy, whisking the whole time. Cook for 5 minutes or until thickened.
  • To assemble, place the hot fries in a shallow serving dish and top with the desired amount of (room temperature) cheese curds. Ladle gravy over the top.
  • Best served immediately.

Jessica’s Notes

  • This recipe is also great with frozen fries, air fryer french fries, or baked fries.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1190mg | Potassium: 1552mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 4mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Poutine, Poutine Recipe, What is Poutine
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About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

37 shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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