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My version of the Québécois classic Poutine made with sweet potato fries covered in cheese curds and a rich gravy.

Sumptuous gravy, squeaky cheese curds, and caramelized sweet potato fries on a plate.

As with many of my culinary discoveries, this Sweet Potato Poutine was inspired by an event that left me feeling deprived and hungry. That's when my keen curiosity and sense of adventure peaks, and I set out to find a way to quench my yearnings with new ideas and dishes.

A number of years ago, I ran off to Montréal over Thanksgiving. My family was't too happy about this, but I ended up being equally disappointed because I found myself in a place that had celebrated Thanksgiving a month earlier.

You see, I am a gravy fiend and will literally drink the stuff right out of the gravy boat when nobody's looking. With mashed potatoes, it's a perfect meal, and the thought of missing this had me a little heart broken... That is, until I discovered Poutine!

It's a weird name that sounds vaguely lewd, but it's actually a fast food dish that originated in Québec. Whoever came up with this stuff needs to be worshiped, because the only thing better than deep fried potatoes is deep fried potatoes covered in a mound of cheese curd that's all swimming in gravy. The heat from the fries and gravy melts the cheese curd, making for a creamy pile of meaty carnal heaven. Oh, and did I mention that the potatoes are traditionally fried in horse fat?! (Don't worry; no horses were harmed in the making of my sweet potato poutine.)

A steaming plate of Sweet Potato Poutine, ready to serve.

I first came across the brilliance of using sweet potatoes in this dish at one of my favorite blogs. Because the gravy and cheese curds are savory, using sweet potatoes gives this sweet potato poutine a nice balance between the savory and creamy elements.

If you're in NYC, you can get fresh cheese curds at Saxelby Cheesemongers, which has a fantastic selection of unique cheeses, but if you're elsewhere, you should be able to find it at your local cheese shop or online. Some full fat mozzarella could stand in for them in a pinch. You don't want to have to wait until you can find some cheese curds to try this, after all!

More Luscious, Cheesy Snacks

📖 Recipe

Sweet Potato Poutine

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Yield servings

Units

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
114 grams cheese curds

for gravy

2 tablespoons cultured unsalted butter
1 small shallot (minced)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon port
1 teaspoon demi-glace
¼ teaspoon fresh thyme (stems removed, leaves chopped)

Instructions

Put the oven rack in the upper middle position and turn on to 450 degrees F.
Peel and cut the potatoes into ¼" sticks. Toss in canola oil to coat (don't use olive oil, which has a lower smoke point and will burn in the oven). Sprinkle with some sea salt then lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
While the potatoes are in the oven, prepare the gravy. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots sauteing until soft and fragrant. Add the flour and stir to coat. Whisk in the chicken stock and port.
As the gravy begins to thicken, turn down the heat to medium low and add the demi-glace and thyme, stirring with a spatula to dissolve. Continue cooking until the demi-glace is completely dissolved and the gravy is smooth.
To serve, just pile up the potatoes and crumble the cheese curds on top. Pour the gravy over all of it and garnish with some minced parsley.

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