Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (2024)

Learn how to make real poutine at home with my Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe. I will show you how to make it, as well as explaining exactly what exactly poutine is, for the uninitiated.

What kind of a Canadian food blogger would I be if I didn’t have a recipe for Canadian Poutine on this blog? Poutine is a wonderful and delicious concoction of fries, gravy and cheese curds and is one of the most quintessential Canadian dishes! So if you already know how great this dish is and are just looking for a great, authentic poutine recipe to make at home, skip on down to the recipe. I’ve got you covered! If you’d like to learn more about Poutine, read on!

Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (1)

What cheese to use for poutine?

When it comes to poutine, it’s really all about the cheese curds. Real cheese curds are what makes a poutine “authentic”. Cheese curds are simply solid pieces of curdled milk, that can be either eaten alone as a snack or, in Canada, added to fries and gravy to make poutine :) Cheese curds can be found in white or yellow colour. White cheese curds are the ones you want for poutine.

Substitute for Cheese Curds in Poutine:

If you can’t get cheese curds, the closest possible substitution if you want the poutine experience, would be torn chunks (not shredded!) of a full-fat block mozzarella cheese (NOT fresh mozzarella – use the kind you’d shred to put on top of pizza). You want it in chunks so it doesn’t melt completely. Don’t be skimpy. Some cheese curds are the size of my baby finger. That’s part of the poutine experience – the chunks of warm, softened cheese and shredded just won’t cut it because it melts completely and mixes in with the gravy. (Cheddar is not the best substitute. Even though cheese curds are technically cheddar they don’t taste like it. The taste is much more mozzarella-like – soft, pliable, subtle taste, squeaky :)

How do you make poutine gravy?

I’ve included a perfect poutine gravy recipe below for you! If you’ve eaten a lot of poutine, you’ve probably experienced a wide range of gravy tastes. Some are clearly chicken, some are dark and beefy. I think the perfect one is somewhere in between. I looked to French-Canadian chef Ricardo for a reliable and authentic recipe. Let’s face it, the French-Canadians know poutine! His gravy is 2/3 beef stock and 1/3 chicken stock, for a lightened up beef gravy. I think it’s perfect.

Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (2)

How to pronounce Poutine:

If you are an English speaking Canadian, you’ll almost certainly pronounce it “poo-teen” (emphasis on the last syllable). French Canadians might suggest that it should be pronounced as “poo-tin” (again, with the emphasis on the last syllable). I say, if you find yourself in Quebec, you could try the latter – pretty much anywhere else in Canada and elsewhere, the former will serve you well.

How to eat poutine

Even if you are strictly a person who eats fries with your hands, when it comes to poutine, a fork is the only way to go! The combination of lots of gravy and melted cheese is a mess to eat any other way.

Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (3)

Cook’s Notes for Authentic Canadian Poutine

French-Canadians would probably recommend starting your poutine gravy with canned broth (vs. the boxed variety). I personally find it a little too salty for my taste, but that might be just the brand I use.

If you use canned, definitely taste before adding additional salt to your gravy. Don’t skimp on the freshly ground pepper in the gravy, though :)

Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (4)

Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (5)

Get the Recipe: Authentic Canadian Poutine

Authentic Canadian Poutine featuring deep-fried fries, poutine gravy and white cheddar cheese curds all tossed together. Do be careful with deep frying. A proper deep fryer is recommended.

4.90 stars from 58 ratings

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Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Yield: 3 people

Ingredients

Poutine Gravy:

  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
  • 20 oz beef broth
  • 10 oz chicken broth
  • Pepper, to taste

For Deep Fried Fries:

  • 2 lbs Russet potatoes, (3-4 medium potatoes)
  • Peanut or other frying oil

Toppings:

  • 1 - 1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese curds, (Or torn chunks of mozzarella cheese would be the closest substitution)

Instructions

  • Prepare the gravy: In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and set aside.

  • In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture turns golden brown.

  • Add the beef and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Stir in about HALF the cornstarch mixture and simmer for a minute or so. If you'd like your gravy thicker, add a more of the cornstarch mixture, in small increments, as needed, to thicken. Season with pepper. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary, to taste. Make ahead and re-warm or keep warm until your fries are ready.

  • For Deep-Fried Fries: Prepare your potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks. Place into a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Allow to stand at least one hour or several hours. When ready to cook, heat your oil in your deep fryer or large, wide, heavy cooking pot to 300° F.

  • Remove the potatoes from the water and place onto a sheet of paper towel. Blot to remove as much excess moisture as possible.

  • Add your fries to the 300°F oil and cook for 5-8 minutes, just until potatoes are starting to cook but are not yet browned. Remove potatoes from oil and scatter on a wire rack. Increase oil temperature to 375°F Once oil is heated to that temperature, return the potatoes to the fryer and cook until potatoes are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined bowl.

  • To Prepare Poutine: Add your fried or baked fries to a large, clean bowl. Season lightly with salt while still warm. Add a ladle of hot poutine gravy to the bowl and using tongs, toss the fries in the gravy. Add more gravy, as needed to mostly coat the fries.

  • Add the cheese curds and toss with the hot fries and gravy. Serve with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

Be sure to read the "Cook's Notes" in the original post, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!

Cuisine: Canadian

Course: Main Course, Snack

Author: Jennifer Maloney

Calories: 528kcal, Carbohydrates: 70g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 1068mg, Potassium: 1438mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 710IU, Vitamin C: 23.8mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 3.6mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonsandsuppers on Instagram or tag #seasonsandsuppers.


Jennifer Maloney

Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!

www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/about/

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originally published on Jan 7, 2014 (last updated Jun 11, 2021)

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214 comments on “Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe”

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  1. Beric MaassReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (6)
    I’ve been practicing with my new air fryer, I can fresh curds right down the road, getting ready wow The Boss, but, seriously, where did you get those oval dishes?

    • Jennifer MaloneyReply

      Hi Beric and the oval dishes are cast iron, probably available on Amazon.

      • Beric MaassReply

        Yes, Amazon. Thank you! And I will follow up with my results 🤤

  2. David ChuhranReply

    Do you think I could get away with using equal parts chicken and beef broth?

    • Jennifer MaloneyReply

      Hi David and yes, assuming there is a reason you need to do this, it should be fine. Of course, the resulting gravy will be lighter in colour and flavour.

  3. Sandra KraftReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (7)
    Poutine! The right taste and unctuous Goodness!!!! Thank you!

  4. KimReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (8)
    Regarding the curds what I do is after the gravy is made I put them directly into the gravy for maybe 2 minutes at most.
    Then I ladle them onto the fries.
    They are just at the ooey gooey stage.

    • Jennifer MaloneyReply

      You can never go wrong with ooey gooey :)

  5. AnalogReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (9)
    Thanks for this recipe! I have been craving poutine for so long and this was perfect. Easy and tasty!

  6. InancReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (10)
    My first time making my own poutine! Even though I had to opt for local cheese (kaşar) in Turkey, the end result was quite similar to the ones I had in Montreal. Thank you.

    • Jennifer MaloneyReply

      Glad to hear, Inanc! Thanks :)

  7. KmiReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (11)
    Excellent!

  8. Aschley WilleyReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (12)
    Excellent recipe. I did make one modification though. I pressure cooked 1 pound of stew meat for 50 minutes after searing it on high and getting it nice and golden brown. I then made the gravy from drippings.

  9. Joseph SherwoodReply

    Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (13)
    The brown gravy was incredibly delicious it made the entire dish for us. Family came over and ate it all before I could get a second helping. We plan on repeating this recipe in the future it was stellar

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Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe - Seasons and Suppers (2024)

FAQs

What is authentic poutine gravy made of? ›

6 Tbsp unsalted butter. 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour. 20 oz beef broth. 10 oz chicken broth.

What is a traditional food of Canada poutine? ›

Poutine, which was invented in Quebec in the 1950s, is a Canadian dish composed of fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. "Poutine" is a Quebecois slang word that means "mess."

What are the 3 things that poutine is made of? ›

The basic recipe only calls for three ingredients: french fries, cheese curds, and gravy. Unless you make your gravy from scratch you also don't need any kitchen equipment beyond a standard french fry cutter and commercial deep fryer.

What is poutine called in America? ›

In the United States, some restaurants of New York and New Jersey propose their own mix of fries, gravy and cheese, called « Disco Fries ». In Latin America, we can enjoy a poutine on the isolated beach of Zipolite island in Mexico.

What does poutine mean in English? ›

poutine • \poo-TEEN\ • noun. : a dish of French fries covered with brown gravy and cheese curds - chiefly Canadian. Examples: Although classic poutine is a simple marriage of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds, the dish has inspired ethnic variations with different combinations of meats and sauces. "

What is the original poutine? ›

The most widespread story is that poutine originates from a restaurant formerly called Le Lutin qui rit in Warwick, in the Arthabaska region. In 1957, a client named Eddy Lainesse would have asked the owner Fernand Lachance to mix the cheese curds with the fries. Genius!

What is the national dish of poutine? ›

Poutine is Canada's national dish, which usually consists of french fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. The oh-so-satisfying combination results in a savory and indulgent comfort food experience, loved by Canadians the world over.

What does poutine symbolize in Canada? ›

For many years, it was used by some to mock Quebec society. Poutine later became celebrated as a symbol of Québécois culture and the province of Quebec. It has long been associated with Quebec cuisine, and its rise in prominence has led to its growing popularity throughout the rest of Canada.

What does poutine do to your body? ›

Your Arteries Will Clog

High triglyceride levels are a serious repercussion of high fat content in foods, and poutine is chock full of 'em. A large poutine, incredibly high in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and refined carbs, can raise the triglyceride levels in your blood for 6-12 hours after consumption.

What kind of cheese is good in poutine? ›

It is better with cheese curds but you can use regular shredded mozzarella cheese if curds aren't available in your area. For something a little different use spaghetti sauce instead of gravy.

What can I use instead of cheese curds in poutine? ›

Diced mozzarella is a good and readily available substitute for cheese curds; salted fresh mozzarella is probably closer in flavor, although commercial mozzarella has a bit more of the springy, rubbery texture of curds.

Are cheese curds illegal in the US? ›

(Raw or unpasteurized milk is banned in the United States, but luckily, cheese curds are 100 percent legal!)

What is a poutine slang? ›

The etymology of the word is also debated. Poutine is Québécois slang for a “mess,” and the namesake is also commonly attributed to the English word “pudding,” or “pouding” in French.

What is the most popular food in Canada? ›

Poutine. Originally from Quebec, this dish is one of the most popular in Canada. It is made up of a french fries covered with fresh cheese curds, that melt with the heat, and a brown gravy sauce.

Is poutine gravy different from regular gravy? ›

Poutine sauce is another way Canadians say gravy. I kid, I kid – but really poutine sauce is essentially a brown gravy that's make from butter, flour, stock, and spices. Like gravy, it's rich and hearty, warm and full of flavor.

What is McDonald's poutine gravy made of? ›

To make McDonald's Poutine, french fries are topped with a generous serving of cheese curds, which are small, fresh balls of curdled milk. The cheese is then covered with a rich, savory gravy, which is made from beef stock and other seasonings.

What is veg poutine gravy made of? ›

For my gravy, I went with a mix of mushroom and shallot for flavor and heartiness, cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken, almond milk and vegetable stock to thin and add more flavor, and plenty of salt, pepper, and a dash of vinegar and coconut aminos to bring more depth of flavor.

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