Poutine

Name: Poutine
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 4 - 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 large onion, halved; 3 garlic cloves, smashed; 1-inch piece ginger; 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped; 1 large carrot, roughly chopped; 2 2/3 c. beef stock (if store-bought, low-sodium); 1 1/3 c. chicken stock (if store-bought, low-sodium); 2 bay leaves; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch; 1 tbsp. water; 6 tbsp. butter; 1/4 c. all-purpose flour; 4 c. improved store-bought stock; 1 tbsp. soy sauce; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 8 oz. cheese curds; Double fried french fries

By Justin SullivanUpdated: Jan 4, 2023

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preview for Poutine Is The Ultimate Vehicle For French Fries

The national dish of Canada, poutine is the comfort food we at Delish can't get enough of. Made with French fries, gravy and cheese curds, this recipe is not only customizable based on what you have on hand (and how much effort you want to put in), but it's also much simpler to make at home than you may think. For the fries we recommend our double fried iteration, but your go-to recipe will certainly work here, just as long as they're extra crispy! Hearty midnight snack, here we come.

Never made poutine? Read on for our top tips and background on this classic dish:

What is poutine?

Poutine is made up of 3 things: French fries, cheese curds and some form of gravy. How you cook the fries and what the gravy is made from is truly up to you. The most important thing is that you never sub out the curds for regular cheese—the curds add a crucial squeakiness and saltiness to the dish.

What is the gravy made of?

Poutine gravy is often referred to as a "brown gravy", which is typically made with either beef or chicken stock that is thickened and enriched with aromatics, spices and/or other ingredients. If you wanted to go the extra mile you could use homemade stock here, but we've provided a way to amp up store-bought stock so that, with just a little bit of time and effort, you'll still get a really complex and flavorful gravy.

Our top tip: We use both chicken and beef stock. Using all chicken stock would be fine, but we think that adding a bit of beef stock adds a ton of rich flavor that will take your gravy to the next level.

Is poutine French or Canadian?

Poutine is a French-Canadian dish that is popular in the dives and greasy spoons of the French-speaking parts of Canada.

Tried making this poutine? Let us know how it went in the comments section below!

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Yields:: 4 - 6 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 10 mins
Total Time:: 1 hr 45 mins
Cal/Serv:: 429

Ingredients

Improved Store-bought Stock

1
large onion, halved
3
garlic cloves, smashed
1-inch piece ginger
2
stalks celery, roughly chopped
1
large carrot, roughly chopped
2 2/3 c.
beef stock (if store-bought, low-sodium)
1 1/3 c.
chicken stock (if store-bought, low-sodium)
2
bay leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Poutine Gravy

1 1/2 tbsp.
cornstarch
1 tbsp.
water
6 tbsp.
butter
1/4 c.
all-purpose flour
4 c.
improved store-bought stock
1 tbsp.
soy sauce
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

8 oz.
cheese curds
Double fried french fries

Directions

Improved Store-bought Stock
1. Step 1Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger, celery, and carrot; cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Add the stock, scrapping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the bay leaf and bring stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow stock to gain the flavors from the aromatics, 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Step 2Season with salt and pepper to taste and strain. Set the improved stock aside.
Poutine Gravy
1. Step 1In a small bowl, make a slurry of the cornstarch and the water. Set aside.
2. Step 2Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low. Add the butter and melt until frothy. Whisking constantly, add flour, making sure that all of the flour is saturated with the fat. To make the roux, continue to whisk the flour-butter mixture until it reaches a golden color and you no longer smell raw flour, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Step 3Slowly add the stock and whisk until incorporated with roux, then bring to a boil. Add the soy sauce and reduce the heat to a simmer. Test your gravy for both flavor and texture. Add salt and pepper, to taste. If you would like your stock to be thicker, add half of the cornstarch slurry, mix until combined and allow to simmer for about a minute. If the gravy is still too thin, repeat with the second half of the slurry. Leave on the burner on the lowest sitting, stirring occasionally until fries are ready.
To Serve
1. Step 1Pile the hot fries onto a serving plate and sprinkle fries with cheese curds. Pour warm gravy over the fries making sure to leave parts of the fries exposed to ensure crispiness, and serve.