Jennifer Hanes MS, RDN, LD
Life can be tough, and we all have those crummy days when everything seems to go wrong. During such times, there’s nothing like indulging in some comforting, delicious food to lift our spirits.
If you’re a vegetarian or just looking to explore meat-free options, we have the perfect recipe for you.
Allow me to introduce vegetarian poutine, a mouthwatering twist on the classic Canadian dish. It combines golden fries, ooey-gooey cheese curds, and a savory gravy that will make your taste buds dance.
Get ready to treat yourself to a super simple yet incredibly satisfying meal that will turn your day around in no time!
What is Poutine?
Poutine is a Canadian dish that consists of fries, gravy, and cheese curd. Essentially a bar food, poutine is meant to be served with a cold beer.
I first heard about poutine on the Food Network and thought it looked pretty good and, honestly, pretty easy to make. It sounds like the perfect comfort food!
Traditionally, the gravy in poutine is made with beef broth but is otherwise vegetarian, making this an easy recipe to modify. And because this recipe is so simple, there’s lots of room to add whatever topping sounds good to you.
Ingredients
Vegetarian-friendly fries: This is meant to be a super easy recipe, so I used frozen fries. However, if you have a favorite fry recipe, go ahead and use those instead.
Cheese curds: Think of cheese curds as the precursor to cheddar cheese. They are generally available in grocery stores. However, if you can’t find them, choose another cubed, hard cheese to replace them with.
Vegetarian gravy: Gravy is actually super easy to make, so I did make this from scratch. You could also buy a “just add water” packet. Just make sure there aren’t any sneaky animal products in it.
For this easy homemade vegetarian gravy, I used butter, flour, mushroom broth, soy sauce, garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper—that’s it!
Optional add-ons and toppings: use your imagination! I think caramelized onions and mushrooms would be great on top. Or maybe you’d like a vegetarian ground beef alternative.
But those add to your cooking time, and this is a super simple comfort food recipe, so I didn’t add any optional toppings other than some green onions I already had cut up in the fridge.
Instructions
Making the Fries
Cook your fries according to the package directions.
I like to use a crisper tray if using the oven, but they come out even better when done in the air fryer.
I’ve found that because you’re going to smother the fries in mushroom gravy, these are better slightly overcooked so they’re extra crispy. Otherwise, you’ll end up with soggy fries.
Making the Gravy
Start by making a basic roux. Melt the butter in your saucepan, then add the flour. Whisk together until the flour takes on a light golden color.
Add the broth and simmer until it thickens to your preferred gravy texture. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients.
When first learning about poutine, most recipes I found called for balsamic or apple cider vinegar. As much as I love vinegar in a sauce (I have at least 6 different types in my pantry), I really didn’t like it in this recipe.
So, I chose to use soy sauce instead. Feel free to sub with balsamic vinegar if you want.
Assembling the Vegetarian Poutine
Place the fries on your serving tray. Spread the cheese curds evenly over the fries, then top with the gravy. That’s it! Let sit for about 5 minutes so the hot gravy can soften the curds.
If your fries are done first, I don’t recommend adding the curds before the gravy is ready. If you do this, the curds will melt on the hot fries rather than soften, and you’ll lose some of the awesome texture variety that makes poutine so good.
I added green onions on top of the gravy. You can obviously skip this or add other toppings.
Vegetarian Poutine
Equipment
- medium sauce pan
- air fryer or elevated baking sheet
Ingredients
- 16 oz frozen shoestring french fries
- 2 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 1.5 cups low sodium mushroom broth or vegetable broth
- 5 oz white cheddar cheese curds crumbled to bite size pieces
Instructions
- Cook fries to package directions. I prefer to use the air fryer, but you can do this in the oven as well.
- While the fries cook, melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
- Once the butter begins to foam, add the flour and whisk together. Cook until the flour darkens to a light golden brown.
- Slowly stream in broth, as you constantly whisk the mixture.
- Bring the gravy to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced by about 1/3, around 10-15 minutes.
- Take the gravy off the heat, add the soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, ground pepper, and mix well. Do a taste test and see if you need salt or if you need to adjust seasonings to your preference. I like a peppery gravy.
- When the fries are done, spread on a large serving tray or on individual plates in a single layer.
- Sprinkle evenly with the cheese curds and smother with the gravy.
- Allow the gravy to soften the cheese for a minute or two before digging in.
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Making the Most of a Crummy Day
It’s important to remember that sometimes food serves a purpose other than nutrition. Food can provide comfort when we are stressed or upset, aid in celebrations at birthdays, weddings, and graduations, build community, express our religion and or culture, or even just plain taste good.
While I firmly believe that we should have effective ways to cope with negative emotions, there are times when food helps us get there. Emotional eating is not always bad, but it should never be the only way we manage stress, sadness, anger, or any other emotion.
That being said, there are physiological reasons that foods containing fat and carbs are often the go-to comfort foods. Think mac ‘n cheese, ice cream, cake, and chips.
These foods trigger our brain’s reward system, immediately making us feel better. We get a cascade of neurotransmitters that improve our mood, potentially allowing us to utilize our coping mechanisms better.
Furthermore, if your comfort food of choice is a family recipe, you will likely experience happy memories associated with that dish.
Remember that providing your body and mind with what it needs is the first step of self-care. We must fuel our brains before we get much out of that relaxing face mask. Indulging in cooking a fatty, carby meal and then enjoying it without guilt is self-care.
A caveat though. While comfort food can make us feel better now, to feel good consistently and long term, we do need to eat mostly in a healthful manner. So this isn’t an excuse to avoid veggies, beans, fruits, and whole grains!
Conclusion
Next time you find yourself facing a gloomy day, remember that a warm plate of vegetarian poutine can be the ultimate mood booster.
With its hearty blend of crispy fries, gooey cheese curds, and savory gravy, this comforting dish has the power to turn things around. Embrace the simplicity of our recipe and take a moment to nurture yourself with its goodness.
Whether you’re a committed vegetarian or simply exploring meat-free options, this super simple vegetarian poutine recipe will become your go-to remedy for those crummy days. So, grab those ingredients, get cooking, and let the delicious transformation begin!
Your taste buds and your mood will thank you for it. Happy indulging!
Jennifer Hanes MS, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian, mom, wife, and vegetarian in North Texas. She has dedicated Dietitian Jenn to be a source of information, ideas, and inspiration for people like her, vegetarians that live with people with different dietary beliefs and/or needs in a multivore household.