Shepherd's Pie Poutine Recipe

Though the true origins of poutine are varied, there's no doubt that the cheesy French fry creation is purely Canadian. Unofficially considered the national food and even served at sporting events, the uniquely warm, gooey, and messy dish is beloved by Canadians and is a must-have for traveling tourists. You can add countless toppings, but at its core, poutine must have three things: french fries, gravy, and cheese curds.

Shepherd's pie is a creation from the other side of the pond, somewhere between Ireland and the U.K. Technically made with lamb mince but considered interchangeable with cottage pie's beef, the "pie" is made up of a vegetable and meat–filled gravy and warm mashed potatoes. You might have caught the similarities between the two dishes: Both potato-based and full of gravy, shepherd's pie and poutine make for the ultimate dish when they're combined into one. In this recipe from developer Michelle McGlinn, crispy french fries and a ground beef gravy topped with warm, gooey cheese curds bring the best of both dishes together. Made for fun, messy nights, this is a quick and easy dinner that is hard not to enjoy, no matter your age.

You'll first need french fries, which you can make yourself (though it may not pay off) or buy frozen from the grocery store. From there, you'll need some staples — olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. You'll also need lean ground beef, tomato paste, flour, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and frozen veggies. You can use any medley of vegetables here, but our favorites to include are peas and carrots. The last — and arguably most important — ingredient you'll need is cheese curds, which can be either the white or yellow variety.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Arrange the french fries on a sheet pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Bake for 16–18 minutes, or according to package directions. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt immediately after baking.

In the meantime, heat the remaining olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.

Add the beef and crumble until browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the onion and garlic and soften, about 3 minutes longer.

Add the tomato paste and mix to combine. Let caramelize slightly, about 4 minutes.

Add the flour and stir to combine.

Once the flour is incorporated, add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Stir well to combine.

Add the remaining salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Let thicken into a gravy.

Add the peas and carrots and cook until tender, about 4–5 minutes.

When you're ready to serve, add the fries to a serving tray and arrange the cheese curds on top.

Add the shepherd's pie mixture on top of the fries. Top with parsley to serve.

You may have only heard of cheese curds if you've spent time in Canada, the birthplace of poutine, or Wisconsin, America's dairyland. An essential part of poutine, cheese curds are rubbery, squeaky pieces of young cheddar that melt exceptionally well with heat. In Wisconsin, it is typical to fry the curds, resulting in an epic cheese pull that can stretch up to 2 feet. In Canada, the curds are used in a much more straightforward way; they're simply added on top of French fries for a slightly melted, super-gooey poutine.

Cheese curds are a byproduct of cheesemaking. The curd that is separated from whey and is eaten before it ages into cheese. Because of this, cheese curds have a uniquely rubbery texture and gooey melting capacity. You can't achieve this with cheese itself, but you can get close enough. If you can't find cheese curds, slice a block of white cheddar into 1-inch cubes. You can also use Monterey jack, colby jack, or even a soft cheese like Brie or Camembert to replicate the melty, mild flavor of the curds. Whichever variety you choose, make sure they melt slightly before eating so that the texture is as close as possible to real cheese curds.

Poutine can be made with any kind of french fry (even a curly fry, if you're ambitious), but you're most likely to see poutine made with thick french fries, which are sometimes double-fried to ensure a crispy exterior. Because of the way the gravy soaks into the fries, you want a french fry that is thick, soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside. In our recipe, we recommend steakhouse fries, which can also go by the names hand-cut fries or steak fries. These make a good vessel for the heavy shepherd's pie gravy and cheese curds loaded on top.

The only problem with steakhouse French fries is the exterior, which doesn't quite get crispy like other varieties. For a crispier fry, try a standard fry, a crinkle cut, or a bistro fry, which all crisp up well in the oven. The drawback of these fries is their surface area, which is much smaller than the recommended steakhouse. A good compromise? Waffle cut fries, which are both crispy and have a wide surface area.