I can assure you that poutine is one of the most delicious comfort foods ever!
A plate of hot french fries is topped with cheese curds and hot brown gravy. The gravy melts the cheese for the ultimate goodness.
Poutine originated in Quebec in the 1950s, although, like many dishes, the true origin is debated.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
Pronounced ‘poo-teen’ or ‘poo-tin’ in English (or ‘poo-tsin’ in Quebec), a traditional poutine recipe consists of French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy (not mozzarella cheese).
- Flavor: The key to a great poutine recipe is having a rich brown gravy!
- Prep note: The gravy can be made 48 hours ahead and reheated for serving.
- Time-Saving Tip: Poutine can be made with homemade French fries that have been baked, deep-fried, or air-fried, but to save time, frozen fries can be used!
Ingredient Tips for Poutine
- French Fries: Use oven fries, deep fry your own french fries, or make air fryer french fries (or even use frozen if you’re in a hurry). If making homemade fries, choose starchy potatoes like russets so they’re crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.
- Poutine Gravy: The ‘sauce’ on poutine is a rich brown gravy. It should be hot so it can melt the cheese. Beef gravy if my preference but any leftover gravy can be used.
- Cheese Curds: While many people think cheese curds are mozzarella, they’re actually cheddar cheese and have a mild salty flavor. Cheese curds will not melt entirely in Poutine; instead, they add a chewy texture to the dish…and good cheese curds squeak as you eat!
Where To Find Cheese Curds
Store-bought cheese curds are sold in bags and are often found in the deli area and not always in the dairy case. If you don’t see them, ask at the store where they are because most stores do carry them.
Variations
Depending on where you are in Canada (or the US), poutine can come in different forms but always with the same three ingredients: fries, gravy/sauce, and cheese curds.
- Fries: Waffle fries, wedge fries, string fries, tater tots, or sweet potato fries are sometimes used, but good ol’ french fries are traditional.
- Toppings: For a heartier Poutine, a topping of pulled pork, chopped bacon, ground sausage, or seasoned taco meat is an option.
- Cheese: Squeaky cheese curds are used for poutine but can be hard to find, depending on where you live. If you can’t get cheese curds, you can substitute with cubes of very mild cheddar or mozzarella (although it is technically not poutine if not made with cheese curds).
How to Make Poutine
- Cut potatoes into equally sized pieces & soak in cold water to remove excess starch.
- Season with oil, salt & pepper, & bake or air fry in batches (full recipe below).
- Cook onion in a skillet until tender. Add seasonings.
- Add beef broth & water, whisking until smooth. Simmer until thickened.
To Assemble and Serve
Assemble poutine by placing hot fries on a plate or even in a paper boat or bowl and top with cheese curds. Pour hot gravy over the top and serve immediately. While it’s very controversial, I love adding ketchup when I serve them.
Holly’s Tips
- Cheese curds are best served at room temperature, so set them out while the rest of the dish is prepared.
- Ensure the fries and the gravy are hot so the cheese curds melt a bit.
- Have lots of napkins on hand!
Did you make this homemade Poutine? Leave a rating and a comment below.
Homemade Poutine
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cheese curds
Fries
- 2 large baking potatoes scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- seasoned salt to taste
Brown Gravy
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups condensed beef broth
Instructions
To Make the French Fries
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and cut potatoes into ¼" fries. Soak fries in cold water for at least 30 minutes, then dry thoroughly using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- In a large bowl, toss fries with olive oil and seasoned salt. Spread on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F, stir the french fries, and continue baking until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
To Make the Gravy
- While the fries bake, heat one teaspoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook diced onion until tender.
- Add minced garlic, thyme, and pepper to the saucepan. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter until melted. Stir in flour, cooking the roux for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned.
- Gradually add the condensed beef broth and 1 cup of water to the saucepan, whisking until smooth after each addition.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes. Strain the gravy through a mesh strainer into a pot.
Assembly
- Place the hot fries on a serving plate and top with cheese curds. Pour very hot gravy over the fries and cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Fries can be cooked in the air fryer or deep fryer.
- Homemade fries can be replaced with frozen fries.
- Leftover gravy or packaged gravy can be used in place of homemade brown gravy.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Party Food, Side Dish, Snack
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the beef gravy is usually a mix of beef and chicken flavored. My favorite is topped with smoked meat.
Sounds delicious, Rosemary! Thanks for sharing.
ULM from Québec city old townsorry for my grammar ! About the prononciation (poutine) the personne who invented it in a restaurant Said on the french fries ( put in the sauce on the cheese)! The sauce someyhing far from mc Donald sauce or bulleye or ho sauce, the recopie is secret no one know but it could go Berry close of try and error hahaha mix some of all in the top receipies and you Will be close to have something but probably not all ingrédients! The cheese turd don’t know how to write it but if you don’t have it , take a cheese block and you cut a peace thimble size if my Google traduction work for the word hahaha or double Bubble gum size
All my relatives are in Montreal and one of our favorite restaurants served Poutine. I always thought it was served with chicken. Even their posters showed the french fries, barbecued chicken and coleslaw. Now, unfortunately, they serve it differently. Would you have the recipe for the chicken that used to be served with it. Always tender and fell off the bone. Many thanks, Jacqueline
I have never had that but that sounds delicious. I do not have a recipe for that but I have this baked BBQ chicken recipe. I am not sure if it’s close but I hope you are able to find it!
I am in Newfoundland and what you are describing is called a “mess”. I am not sure how many parts of Canada serve this dish but it starts with poutine. You add dressing, chicken, ground beef or whatever type of meat in it that you like and just make the poutine. There are many restaurants around here that serve it.Everyone takes a different spin on it so you probably will not find it is made to a certain recipe.Using a good quality cheese curd and a type of meat that tastes delicious on it’s own is basically the best way to start. This dish is a full meal on it’s own and very satisfying and delicious. Made with seasoned ground beef is my fav.
I’m an older female. I’ve been eating ff with brown gravy for many many years.
I’ve never eaten it with cheese of any kind.
but I love brown gravy over my ff. I will try this.
Thank you.
Carol, thank you for sharing! Brown gravy on fries is such a classic comfort food, and adding cheese curds really takes it to the next level. I hope you enjoy trying this version—it’s a fun twist on an old favorite!
My favorite but you forgot to add cheese curd, I know because I’m Canadian.
I’m also Canadian ;) I agree – you can’t have poutine without curds! They’re listed above the “fries” heading!
I have not made this yet Doing it for myself New Year’s Day 2025 with homemade Fries, Brown Beef Gravy and Garlic Cheese Curds and a Steak. This was the only recipe I liked that was simple and true to the Canadian Tradition well post how my dish comes out. Blessings Kim Gilmore
Sounds like a delicious New Years meal! Happy New Year!
while I like the recipe as is. Being a Brit we like to kick it up. Replace the gravy with curry sauce. Being lazy the best fries are take frozen fries without thawing, air fry at 400*F for 12 minutes.
Thanks for leaving a comment, Dennis! Using frozen fries are definitely easy and taste great with a poutine
Thank you for this recipe from a Canadian fan! We celebrate Canada Day on July 1st and poutine is a celebration favourite!
Happy Canada day to you and your family!
Quebecer here. To make a real poutine, the fries MUST be regular cut, not shoestring, fresh and deep-fried, preferably in lard. There is no need for them to be crispy on the outside, real Quebec fries are not crispy and golden, they are almost brown and soft, not crisp, to the bite. You will be soaking them in gravy, after all, which they will absorb and become soft in any case. The cheese curds should be fresh on the day, at most a day old.
This is not health food, it is a guilty pleasure. If you want to eat healthy, have a nice poutine and then eat salad for the rest of the week to make up for it.
This looks really good and I’d like to try it. The curds aren’t available in my area (remote Texas) but could I use large curd cottage cheese instead? Thanks.
Hi Dayna, if you can’t find cheese curds I recommend using a mozzarella. While it will not be exactly the same, it will still be delicious.
Do you happen to have the measurements for a crowd of 20?
You can adjust the number of servings on the PRINT page once you click print. Please note that adjusting the servings will adjust only the amounts on the ingredients list (and not the written directions).
It turned out great. I messed up the timing of the cooking order but a quick reheat of the gravy worked just as well. I will definitely make this again.
I am so glad you enjoyed this poutine recipe Kevin!
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Wow wow your gravy was amazing! Totally sealed the deal on this long awaited craving of mine. Got the curds from target and a bag of frozen fries. Followed your gravy recipe to a T, and wow so delicious and savory my new go to beef gravy recipe for sure thank you!
Yay!! So happy to hear that, Maria! Poutines are a regular item on my menu, they are so yummy!
Poutine is undoubtedly from Québec but other countries are trying to take credit for this meal. But don’t get it wrong, it’s a 100% Quebecer’s dish.
Salut la poutine viens tu Québec à préciser merci.