Vegan poutine features crispy french fries smothered in two standout sauces: a Dijon thyme gravy and a cheddar-style beer sauce. It’s pub food, game-day food, comfort food, party food—indulgent and satisfying while entirely plant-based.
I make recipes like this because I want food that’s delicious and that aligns with caring for ourselves and the planet. This poutine delivers on both fronts.
What is poutine? Traditional Canadian poutine is french fries topped with a light brown gravy and cheese curds. It’s gloriously simple and decadently comforting. I’d never had the classic version, but I’d long been intrigued by the idea, so I decided to create my own vegan take.
I now have even more reason to develop dairy-free recipes: our nephew moved in a month ago for college and is allergic to dairy. I gave up meat and dairy earlier this year for ethical reasons and for fitness goals, so adapting meals to be dairy-free has become part of our household routine. The family has embraced it, which makes cooking easier and more enjoyable.
The Cheddar Beer Sauce is built on a creamy cashew base. I’ve used soaked cashews blended with other ingredients in previous recipes to mimic dairy textures, and here they form a rich, silky “cheese” sauce. Nutritional yeast adds a nutty, cheddar-like flavor that’s central to the sauce. To deepen the character and make it authentically pub-style, I add stout beer—this creates a bold, savory note that pairs beautifully with fries.
The Dijon-Thyme gravy starts like a classic roux: vegan butter and flour cooked, then whisked with vegetable broth. Fresh thyme and a splash of stout give the gravy an aromatic, rounded depth, while a bit of Dijon adds a subtle tang. The result is a gravy that’s rich, flavorful, and perfect for coating fries.
We served these fries as the centerpiece of a pub-night spread. They were indulgent, novel, and thoroughly delicious—exactly the kind of fun comfort food that’s satisfying and plant-based.
Vegan Poutine
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz bag frozen french fries
For the Cheddar Beer Sauce
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked at least 1 hour
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 Tbs nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¾ cup stout beer
For the Dijon-Thyme Gravy
- 1 Tbs vegan butter such as Earth Balance
- 1 Tbs all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup stout beer
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
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Cook the french fries according to package directions. While the fries cook, prepare both sauces.
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Cheddar Beer Sauce: Combine the soaked cashews, lemon juice, almond milk, salt, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a food processor and blend until very smooth. Stir in the stout beer, transfer to a saucepan, and heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Dijon-Thyme Gravy: Melt vegan butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth and stout beer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into gravy. Stir in the Dijon, soy sauce, and fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat.
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To serve, pile fries on a platter and drizzle with both the Cheddar Beer Sauce and the Dijon-Thyme Gravy. Serves 4.
