This Vegan Poutine is super comforting, surprisingly healthy and so easy to make: crispy baked potato fries topped with tangy tofu "cheese" and drenched in rich gravy.
Not being Canadian, I haven't had the chance to sample much poutine, but it's really the best comfort food - how could crispy fries, hot gravy and cheese not make you feel better? Especially when it's all loaded into the same bowl.
But, I was inspired by these Vegan Stretchy Melty Cheesy Fries to make more healthier, veganised recipes for indulgent, loaded fries.
And I was keen to try out a Vegan Poutine - what's not to love about this mixture of crispy, oven-baked fries smothered in a duvet of deeply savoury gravy and piles of tangy, salty 'cheese'!
And although this Vegan Poutine may be a little more time-consuming and requires more separate parts than a lot of my other recipes, it's really easy to make and is definitely worth the wait.
The crispy fries are super easy to make, not requiring any peeling or parboiling - simply slice into thin matchsticks and throw in the oven for around 30 minutes until golden brown.
Meanwhile, you can make your gravy by caramelising some onions, then adding some red wine or sherry (you can use the site barnivore.com to check for vegan-friendly alcohol options), maple syrup for sweetness and soy sauce (or tamari) for saltiness and umami flavour.
For the 'cheese', I considered using my Vegan Stretchy Melty Cheese recipe, but I thought this would take up more time and require one more pan to look after.
So, I went for tofu instead. I would highly recommend using fermented tofu if you can get hold of it. Although fermented tofu might not sound very appetising, it's honestly delicious and tastes perfectly tangy and salty, just like real cheese! But if you can't get hold of it, any other firm tofu would work well.
I like to marinate the tofu in apple cider vinegar for sour flavour and a pinch of salt. If you like, you could substitute the salt with a teaspoon of miso for extra fermented, cheesy flavour!
For more delicious fries, check out my:
- Vegan Gyros Bowl
- Celeriac Fries
- Purple Sweet Potato Dessert Fries
- Vegan Stretchy Melty Cheesy Fries
- Sweet Potato Fries
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Helpful tools to make this Vegan Poutine:
rectangular baking tray
baking paper
Vegan Poutine (GF)
Ingredients
For the 'cheese':
- 200 g (7oz) firm tofu (fermented tofu is better for this recipe if you can get hold of it)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- Salt, to taste
For the fries:
- 2 large potatoes (chopped into thin matchsticks with the skins left on)
- 2 tablespoons oil (olive, rapeseed, vegetable or coconut)
- Salt, to taste
For the gravy:
- 1 tablespoon oil (olive, rapeseed, vegetable or coconut)
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- Splash of red wine or sherry, to taste (ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 vegetable stock cube (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt + pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
Instructions
For the ‘cheese’:
- Drain and rinse the tofu then pat dry with a paper towel
- Place the tofu in a large bowl then use your hands or a spoon to crumble it up into small pieces
- Add the vinegar and salt and mix well, ensuring each piece is coated
- Set aside to marinate whilst you make the rest of the dish
For the fries:
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Place the thinly sliced potatoes in a large baking tray (make sure they have enough space to bake properly). Lining the tray with baking paper will make washing up much easier. Drizzle with oil and add a pinch of salt
- Bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Take the tray out at 10-minute intervals to mix everything around to make sure it's all evenly cooked
For the gravy:
- Meanwhile, heat up some oil in a saucepan and add the onion once hot
- Cook the onion on a low heat for around 10 minutes, until softened and slightly caramelised. The more caramelised it becomes the more delicious the gravy will taste, but be careful not to let it burn as nobody wants bitter gravy!
- Once the onion is caramelised, add a splash of red wine or sherry, and cook for a couple of minutes until all the liquid has disappeared
- Next add 1 cup of water along with the stock cube, tamari, maple syrup and salt + pepper (depending on whether your stock cube has added salt and how salty you have made your fries, you might not require any salt as the soy sauce is already quite salty)
- Bring to the boil and once bubbling, turn down the heat
- Now, dissolve the cornflour in a small bowl in a little splash of cold water and mix well until it forms a kind of paste
- Add the cornflour to the gravy and stir well, keeping on a low heat, stirring regularly, until thickened
- You may need to add more water or more cornflour until you reach your desired consistency of gravy
- Once the gravy is the right consistency for you, turn off the heat
To serve:
- Drain away the excess vinegar and water from the tofu 'cheese'
- Place the fries in bowls, top with the ‘cheese’ and ladle over as much gravy as you like
- Best enjoyed immediately!
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.
Jan
Had this for dinner last night and it was delicious. Tofu was a great idea!
Rhian Williams
Thank you!