After many requests for vegan poutine, it’s finally here! Without further ado, let’s jump into it!
This recipe requires 10 ingredients and about 1 hour to prepare (once your cheese is made!).
Origins of Poutine
Poutine is a dish of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy that is thought to have originated in the 1950s in Québec, Canada. Its exact origin is hotly debated, with various restaurants and regions claiming the invention. You can learn more about the possible origins here.
The following is our plant-based take on this popular Canadian dish!
How to Make Vegan Poutine
The base, of course, is crispy baked fries! I discovered that cooking the fries in a bit of oil on parchment paper allowed them to get crispy on the outside and tender on the inside without ever sticking to the pan.
While your fries cook, it’s gravy time. 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.
I did a lot of testing and research when it came to gravy, and this by far was my favorite! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
All that’s left to do is add cheese, brown in the oven, and top with gravy!
Traditional poutine doesn’t require the cheese curd to be cooked, but my version isn’t traditional – it’s vegan, after all. Plus, the Vegan Mozzarella Cheese “curds” taste best when they’ve got a little color on them! And who wouldn’t want melty, gooey cheese on their fries?
I hope you all LOVE these fries! They’re:
Hearty
Salty
Cheese
Gravy-covered
Savory
Luscious
& SO Satisfying
This is the perfect dish to enjoy on game days, on chilly fall and winter evenings, or when you’re craving a hearty appetizer or snack. I think these puppies are delicious on their own, but they would also pair well with a cold beer or white wine sangria (obviously), my Garlicky Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas, Easy Grillable Veggie Burger, or Vegan ‘Pulled Pork’ Sandwich.
If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Easy Vegan Poutine
Ingredients
FRIES*
- 4 medium russet potatoes (unpeeled // or sub sweet potatoes for a savory-sweet poutine!)
- 3-4 Tbsp avocado or melted coconut oil (if avoiding oil, see notes)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
GRAVY*
- 3 Tbsp avocado or melted coconut oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
- 2 medium shallots (minced)
- 1 1/2 cups diced button or cremini mushrooms
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp 1 tsp coconut aminos (optional)
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot // if not GF, sub all-purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth (DIY or store-bought)
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1-2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce or ketchup* (optional // such as Annie’s brand, which isn’t GF or this one for GF!)
- 1 batch Easy Vegan Mozzarella “Cheese” (separated into 1 tsp amounts // which act as “cheese curds” // or sub 1 cup store-bought vegan mozzarella cheese)*
Instructions
- FRIES: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C) and chop potatoes into thin slices by halving lengthwise then cutting into wedges and then strips. For “wedges,” cut into larger pieces – both work the same, but matchsticks cook faster.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (amount as original recipe is written // use fewer or more pans if altering batch size). Add fries, oil (see notes for substitution), and salt and toss to coat. Then arrange fries in a single layer, making sure they aren’t overlapping too much. This will help them crisp up and cook evenly.
- Bake for a total of 25-35 minutes, tossing/flipping at least once to ensure even baking. When the fries are finished, remove from oven and set aside.
- GRAVY: While fries are baking, prepare gravy by heating a rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water) and shallots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add mushrooms, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and coconut aminos (optional).
- Stir and increase heat to medium high to brown the mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until they are slightly caramelized. Then add the cornstarch and stir to coat. It should look dry at this point – that’s OK.
- Lower heat to low and slowly add the broth and almond milk while whisking. It should resemble gravy pretty quickly and should bubble and thicken as it cooks.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Add broth or almond milk to thin if it becomes too thick.
- Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth (optional but recommended). Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper to taste or more Worcestershire or coconut aminos for more depth of flavor. See notes for other additions if you desire more depth of flavor.
- Return gravy to stovetop and heat on lowest heat to keep warm.
- FOR SERVING: Add all of the baked fries to one baking sheet. Then divide the Vegan Mozzarella Cheese into 1 tsp “curds” and add to the baked fries (I used just shy of 1 batch of the recipe). Then place fries back in oven on the top rack on medium-to-low broil so the cheese can melt and get slightly browned. Watch carefully so the fries don’t burn – 3-5 minutes.
- Pour the gravy over top and dig in! This is a dish best enjoyed fresh! However, the cheese will store separately in the fridge up to 10 days (see notes for other uses). The gravy will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days (reheat on stovetop for best results – add more almond milk or broth to thin if thickened), and the fries will store for 2-3 days (reheat in oven at 350 degrees F (176 C) for best results).
Notes
*GRAVY: For more flavor, other additions might include a little nutritional yeast and/or maple syrup.
*Based on my research, ketchup seemed to be a fairly common addition to poutine gravy. However, the idea of ketchup in gravy weirded me out. I tried it and didn’t like it. I found balsamic vinegar, coconut aminos, and a touch of Worcestershire to strike a good flavor balance.
*CHEESE: If you have leftover cheese, it can be used on things like sandwiches, caprese salads, pasta bakes, breadsticks, or pizza!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 6 servings with all of the suggested oil, all of the gravy, and all of the vegan cheese.
Disne says
I made this last night and it was delicious! I used cows milk and real cheese it turned out wonderful. The boys loved it too .
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing, Disne!
Laurie Lapointe says
This is definitely the best poutine! From a Canadian (Quebec) vegan! ;)
Whoop! So honored, Laurie =) Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Claudia says
I just have a question: what is the function of the almond milk?
To make it more creamy and gravy-like.
Claudia says
I made it without and it still turned out great. So simple and really delicious 😋
Janelle says
This was really good. I used hemp milk, flour, and sharp white cheddar cheese. Thanks.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Janelle! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
shapelessjourneys says
Made the poutine, delicious and easy recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Elizabeth says
Delicious! I have made it twice, exactly as described. Makes a wonderful dinner with a salad.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Elizabeth! Thanks so much for sharing!
Amanda says
This recipe worked out perfectly! I only used it for the cheese part and made my own gravy/fries, but it tastes like real poutine!! I can’t believe it!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Amanda! xo
Karen says
Thank you, Dana!
I made this to try the vegan mozarella. Delicious! I used sweet potatoes since this time of year our NW potatoes are sad. I followed your directions exactly.
I want to share that it all took much longer than you describe. If I hadn’t made the “cheese” the day before it would have been even longer still. ( I froze the cheese by dropping spoonfuls onto wax paper to become solid in the freezer, then stored in a Ziploc. It tasted just fine! )
The gravy took some time but was delicious. Froze the rest of it in serving size containers. And if cutting the potatoes into skinny strips, even longer till all the components were finally in place.
I would say it’s a great weekend dinner for a cold or rainy night, but not something to tackle if time is short. Caveat- I used only fresh ingredients washed and prepared myself; no doubt using prepared vegetables would speed things along.
Hi Karen, thanks for sharing your experience!
Sana says
This is easily my favourite recipe of yours so far…..every component was so very delicious. I’m making this again tomorrow, and I can tell it’s going to be very dangerous for my future :D
I loved the ketchup in my gravy: didn’t turn that nice brown colour but tbf, it could be a radioactive puce green and I’d still pretty much drink it straight from the blender: it’s glorious just on its own.
But in all seriousness, when you put up recipes like this, it makes me less likely to buy junk food that’ll be a zillion times worse for me….and I want to thank you for making it so much easier to make better choices. Thanks so much for being you :) Keep creating and I will keep fumbling through!
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review, Sana! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Marta says
Another recipe from this blog that I made and that was super yummy (even thought I managed to burn fries a bit). I made fries from potatoes, carrots and parsley (cleaning the fridge :) ). For the gravy I used button mushrooms and dried wild mushrooms (soaked) and had to sub a bit (no time to make broth and had no worcestershire sauce so I used vegemite with water (happen to have a jar) and teriyaki sauce. And rosemary just because I love rosemary with mushrooms. And it was delicious!!! Thanks!
So glad you liked it Marta! Thanks for sharing your modifications! xo
Elizabeth says
I made this to bring to my “apres ski” themed cooking club… no one eats plant based except for me. It was a hit with all! (And my husband and daughter loved it too). I will be making it again. Thank you!
Marina says
Does this gravy freeze well? I am so excited to try this!!!
Hi Marina! You can freeze the gravy, but not the rest of the dish. Store completely cooled leftovers covered in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in a saucepan until hot and bubbly, adding more vegetable broth to thin as needed. Hope this helps!
Miho says
Easy and sooo yummy, triple the recipe and all gone. Kids loved it too.
We made chips with potatoes and carrot.
Only had soymilk but still delicious gravy. Thank you for good recipe.
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing, Miho!
Lisa says
I made this recipe for tonight’s dinner and it was actually my first time making vegan poutine at home, and I must say that this recipe is fantastic! It’s actually even better than some vegan poutine that I’ve had at restaurants! Will definitely do it again, thank you!
We’re so glad to hear it, Lisa! :D
Alanna says
Made this for my sister and brother in law last night. They LOVED it! They’ve both recently made a serious choice to go vegan/whole foods for health reasons. I didn’t do the fries from scratch (as we had a houseful of folks over for a family poutine party) but I’ve passed on this recipe to them and they will probably try your suggestions for steaming/baking the fries as they’re doing their best to avoid oils.
Your site is wonderful and creative! I’ve never used tapioca starch before but now that I’ve seen it in action, I can’t wait to try out another “cheesy” recipe again soon!
Kathy says
Made this yesterday and it was fabulous! The gravy is delicious. It is a definite do again and soon. Great great recipe!
emily says
So yummy! I’m excited to make this. I love that you call for making the fries super thin and crispy ,too! What a comforting dish – I could use it this winter ;)
Orpheem says
The cheese curds used on poutine aren’t really supposed to melt and become too gooey. Firm tofu soaked in lemon juice for an hour makes a pretty good squeaky substitute!
Mike says
Great idea!
LisaNewf says
My husband is new to Canada and loves poutine! That said, we have been trying to go 100% vegan for the past year without success mostly because we are having trouble giving up some of our favorite things. I cannot wait to make this for him, it is going to blow his mind!!!! Thank you so much, Dana. We love your recipes so much, they are always easy and delicious. They have really helped us transition. Here’s to a 2018 at 100%!!!
Evelyn says
I can’t wait to try the gravy recipe tonight! I am going to put it on my mashed potatoes and vegetable wellington on Thanksgiving!
Evelyn says
I forgot to ask, what brand of unsweetened almond milk do you use? I tried one or two brands and they were still sort of sweet.. I am also going to sub in vegan butter instead of coconut oil.
Evelyn says
Gravy was amazing!!!!
Brian Barber says
I was just lamenting to a friend the other day that the only thing I miss about eating meat is poutine. I found your blog because I have recently started a vegan diet after years as a vegetarian and thought I should do some online research. YOU HAVE VEGAN POUTINE! Thanks for putting in the time to figure it out. It’s a delicious recipe. Sure, it’s not “traditional” poutine, but it more than scratches the itch.
Monique says
So I didn’t make the poutine but I used the gravy recipe with extra mushrooms for dinner tonight alongside some leek and spinach mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables – so delicious! This is such an amazing savoury gravy that I will certainly make again. Thank you for this!
ches says
also fyi whole foods 365 worcestershire sauce is vegan and gf for anyone having trouble finding some!
Cathy says
Thank you for the Poutine. I was worried about all the mushrooms because I really don’t like them. My husband loves mushrooms, and said I should try the recipe! Surprisingly I really like the poutine with all the mushrooms! I guess I am starting to enjoy mushrooms! thank you!
Sue McKibbin says
This was REALLY delicious, my husband and I loved the unusual flavour from the Almond milk in the gravy plus the balsamic. (I made half the potato and sweet potato “fries” and froze the leftover gravy for next time. There were no chips left…….!! They were served with leftover “Pulled Pork – so yum!!!)
Although we are what my daughter calls “Flexitarians”, I believe that finding delicious Vegan recipes is going to be vital in the future. I think giving them names of traditional recipes will help more people experiment with eating less animal products. We also loved your Crispy Eggplant strips, and I made some delicious sandwiches combining them with the Savoury Potato Carrot Mash, but I don’t think that would attract non Vegetarian/Vegans to try them. However Vegan Cheese and Bacon salad sandwiches might pique their curiosity!!!
When I was in Canada a few years ago I was proudly offered some Poutine to try, and I could see its appeal as comfort food, but this Vegan version satisfied me so much more! (but it was NOT in Montreal so one day I may get to try a REAL Poutine for comparison)
Thank you for your wonderful recipes XXXX
Elise says
I just got a bag of shiitake mushrooms in my produce box this week and was wondering if that would work for the gravy instead of button or creminis? Love your recipes so can’t wait to try this. Thanks!
Ruth says
Hilarious…my husband asked me just this week if a vegan poutine existed and I said I don’t think so dear….will definitely try this!
Becky says
I made this tonight and it was so good! [Disclaimer: I actually used Smitten Kitchen’s recipe for baked fries and I used a different recipe for the vegan mozzarella because I didn’t have all of the ingredients to make yours. I did make the gravy as written and I’m fairly confident that what I ended up with is very close to your recipe.] I’ve never had real poutine, so I have no idea if this recipe is anywhere close to authentic, but I really don’t care because this is vegan comfort food at its finest.
Just FYI, I made it as a main dish. I would say the recipe makes 4 main dishes but, if I’m hungry, I could eat it as 3 servings. Six servings is likely reasonable for less glutinous servings as a side dish.
Yay! Thanks Becky! xoxo
Jennifer Graham says
Okay so we made this last night! YUM! I did not have a chance to make the coconut yogurt so in the cheese recipe, I just used the coconut milk (from can) 1/4 cup, the thick part, and then added water – about 1/2 cup. I think the tanginess of the actual coconut yogurt would have worked better – BUT, it was still DELICIOUS on top of the fries. As an aside, I used arrowroot powder as I didn’t have any tapioca left and it worked quite well. LOVED the gravy – didn’t have the coconut aminos so used a little extra balsamic. A really GREAT recipe, good flavours too! The mushroom gravy was awesome – didn’t expect that! Thanks so much – always get such great results with your recipes!!!!
Thanks for sharing, Jennifer! xo
Emily says
Was so delicious and a big hit! Definitely will be using that gravy in the upcoming holiday season.
Yay, thanks Emily! xo
Adra says
I just made this for dinner last night (no shame – we had salad, too) and it blew us away! The gravy is totally out of this world. It will definitely become my go-to vegan gravy recipe. Thanks for yet another amazing recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Adra!
Carmella Mattie says
Oh Canada! Living in Australia means no poutine for us Canucks :( I couldn’t wait to try and this recipe like every.single.one from Minimalist Baker, it did not disappoint! Or as the Aussies say ” it was heaps good!” I had to use regular mozzarella as we are in the outback and vegan anything is hard to find- but I did just see a recipe for it!? (is there anything you can’t do Dana!?) Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Sending love and so much appreciation from your biggest Can-Aussie fan!
Thanks Carmella!
Zoe says
Poor Dana can’t post a recipe without someone complaining about cultural appropriation, or being harassed and called out for calling something authentic when she is simply trying to create inspired vegan versions of her favourite foods! People need to lay off and let her experiment! This is a fantastic blog that I personally visit daily and her food is delicious. If you are looking for traditional recipes you are clearly on the wrong blog. As a Canadian, I’d like to say your poutine looks brilliant and I can’t wait to give it a try! Keep up the fantastic work! XO
Sam says
I’m really hoping the Montrealers here are joking… that being said, I’m from western Canada, so maybe if I tried a true poutine, I’d be saying the same thing.
That was so kind, Zoe! Thanks for saying that. xo
Zoe says
Glad I could give you a boost! I’ve noticed some negativity in the comments here lately and I personally think it’s uncalled for. You are amazing! Keep doing your thing girlfriend!!
Betsey Mowery says
Amen, sister! Let’s lift one another up, not tear folks down. I love the recipes and appreciate being able to try new things that are vegan. #minimalistbakerROCKS
Katrina says
I was totally thinking the same thing! There are many versions of foods that originate from all over the world…pizza, pasta, perogies, tacos, pad thai…etc, etc. But we still call all those versions their original name. Gluten-free, dairy free, vegan and all!
I enjoy experimenting with different flavours and variations of original recipes and am looking forward to trying this one out! The idea for using sweet potatoes is a great idea! I’ll have to try that, too!
Noelle says
I have to agree. As a vegan who used to not be a vegan, I am always looking for alternatives to my favourite comfort foods. This looks amazing to me. I can’t wait to try it. Zero complaints about the authenticity of the alterations from me… this is how vegans eat and we need brilliant people who experiment with food to help us out, like Dana. Thanks Dana, for all the effort you’ve put in to your ideas to bring them to us!
Thanks for the kind words, Noelle! Hope you love the Vegan Poutine! :D
Jess says
I was thinking the same thing…I’m from Montreal and I am a poutine addict ? Ok..The real poutine is different but come on! Every year we have a poutine festival and there is like so many different kind of poutines like Italian poutine, middle eastern, bacon, taco poutine, duck ect. There will always be negative people out there…So, thank you so much for all your hardwork in your recipes , I will certainly try it this one soon, it looks ? delicious!
Senshin says
I love all things potatoes so this was a must try.
Mozzarella turned out nice, but didn’t have much taste to it.
But the gravy! Oh, the gravy. SO good.
Thanks for sharing! xo
Kate says
I’m from Montreal and when I read the first sentence “The base, of course, is crispy baked fries” I thought Nooooooo!!! The base for poutine is fat mushy fried fries. That soakes up the gravy and makes classic poutine
Kinobibun says
Right? The poutine should be in quotation marks.
izzi says
This was verry tasty, although I do wish your recipes were based on smaller portions. I almost always have to cut them in half or thirds, and it is kind of a pain to calculate reductions during preparation. Fried potatoes aren’t the best reheated and this makes way too much for 2 or 3 people to eat in one sitting. But the dish itself was really good and I will also probably try it with sweet potatoes.
Thanks for the feedback! I primarily found it difficult to make the gravy and “cheese” in such small proportions. But the fries can easily be cut down. And I typically do make recipes that serve 2-4. But I’ll keep this in mind in the future! I like reheating fries in the oven at 375 F until hot. xoxo
Cassie says
I’ve always wanted to make a vegan pouting, but I guess you beat me to it! Definitely want to try making a sweet potato version of poutine. Yummy!
Marsha says
I made this last nite with minimal changes, paired with moscao. My non vegan husband and I (vegan) absolutely loved it! It was so wonderful we are going to make it for our green bay packer game day get togethers!
Lovely! Thanks Marsha. Next time would you mind leaving a rating? That would be so helpful! xoxo
Things2Eat says
You do NOT use skinny fries with poutine! How can you get the gravy and cheese in your mouth with skinny fries? Nope nope nope. Gotta use at least a standard cut, if not chunky.
Balsamic in the gravy is interesting! I think it could also probably benefit from a touch of miso (though I am on a huge miso kick lately, so my opinion may be coming from that).
haha, I think wedges would be awesome here, too! Included a mention of that in the instructions.
Gregory Anderson says
…just eat skinny fries by the moderate handful and they’ll scoop up the sauce just fine, imo.
Makos(@thehungrybites) says
Hey, Dana!
I hadn’t heard of poutine before, but when I saw this on instagram I knew I had to try it! Thanks! :-)
Jean says
Just tried the vegan gravy poutine. It was fabulous. This will now become my standard gravy recipe. My husband loved it. Thank you
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Jean. Next time would you mind leaving a rating? That would be so helpful! xoxo
Mary Benditti says
I need your help, I love your recipes I have your cookbook and I trust your advice. In a couple of weeks I have to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for my family. My husband and I have recently become vegans and we wish to prepare a full vegan dinner. Would you consider giving me some ideas on what recipes I could use. Thank you so much and please keep the recipes coming we love them.
Things2Eat says
Google something like “vegan thanksgiving recipe roundup” and you will have loads to choose from (I bet Dana has done one ?). Some of the standard things are easy enough to veganize without much help – mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, the like. Do you want to do something to directly replace a turkey, like a stuffed seitan roast? Or are you open to ideas that are less typical, like savoury pies?
Mary says
Yes I do op open anything. The pies sound interesting, especially if they include some of the usual spices, sage, rosemary, all the fall flavours.
Rachel says
She actually has an article for this! https://minimalistbaker.com/63-simple-thanksgiving-recipes/
Thanks for sharing that! We’ll also be sharing another round up and more holiday recipes in the coming months.
Becky says
OMG, this looks amazing.
Doreen says
I’m British, what is poutine
Nancy says
Poutine is a french-canadian traditional meal in the province of Quebec, in Canada. It is french fries with gravy and cheese. But even if it looks easy like this, the purrrrrfect poutine is hard to find. Montreal area and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean are the best places to find good poutine. I live in Quebec city since a few years now, and they absolutely can’t do a good gravy matching with the fries and cheese.
Fun fact: whatever how bad you feel, poutine always brings you back in a good mood. A stomach that burns because of the greasiness of the meal, but in a good mood anyway. Poutine is like magic.
Doing an excellent poutine is an art.
And poutine is a state of mind.
Love poutine.
Thanks for the info!
Ashley says
This was awesome!
Kinobibun says
As a Montrealer, this is the worst form of cultural appropriation I have seen! Poutine is not Poutine without cheese curds. Poutine is not gourmet and Poutine is certainly not vegan. That being said, this looks like a delicious plate of fries and gravy! Going to try it soon.
Hi there! Thanks for the feedback. I did include vegan cheese curds in the recipe. And keep in mind, this is an inspired version! Perhaps a more traditional recipe is better suited for you.
Andréa says
As a Montréalaise, I want to thank you for making a way to enjoy this version of my dear poutine despite my cheese intolerance ❤
sara says
I think this recipe is GENIOUS! You are so innovative and creative! I have loved absolutely every recipe that you have created and so so so appreciate your work :)
Yay! Thanks for the kind words, Sara!
Marie says
As a Montréalaise, I say: give us a break with cultural appropriation. What she did is a vegan adaptation and I can’t wait to try it.
Sam says
Oh my God… Yessssssssss
Danielle says
Have a mushroom free option? Mushrooms are?
Tiana says
Danielle,
I’ve successfully made a modified version of Ina Garten’s gravy recipe vegan. Just substitute vegan butter or oil, vegetable broth and leave out the cream. I recommend reducing the amount of vegan butter and blending before serving.
Iris A says
I have never heard of this dish, but anything with potatoes / fries COUNT ME IN!!!
I will be trying this dish ASAP!
P.S Is there another gravy recipe on the website?
Doing some future menu planning ;)
Thanks for all you do! ?❤