Vegetarian Poutine

We're making Vegetarian Poutine today! Made with crispy oven fries, homemade vegan gravy, and authentic cheese curds, this vegetarian poutine recipe is where it's at for healthy-ish veggie comfort food. Vegan and gluten-free options are in the post, too.

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Hi. My name is Katie, I'm the Nutrition Lady, and I love poutine. 

Love it. Love love love it. 

I mean, what's not to love? Hot, crispy french fries topped with melty, squeaky cheese curds and then smothered in gravy. Gahhhh it's so good. 

For me, one of the hardest parts of living outside of Canada is lack of access to poutine. Never mind missing my family and all that, I want my curds!

Whenever I do go back though, I load up on legit Canadian cheese curds, smuggle them across international borders, and keep them in my freezer so that I can treat myself to a batch of Vegetarian Poutine a few times a year. 

So, today, I'm going to let you in on my little secret: the ultimate vegetarian poutine recipe. Are you ready for this???

What makes this vegetarian poutine?

It's all about the gravy. Traditionally poutine is made with beef gravy, but we're going to swap it out for my favourite vegetarian gravy recipe instead. This poutine is made with cheese curds, but if you want to make vegan poutine, we'll discuss some options below.

What's in this recipe?

Classic poutine has three main elements, but this is HNL poutine so we're mixing things up just a bit. Here's what you need:

• French fries --> I'm using my favourite Crispy Potato Wedges.
• Gravy --> I'm using my Amazing Vegan Gravy recipe.
• Cheese curds --> We'll discuss your options below.
• Green onions --> Optional, but delicious.

Equipment:

You'll need a saucepan for making the gravy (I use this one) and something to make your taters with. If you make oven fries like I did, just a couple of sheet pans will do. If you have an Air Fryer, those are great for making crispy french fries (try this recipe for crispy Air Fryer Fries from Sustainable Cooks). 

How do you make vegetarian poutine? 

Easy, my friends. Take your favourite crispy fries, put some cheese curds on top, and pour hot gravy over top of that. 

You'll find detailed instructions for making the gravy, including step-by-step process shots, in this recipe for Amazing Vegan Gravy. 

You'll find detailed instructions for making oven fries, including step-by-step process shots, in this recipe for Crispy Potato Wedges. 

What if I can't find cheese curds?

I get it, if you're outside of Canada you might have a hard time finding legit squeaky cheese curds. If you're in another location and know where to find them, please let us know in the comments section of this post so we can share the cheese curd love!

If you can't find cheese curds, try substituting torn mozzarella or provolone chunks, or torn or cubed halloumi. The halloumi won't melt the way the other cheeses will, but will still be delicious.

Can I make this recipe in advance?

You can absolutely make the gravy in advance and reheat when you're ready to serve, but the fries need to be made to order.

If you're making homemade oven fries, you can slice the potatoes in advance and store them submerged in water until you're ready to cook them. A crisp fry and hot gravy are really essential for good poutine, so don't try to rush this step.

Can I make vegan poutine? 

If you can find a vegan cheese substitute that you like, you can absolutely use that in place of the cheese curds. Another option would be to use marinated tofu, or try making a homemade vegan mozzarella recipe.

Is this recipe healthy?

I mean, kinda? 

It's for sure healthier than greasy poutine from a pub (which, by the way, is freaking delicious in its own right). Since we're making our own fries (which are baked in the oven) and making a healthy vegan gravy recipe. 

With cheese, gravy, and fries, poutine is the ultimate trifecta of comfort foods, and this recipe is no exception. I'd say it's healthIER poutine or healthy-ISH poutine, but in no way shape or form does this qualify as a health food.

But you know what else is healthy? Joy. And this vegetarian poutine recipe makes me happy. I hope it'll make you happy, too.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Chickpea Fries
Air Fryer Kale Chips
Roasted Garbanzo Beans
Baked Zucchini Fries
Tofu Nuggets
Buffalo Tofu