If You're Not Doing This With Your Frozen French Fries, You're Seriously Missing Out

Frozen french fries are a wonderfully convenient option for adding a quick side to many home-cooked entrées. But with just a few extra, easy-to-source ingredients, you can turn a plate of frozen french fries into a delectable, restaurant-quality main dish that you might otherwise have to travel to enjoy.

Poutine is a signature dish of the French Canadian province of Quebec. A bed of french fries is blanketed in brown gravy and cheese curds for a uniquely delicious culinary experience. Poutine is a common restaurant dish in major Canadian cities, but it can be a rarer sight in other countries like the U.S.

Thankfully, this dish is easy enough to make at home that you don't have to track down a restaurant with poutine on the menu to enjoy these incredible flavors. Simply cook your frozen fries until crispy per the package instructions, toss them in a bowl, ladle on some gravy, and top with your choice of cheese curds.

Poutine's popular appeal rests not just in its simple deliciousness, but also in its versatility. Classic poutine only has the three ingredients of fries, gravy, and high-quality cheese curds, the latter of which is essential for a perfect poutine. Beyond this base, however, the dish can take a virtually unlimited number of toppings, unlocking countless flavor possibilities. Plus, you can make it with store-bought gravy, homemade sausage gravy, or an easy bacon grease gravy.

Poutine's flavor profile doesn't have to just be tweaked via toppings, either — you can also play with its potato base. There are multiple different styles of french fry out there, each with its own unique texture to impart upon this beloved dish.

Hungry eaters might want to use thick steak fries for a more filling meal. Gravy fans, on the other hand, should consider waffle fries, perfect for trapping more of that brown gold in their tiny square pockets. Swirl tornado fries in gravy and dot their gaps with cheese curds for poutine on a stick. You can even make poutine with tater tots for a crispy and easily scoop-able plate. The only limit is your imagination.