Veggie Poutine Twist
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A vegetable-heavy poutine variant. Roasted root vegetables mixed with green beans replaced some traditional items. Thickened sauce made with beef and mushroom broth concentrate swapped for chicken and vegetable. Cheddar and cheese curds remain but with an added smoky feta crumble twist. Oven-roasting at a high point, slight timing shifts to coax sweetness from roots and get bite from beans. Starchy potatoes combined with sweet potato give contrast. Sauce roux browned longer for nuttier flavor. Garlic presence subtle but critical. Roasted veggies tossed in olive and sesame oil blend. Heaped layers, melted cheese, peppery cayenne for little kick. No eggs or nuts. Kitchen tips included for texture and flavor balance.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Servings:
4 to 6 servings
#Canadian fusion
#root vegetables
#vegetarian poutine
#comfort food
#oven roasting
#brown roux
#cheese curds
#feta crumble
#vegan broth swap
Root vegetables roasted until their edges sing with caramel notes—a little reminder from past kitchen trials that uniform sticks matter. I swapped canned beef broth for a combo of chicken and mushroom to add earthiness without heaviness. Tossed green beans for a surprise snap. Sesame oil? Just a whisper in the veggie toss but it changes everything—nutty, deep. Sauce thickened with browned roux, garlic infused till aromatic, not bitter. Cheese curds still star, but a crumble of feta adds funk, piquancy. The oven’s hot, racks set mid-height, timing tweaked by sight and bite, not clock alone. No eggs or nuts, allergy-friendly but hearty. Textures contrast, flavors build, aroma fills the air—a poutine but not quite as you know it.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 25 ml, cornstarch (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
- 30 ml, cold water (2 tbsp +2 tsp approx)
- 40 g, unsalted butter (nearly 3 tbsp)
- 35 ml, all-purpose flour (around 2 1/2 tbsp)
- 1 garlic clove, minced finely
- 1 can, 284 ml (10 oz) concentrated chicken broth (sub for beef broth)
- 1 can, 284 ml (10 oz) concentrated mushroom broth (instead of chicken broth)
- A pinch ground cayenne pepper
Vegetables
- 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled (or Yukon Gold, but starchy better)
- 4 medium carrots, peeled
- 3 medium parsnips, peeled
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled
- 225 g (1/2 lb) green beans, trimmed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (adds a nuttier depth)
- 100 g (1 cup) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 300 g (about 1 1/3 cups) cheese curds
- 50 g feta cheese, crumbled (a twist, salty and crumbly)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About the ingredients
Quantities slightly shifted: less cornstarch, a bit more butter and flour to get thicker roux without overcooking. Two broth types replace original beef and chicken mix—mushroom broth adds umami and depth without heaviness, chicken keeps it bright. Sesame oil is a game changer—adds richness without overpowering. Swapping some cheese curds for crumbled feta gives bold contrast in texture and saltiness. Root vegetable sizes uniform to match cooking times. Salt and pepper used with some generosity to balance sweet-savoury profile. Olive and sesame oil combined rather than just olive to layer aroma and mouthfeel. Note: if cheese curds unavailable, blend mozzarella and sharp cheddar, melt longer in final step. Avoid over-seasoning early; taste sauce and veggies at end to adjust.
Method
Sauce
- 1. Mix cornstarch and cold water in small bowl until smooth, no lumps. Set aside.
- 2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter completely. Sprinkle in flour, whisk or stir briskly, keep cooking about 6 minutes. Watch closely. Roux should look golden, nutty aroma comes up, no burnt bits. Don’t rush. Once roux smells rich and changes color, stir in minced garlic. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant—some say garlic browns fast here, so don’t stray.
- 3. Pour in both broth concentrates carefully, whisk continuously to avoid lumps or scorching. Increase heat to bring to full boil but lower immediately to a steady simmer.
- 4. Stir in cornstarch slurry slowly, watch sauce thicken. Keeps stirring 4-6 minutes, sauce will coat back of spoon, smooth and glossy. Adjust seasoning, add cayenne pinch. Remember sauce cools and sets thicker, so it should be a bit runnier hot off stove.
Vegetables
- 5. Preheat oven to 230 °C (446 °F). Place two oven racks mid-level. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- 6. Chop potatoes, carrots, parsnips into sticks roughly 1 cm thick (1/2 inch), uniform size helps even cooking. Toss on first baking sheet with 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper generously. Spread out, avoid crowding or steam will build instead of roast.
- 7. On second sheet, toss sweet potato sticks and green beans with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil mixed with 1 tbsp sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- 8. Roast first sheet for 17 minutes, until edges start crisping, insides tender but firm. Remove and flip everything. At the same time, put second tray in oven as well. Roast both for 16-18 minutes more until veggies are tender and golden in spots. Green beans should still hold slight snap, sweet potato caramelized but not mushy. Overcooking loses texture and flavor layers.
- 9. Check doneness by piercing carrots and potatoes with fork—should meet slight resistance, not mushy. Beans should flex, not break apart.
- 10. Divide roasted vegetables into deep plates or shallow bowls. Scatter cheese curds, cheddar, then crumble feta on top.
- 11. Spoon hot gravy generously over. If cheese needs melting faster, pop plates into oven, 3-4 minutes at 200 °C (392 °F), watch closely, cheese should soften, curds just start melting, feta stays crumbly but warming up.
- 12. Serve immediately, best messy and hot.
- Extra tip: If sauce too thick, thin with splash of broth or water; if too thin, simmer more but stir constantly. If curds not available, extra sharp cheddar + mozzarella combo helps mimic melt and stretch.
- If oven overcrowded, veggies steam and lose crispness. Keep space, roast in batches if needed.
- For garlic flavor, roasting whole garlic bulb alongside veggies and mashing into sauce after cooking works well, but here minced garlic in roux builds that background note better.
Cooking tips
Start with slow, careful roux cooking—this step makes or breaks sauce texture. Roux must smell nutty, look golden but not burnt. Garlic added late to avoid bitterness but still infuse. Broth concentrates whisked in gradually to lump-free shine. Mincing garlic finely critical; big pieces burn. Sauce simmer time flexible: watch consistency visually—should coat spoon with thick sheen, swirl leaves clear trail. Roasting veggies individually tossed ensures even caramelization—crowding leads to sogginess. Flipping veggies midway prevents one-sided scorching. Timing given with leeway; piercing with fork best doneness test. Green beans lost if overcooked; aim for crisp-tender. Cheese layering last, hot sauce over to melt chunkiness without mush. Warming with cheese under broiler optional but watch carefully—cheese melts fast. Practice: Once, forgot flip—carrots charred one side only. Also, sauce too thin? Add slurry slow or reduce longer but stir constant. Texture, smell, sound of roasting signal steps more than minutes alone.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown roux slow, low heat. Watch color shift golden to light brown, smell nutty, avoid burnt bits. Garlic added late—mince fine, stir quick or it scorches fast. Thickened sauce coats spoon, look for shiny finish. Adjust thickness with broth or simmer longer. Roux texture key, rushed roux ruins sauce feel.
- 💡 Roast veggies spaced, no crowding. Steam kills roast crispness. Uniform sticks, 1 cm thick is sweet spot for even cook. Flip halfway, watch edges caramelize not blacken. Sweet potato caramelizes faster; toss with sesame oil to get nutty aroma. Green beans last on tray, keep snappy bite by watching timing.
- 💡 Cheese layering last—curds cold, cheddar shredded fine, feta crumbled chunky. Cheese melts differently—feta stays crumbly even warm. Use oven broiler if needed, 3-4 minutes max. Avoid mushy cheese by removing plates once curds start softening. Cheese melting timing tricky, tastings help decide when.
- 💡 Broth swap works—combine chicken and mushroom concentrates for earthiness minus heaviness. Heavy beef broth can overpower. Broth concentrate quantity affects sauce richness, dilute if too salty. Slurry made with cornstarch—add slow, stir constantly or lumps form. Sauce thickness cools more, keep it runnier hot.
- 💡 Garlic flavor subtle, roasting whole bulb alongside veggies adds mellow sweetness, mash into sauce for smooth textured note. Minced garlic in roux creates sharper scent, watch browning. Olive and sesame oil blend gives layered aroma—sesame adds depth but use sparingly or taste dominates. Salt and pepper added mainly at roasting stage for balance.
Common questions
What to do if sauce lumpy?
Slurry slow add, whisk fast before lumps set. If lumps appear, strain or keep whisking on low heat. Sometimes heat too high causes scorching. Watch roux color, thicker roux means easier lumps if rushed.
Can I use frozen green beans?
Yes but dry well, frozen tends to steam more. Roast time shorter, check texture often. Overcook makes beans floppy, loses snap. Toss with oils after thaw to recoat, salt after roasting for crunch.
How to keep crispy potato sticks?
Dry potatoes well before oiling. Spread single layer on sheet, no crowd. Flip halfway, roast high temp 230 Celsius. Avoid steam by oven racks middle level with space. Roast in batches if needed.
How store leftovers?
Sauce cool fully, fridge in sealed container 3-4 days. Veggies store separate, reheat oven 180 Celsius to crisp again. Cheese recombine on serving. Avoid microwave if possible, turns crispy veggies soggy.
