This easy tater tot poutine is my Midwestern nod to classic Canadian comfort food with a totchos twist. Crispy tater tots are topped with savory beef gravy, melty cheese curds, and fresh toppings that make this dish the ultimate loaded tater tot poutine.
What is Poutine?
Originating in Quebec, Canada, poutine is a popular appetizer and everything about it is wonderful. The traditional version consists of crispy French fries topped with gravy & cheese curds. Simple, yet amazing.
Between my junior and senior year in college I obtained an internship at a historic resort of the north shore of Lake Superior. I worked in the food & beverage department learning the in's and out's of their fine dining restaurant, catering and their bar or "pub".
One of the appetizers on the pub menu was poutine. We were only an hour from the Canadian border so it had to be good, right? Well let me tell you, it was love at first sight.
My version trades fries for crispy tater tots (because, hi, Minnesotan here), adds a few colorful toppings, and keeps all the rich, savory comfort that makes poutine so lovable. It's not traditional, but it's equally delicious.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick & easy: Made with store-bought ingredients, this tater tot poutine comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Crowd-pleasing: Serve it as a game-day appetizer or as a hearty main with salad or fruit.
- Comfort food upgrade: The crispy tater tots soak up the gravy while staying perfectly crunchy plus the cheese curds are just the best.
Ingredient Notes
Traditional poutine is made with fries, but we're giving it a tater tot nachos-style makeover that's easier, crispier, and so good!
- Tater tots - Am I showing I'm Minnesotan here? While traditional poutine is made with French fries, the crispiness of tater tots works wonderfully for it too! Use your favorite brand of frozen tater tots.
- Beef gravy - Store-bought or homemade. For store-bought, I prefer the packets versus canned. Check out my popular pot roast recipe for an easy homemade gravy recipe. Some of the beef could even be added to the poutine! You will need about 2 cups total.
- Cheese curds - In my neck of the woods, white cheddar cheese curds are a grocery store staple. If you can't find them where you live, you can substitute mozzarella cheese sticks that are cut into bite size chunks.
- Other toppings - To replicate my favorite poutine memory, diced Roma tomato, red onion, and green onions top this poutine. It's a combo that sounds extra, but each layer adds flavor and crunch. I use Roma tomatoes as they tend to not be as juicy.
How to Make Tater Tot Poutine
Step 1: The Tots - Preheat oven to 425 degrees. For maximum crispiness, preheat your sheet pan in the oven before adding the tots. It helps brown the bottoms!
Bake the tater tots according to package instructions, likely adding extra time. In my experience, I've had to bake the tater tots up to 10 minutes extra than bag suggests to get the tots as crispy as I want them.
Start with the upper end of the time listed on the bag, and increase 5 minutes at a time until the tots are nice and crispy.
Step 2: The Toppings - While the tater tots are cooking, now is the time to get all the other ingredients prepped so everything comes together quickly.
Heat or make gravy according to package or jar directions. If using homemade, reheat if necessary. You want the gravy warm, but not boiling as it will just soak into the tots instead of coating them.
Dice the tomatoes, chop your red and green onions, and let the cheese curds sit out for 10-15 minutes to take off the chill. That little step helps them soften perfectly when they meet the hot tots.
Your mise en place is set! A.k.a. you have everything prepped and measured out to easily assemble the recipe!
Step 3: Assembly - Take the tater tots out of the oven and place on a serving platter to leave on sheet pan. Drizzle half the gravy, then nestle the cheese curds all over. Drizzle more warm gravy over the top. Then top with tomato and all the onions.
Tucking some of the cheese curds around the tater tots will allow the heat from them to start to warm the cheese curds to perfection. The goal isn't to have completely melted curds. It makes this tater tot poutine irresistible!
This is the ultimate comfort food appetizer.
Quick Tip: Serve on a shallow platter to help the poutine not become soggy.
Serving Tips
Serve your tater tot poutine immediately for the best texture. It's perfect as:
- A cozy main dish with salad or fruit
- A party appetizer or game-day snack
- A fun spin on tater tot nachos for family night
Quick Tip: Keep extra gravy on the side for extra drizzling or dipping (because there can never be too much gravy).
Recipe Variations
- Air fryer or deep fry: Make the tater tots even crispier! Just transfer to a platter before topping.
- Swap gravies: Try chicken gravy or mushroom gravy for a fun twist.
- Add protein: Shredded beef, pulled pork, or rotisserie chicken make it heartier.
- Go spicy: A drizzle of hot sauce or sprinkle of pepper jack curds adds a little kick.
- Totchos-style: Layer everything in a cast iron skillet and serve as tater tot nachos
FAQ
When baking the tater tots in the oven, the key is to almost over bake them. The suggested cooking time is often not quite long enough for the tater tots to get to nice and crispy. You will likely want to give them an extra 5-10 minutes longer than the package directions. Just watch them closely!
Using regular frozen French fries, potato crowns or steak fries will also create a delicious version of poutine when topped with all of these wonderful toppings. I just happen to love the crunchy exterior of tots.
Leftover poutine can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavor will still be great, but the tater tots will get soggy over time. Place leftover poutine on a foil lined baking sheet and reheat at 325 for about 10 minutes. If possible, remove the veggie toppings before reheating.
Other Appetizers You'll Love
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Tater Tot Poutine
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the frozen tater tots evenly on a sheet pan.32 oz. frozen tater tots
- Bake the tater tots according to package instructions, likely adding extra time. In my experience, I've had to bake the tater tots up to 10 minutes extra than bag suggests to get the tots as crispy as I want them.
- Heat or make gravy according to package or jar directions. If using homemade, reheat if necessary. Grab the cheese curds out of the fridge.1 cup beef gravy, 8 oz. cheese curds
- Dice the tomato into a medium-dice. Chop the red and green onion to desired size.½ cup diced tomato, ¼ cup diced red onion, 2 sliced green onions
- Take the tater tots out of the oven and place on a serving platter or leave on sheet pan. Drizzle half the gravy and nestle the cheese curds evenly all over. Drizzle more gravy over the top. Then top with tomato and all the onions.
Notes
- The goal isn't to have completely melted curds. Tucking some of the cheese curds around the tater tots will allow the heat from them to warm the cheese curds to perfection. Take them out of the fridge 10-15 before assembling so they soften easier!
Jill says
Loved it! The extra toppings really transformed this dish and using tater tots was so easy.