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Poutine is the ultimate cozy mashup of hot crispy fries, rich brown gravy, and squeaky cheese curds, and my crew loses their minds over it every single time. I first pulled this together on a rainy Friday night when the girls wanted something fun, and it has been our movie night treat ever since. If you love our homemade french fries, this is the loaded, gravy soaked upgrade you did not know you needed.
Once you see how easy it is to make poutine at home, you will never look at a plain plate of fries the same way again.
Poutine Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 1 hour
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 570kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, rich, and comforting (crispy fries, beefy gravy, melty curds)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, about on par with our loaded french fries with cheese and bacon
Quick Answer
To make poutine, cut russet potatoes into fries and double fry them until golden and crispy. While they cook, whisk up a quick brown gravy from butter, flour, and a mix of beef and chicken stock. Pile the hot fries on a plate, scatter fresh cheese curds over the top, and pour the warm gravy on last so the curds get soft and melty. Serve right away while everything is hot.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Double frying is the secret. Frying the potatoes once at a lower temperature to cook them through, then again hot to crisp them, gives you fries that stay crunchy even under a blanket of gravy.
- A cold water soak removes starch. Letting the cut potatoes sit in cold water rinses off surface starch so the fries fry up crisp instead of gummy.
- A real roux gravy clings. Cooking the flour and butter into a paste before adding stock builds a smooth, glossy gravy that coats every fry instead of sliding off.
- Beef and chicken stock together. Beef stock brings deep savory color while the chicken stock keeps it from tasting too heavy, which is the balance classic poutine gravy is known for.
- Add the curds before the gravy. Scattering the cheese curds on first lets the hot gravy soften them from the outside in, so you get that signature squeaky, melty bite.
- It all comes together fast at the end. Because the fries and gravy are made in the same window, the final crisp and assembly takes just a few minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant quality at home. You get that diner style poutine without leaving the couch, for a fraction of the price.
- Crowd pleasing comfort food. It is the kind of shareable plate that disappears fast at game day, just like our easy Frito pie casserole.
- Totally customizable. Keep it classic or pile on extra toppings to make it your own.
Key Ingredients
Poutine only needs a few simple ingredients, but each one pulls its weight. Here is what makes this version so good.
- Russet Potatoes: Starchy russets fry up the fluffiest on the inside and crispiest on the outside, exactly what you want under gravy. They are the same potatoes we reach for in our deep fried potato wedges when we want crunch.
- Cheese Curds: Fresh white cheddar curds are the heart of real poutine. Look for ones that squeak when you bite them, which means they are fresh.
- Beef and Chicken Stock: This combo builds a gravy that is deeply savory but not too heavy. Low sodium versions let you control the salt.
- Butter and Flour: Cooked together into a roux, they thicken the gravy into something glossy and smooth that clings to every fry.
- Garlic and Onion Powder: A little of each rounds out the gravy with warm, savory flavor and no chopping required.
- Peanut Oil: A neutral, high heat oil is best for getting the fries golden and crisp without a greasy taste.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Poutine is endlessly riffable. Here are some of our favorite ways to switch it up.
- Swap the homemade fries for frozen if you are short on time, or use our garlic parmesan tater tots as the base.
- Add shredded rotisserie chicken or crumbled bacon for a heartier loaded version.
- Stir a spoonful of cracked black pepper or a splash of Worcestershire sauce into the gravy for extra depth.
- No cheese curds nearby? Torn fresh mozzarella is the closest stand in.
- Make it a full meal with pulled pork or sauteed mushrooms and onions piled on top.
- Spice it up with a drizzle of hot sauce or a sprinkle of cajun seasoning on the fries.
How to Make Poutine
- Wash the russet potatoes and cut them into half inch planks, then into half inch sticks. Drop the cut fries into a bowl of cold water and let them soak to rinse off the extra starch.
- Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 325 degrees. Pat the fries completely dry, then fry in batches for about 10 minutes to cook them through without much color. Drain on a wire rack.
- While the fries cook, melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and cook into a paste for 2 minutes. Slowly stream in the beef and chicken stock, whisking until smooth, then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Raise the oil to 375 degrees. Fry the blanched fries again in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden and crispy. Drain and sprinkle with kosher salt right away.
- Pile the hot fries onto plates or a platter and scatter a generous handful of fresh cheese curds over the top.
- Pour the warm gravy over the fries and curds so everything gets coated and the curds start to melt. Serve immediately while hot.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Soak the fries in cold water for at least an hour if you have time, which removes even more starch for extra crispy results.
- Dry the potatoes really well before frying so the oil does not splatter and the fries crisp instead of steam.
- Use a thermometer to keep the oil steady at 325 degrees for the first fry and 375 degrees for the second.
- Do not skip the double fry. It is what keeps the fries crunchy under all that gravy.
- Make the gravy lump free by streaming the stock in slowly while whisking constantly.
- Add the curds just before serving so they soften but do not fully melt away.
- Serve right away. Poutine is best the second the gravy hits the fries, so have everyone ready at the table.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Poutine is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but it also shines as a shareable appetizer or game day spread. We love setting it out alongside other finger foods like our copycat Taco Bell nacho fries and deep fried cheese curds for a fries and cheese lover’s dream table.
For a casual dinner, pair a big plate of poutine with simple mains like crockpot hot dogs or your favorite burgers. The rich gravy makes the whole spread feel like comfort food without much fuss.
Want to build a whole loaded fries bar? Put out our loaded french fries with cheese and bacon and baked Greek fries with gyro meat right next to the poutine and let everyone pile their plates high.
Poutine FAQs
Classic poutine is made of three things: crispy french fries, fresh cheese curds, and hot brown gravy. This poutine recipe uses a homemade gravy built from butter, flour, and a mix of beef and chicken stock for the deepest flavor.
Look for fresh cheese curds in the deli or specialty cheese section of most grocery stores, or at a local farmers market. If you cannot find them, torn fresh mozzarella is the best substitute for poutine.
No. While homemade double fried fries give the best texture, you can absolutely use good quality frozen fries or even tater tots to save time. Just get them as crispy as possible before adding the gravy.
Yes. The gravy can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Reheat it gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock if it thickened too much, then pour it over freshly fried hot fries.
Soggy fries usually come from skipping the double fry or not drying the potatoes well. Fry once to cook them through, then again hot to crisp them, and add the gravy only right before serving so the fries stay crunchy.
Poutine is best fresh, but you can store the leftover components separately for up to 3 days. Reheat the fries in the oven or air fryer to crisp them back up, warm the gravy on the stove, and assemble with fresh curds.
Looking for what to make next? Try our crispy deep fried cheese curds for another cheesy, crave worthy snack the whole family will fight over.
Easy Homemade Poutine Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the fries:
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Peanut oil for frying
For the gravy:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups low sodium beef stock
- 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
For assembly:
- 2 cups cheese curds
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and peel them if desired, I like to keep the skin on. Cut into ½ inch planks of potato. Cut them down into sticks, again at ½ inch.4 large russet potatoes
- Place the cut potatoes into cold water until ready to fry.
- Add peanut oil or your favorite cooking oil to a deep fryer or a large Dutch oven. The oil should go about 5 inches up the side of the pot. Heat to 325°F.Peanut oil for frying
- Once at temperature, remove the potatoes from the water and pat them dry. It is very important that the potatoes are dry so the oil won’t splatter. I like to place them on a sheet tray lined with a clean kitchen towel. I use another towel to dry them off on top.
- Place handfuls of the potatoes into the oil. This is the blanching step, we are looking to cook the potatoes but we are not expecting a lot of browning at this point.
- Cook for 10 minutes, gently stirring them every so often so they don’t stick together.
- Take the potatoes out and place them on a cooling rack that is sitting on a sheet tray. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
- While you are cooking the potatoes, make the gravy. Place the unsalted butter into a small saucepot over medium heat.1/4 cup unsalted butter
- Once melted, add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and whisk it in so it is like a paste. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Slowly stream in the beef stock, followed by the chicken stock while whisking constantly so there are no lumps.3 cups low sodium beef stock, 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes to thicken slightly. Whisk occasionally so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.
- To serve, raise the fryer temp to 375°F.
- Place small batches or handfuls of fries back into the hot oil to crisp. 2-3 minutes is all it takes.
- Drain them back onto a wire rack that is sitting on a sheet tray.
- Immediately sprinkle a little of the kosher salt on top, and repeat with the remaining fries.1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Per serving, place the fries on a plate. Add ½ cup of cheese curds on top. Top with gravy. Serve immediately.2 cups cheese curds
Notes
- For extra-crispy fries, soak the cut potatoes in cold water for at least an hour before frying to remove excess starch.
- Make sure your oil is at the right temperature for frying to get that perfect golden brown without the fries becoming soggy.
- Gradually whisk the flour into the melted butter to ensure your gravy is smooth and lump-free.
- Add the cheese curds on top of the hot fries before pouring the gravy to help them melt just right.
- If you like your gravy thicker, use a cornstarch slurry to reach your desired consistency.
- Don’t be afraid to get creative with toppings and make your own version of poutine. Don’t forget to save that recipe card!
Nutrition
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