Healthier Oven-Baked Poutine

5 from 1 vote

Healthier Oven-Baked Poutine

Never underestimate the power of a Healthier Oven-Baked Poutine! Not deep-fried, but baked to perfection! Crispy, golden fries are topped with cheese curds and smothered in a savory, homemade gravy. Enjoy this iconic Canadian comfort food for Canada Day, Super Bowl night, or any other night. It's so good that you'll definitely want to have it more than just once or twice a year!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Canadian

Servings: servings

Calories: 570kcal

Author: Irina

Equipment

Ingredients

For the French fries you'll need:

4 large russet potatoes about 2 pounds
3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

For the gravy you'll need:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
½ cup chicken broth
salt to taste, especially if you are using no-sodium broth

For the cheese you'll need:

1 cup cheese curds or more to taste, room temperature

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare the fries:

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse the potatoes well to get rid of any dirt - I like to leave the skin on, but you can also peel them. Just scrub them well when rinsing if you are not peeling them. Place the potatord on a cutting board and cut each potato lengthwise into approximately ¼" rounds. Stack the round slices, two or three at a time, and cut lengthwise into ¼" sticks. Slice the potatoes evenly to ensure they cook at the same rate. Thicker fries will take longer to bake, while thinner ones will be crispier.
4 large russet potatoes
Place the fries on the parchment paper-lined baking dish, and toss them with the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika,and Italian seasoning.
3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Spread the potatoes in a single layer and place in the preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes, or until the fries are golden brown and crispy.

Prepare the gravy:

During the last 20 minutes of baking the fries, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in ground black pepper and garlic powder. Gradually add the flour and whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes until it forms a roux and turns golden.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Gradually whisk in the beef broth and chicken broth, ensuring there are no lumps. Bring the gravy to a simmer, stirring occasionally until it thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Give it a taste and add a little bit of salt, if necessary.
1 cup beef broth, ½ cup chicken broth

Assemble:

Once the fries are done, place them on a serving platter. Sprinkle the cheese curds (break them up with your hands if the cheese curds are too big) over the hot fries.
1 cup cheese curds
Pour the hot gravy over the fries and cheese. Serve the poutine immediately while the cheese is still melty and the fries are crispy - see notes section below on ensuring your cheese melts properly under the gravy.
salt

Notes

For thicker gravy, simmer it for a longer time to reduce and thicken. To thin it out, add a little more broth until you reach your desired consistency. Remember to whisk.
Ensuring your cheese melts well:

Heat the Gravy More: Ensure the gravy is hot enough—almost boiling—before pouring it over the fries and cheese curds. If it's not hot enough, heat it more and whisk often.

Use Room Temperature Curds: Cooled cheese curds take longer to melt, so make sure to take the cheese curds out of the fridge at lease 1 hour before preparing so they are softer.

Smaller Curds: Cut larger cheese curds into smaller pieces before adding them to the fries, so they melt more easily.

Use an Oven: You can also place the fries topped with he curds under the broiler for a minute or two to help melt the cheese curds. Just be careful not to leave it in too long. Then take it out of the oven and pour the hot gravy over the cheese.

Nutrition