Homemade Poutine Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

Fries covered in cheese curds and then a super savory beefy gravy so the curds get all melty? Yeah, poutine is the BEST. Here’s how to make it.

Photography by Gayle McLeod

Thank You, Canada, For Creating The Best Post-Drinks Snack in the World.

Indulgence, thy name is poutine. Squeaky melty curds, meaty rich gravy, and of course, perfectly crispy fries make for a platter of perfectly gooey and delightfully messy diner food as only the Quebecois could have dreamt up! And let’s be honest about the craving that poutine satisfies. Poutine is the ultimate post-drinks food. You stumble out of a bar with a gaggle of your best buds, and you know that you need something super hearty, super umami-ish, super delicious to soak up all those co*cktails. The neon in the window of the diner across the street shines like a beacon—you’re gonna be OK. You scoot into a red vinyl booth and order the food of the gods—poutine to the rescue! But wait—you’re old! You don’t get drunk at bars anymore! You don’t live in NYC or Montreal anymore or within two blocks of a cute diner. And yet—you still crave poutine. Or at least, we do! So what’s a poutine-lover to do? You’ve got to make your own poutine! And so, we give you: Our best poutine recipe!

What is Poutine?

Similar to—but not the same as—disco fries, poutine is a delightful dive bar / diner snack that’s made up of french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. YEAH. WE KNOW. Genius. Pure genius. The beefy, meaty, savory gravy is all hot and lovely and when you pour it over the cheese-topped fries, the heat of the gravy melts the cheese curds and you end up with a super messy, richy, salty meal—yeah, it’s a meal—that is ideal for sharing. Some people dig in with their hands, but we think of it as definitely fork-worthy.

The Very Best Poutine Gravy Recipe, Ever!

Our poutine gravy is pretty classic—a beefy, brown sauce that comes together fast and does what you need it to do! It ups the savory ante and it melts the curds into their gooey-squeaky best selves. Here’s what’s in our super yummy, beef poutine gravy:

• Butter

• Flour

• Garlic powder

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• Onion powder

• Chicken broth

• Beef broth

• Worcestershire sauce

• Beef bouillon

• Apple cider vinegar

Let’s Talk Cheese Curds for Poutine

You know what cheese curds are, right? Well, if you’re from the Midwest, you probably do! If not, they might not be quite as familiar. Cheese curds are—as it sounds like they would be—the curds that are separated from the whey (the liquid or watery part of milk) in the cheesemaking process. When making hard cheeses, curds are pressed into big rounds or rectangles, but some people like to cut them up—unshaped and unpressed—and eat them right away! A fresh, salty, milky treat with an iconic ‘squeaky’ texture, they’re a key poutine ingredient. You’ve just gotta have them!

How to Make Poutine

OK, you’ve got your components gathered! You’ve made the greatest fries, you’ve whipped up a deliciously beefy gravy, you’ve bought some yummy cheese curds and managed not to eat them all. You’re ready to make poutine!

1. Make the best fries you possibly can! Our poutine recipe starts with homemade fries, but you don’t have to break out the deep-fryer for this (that’s a relief, right?). Baked fries are just so much easier, and we actually think that a little less grease is nice, since you’ll be drenching them in gravy anyway.

2. Make the gravy! Get it simmering in a saucepan while the fries bake.

3. Assemble your poutine! See, that actually wasn’t that much work after all! You can divide it between four individual plates, or serve it mounded on a big platter for sharing. Just be sure to get the order right! First the fries, then the curds, then drizzle it all with lots of hot gravy. By the time people are digging in, the curds should be getting good and melty.

Tools You’ll Need:

• Baking sheet

• Small saucepan

• Sharp knife

• Vegetable peeler

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Too Much of a Good Thing

We love recipes like this—pure, unabashed delight! Food for the sake of “hey this tastes good!”. Poutine is nothing but fun and we’re ALL about it. We hope you love it as much as we do! When you make it, we want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!