If you’ve ever taken a trip to Quebec, or almost any part of Canada, you’ve seen poutine on a restaurant menu. I hope you took the time to try some while you were there! If you did, you’ll remember how delicious those fries were, topped with melty cheese and salty gravy. Poutine is the national dish of Canada and is enjoyed in many restaurants there and in the neighboring United States. It’s simple, delicious, and easy to make. It’s also addicting and totally irresistible.
What is Poutine?
Poutine is a Canadian delicacy! The dish originated in Quebec about 70 years ago. The lore suggests that a customer asked a restaurant to add cheese curds to her fries and so they did, and then kept that dish on their menu. Later on, they decided to add gravy to the dish to keep the fries hot. If you’ve never been to Canada to fully enjoy their national dish, I’m so sorry. It’s truly an amazing thing to order at a restaurant. Great news though – the French Canadian version of poutine is simple to make at home!
Why You’ll Love This Poutine Recipe
Ingredients in Poutine
The perfect Canadian Poutine requires three important ingredients. Don’t deviate from these too much if you want to have the perfect poutine.
French Fries: For best results, you want to have freshly made french fries. Use my recipe for Homemade French Fries, or fry frozen fries according to the package directions. You can use my recipe for Oven Baked Fries too. Cheese Curds: These fresh cheese pieces are what is traditionally used in Canada. You can often find these in stores, but if you can’t, torn, fresh mozzarella cheese is a fine substitute.Brown Gravy: A rich, salty brown gravy tops the poutine. I have a homemade Brown Gravy Recipe that is perfect here. Alternatively, use a gravy packet.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
What Are Cheese Curds?
For most purposes, cheese curds are small chunks of curdled milk that are formed during the cheesemaking process. These curds, typically a mild cheddar variety, can be packaged and sold separately. Because cheese curds are fresh, un-aged cheese, you’re more likely to find packaged cheese curds in areas where dairy production and cheese making is happening. Places known for cheese, such as Wisconsin, or Quebec in Canada have always had cheese curds readily available, while in other areas it may be less common. You can find cheese curds in some grocery stores. Look near the other specialty cheeses. Aldi and Trader Joe’s stores often carry cheese curds. They may be white or yellow in color, and sometimes you might even find flavored cheese curds.
How to Make Poutine
Tips for making homemade poutine
If your fries aren’t hot enough when you start assembling the poutine, you can use the oven to heat things up. Place the fries on a sheet tray, then add the curds and bake in a 350°F/180°C oven until the cheese melts. If you can’t find cheese curds, you can use any kind of cheese you like. Don’t miss out on this amazing dish just because your area doesn’t have cheese curds. The most similar would be fresh mozzarella, but shredded mozzarella or even shredded mild cheddar will get the job done.
Delicious poutine add-ins and variations
While this poutine recipe is amazing just as it is, it can be even more amazing with some other toppings. There are even restaurants specializing in different styles of poutine, so you know that there must be some good combinations that make this original even better.
Add more cheese: Nobody is stopping you. Add more varieties of cheese, or just more cheese curds, go nuts if you want to!Add meat: Make your poutine a well balanced meal with some protein. Try shredded chicken or shredded beef, fried chicken strips, or even seasoned ground beef. Add veggies: Sauteed peppers and onions would be delicious, as would sauteed mushrooms or roasted cauliflower.
Frequently Asked Poutine Questions
I hope I’ve conveyed to you just how delicious authentic Canadian poutine is, and just how simple it is to make at home. Enjoy! Make sure to pin this recipe for more people to enjoy too. © Little Sunny Kitchen
