Old Bay Roasted Potato Wedges with Vermont Cheddar Cheese Sauce is a simplified twist on poutine! Although poutine is totally and completely Canadian, it has jumped the border and is now served all over New England. Old Bay seasoning and Vermont sharp cheddar cheese make this dish unmistakably New England!
The inspiration behind this recipe:
Now, before I hear from any poutine purists, I fully and completely realize this is not traditional poutine. Often, chefs like to take something traditional and change it up so bear with us!
Poutine is purely Canadian, but when I was debating on what to make for this month's Progressive Eats New England theme, a dear personal chef friend of mine who spends much of his time between Maine and New Jersey suggested poutine.
Not being from New England and only having vaguely heard of poutine, I had to do a little research. Traditional poutine has French fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy. I can do French fries. I can do brown gravy. However, obtaining cheese curds in Memphis was not a possibility.
Even if they were available, they could never compare to the amazing Wisconsin cheese curds I'm used to being from Wisconsin! Wisconsin cheese curds are something meant to be enjoyed the same day they're made. They literally squeak when you bite into them.
So instead of plain French fries, I kicked up the flavor with Old Bay, a traditional New England and East Coast seasoning! It also lends some of the saltiness and umami that a brown gravy would provide.
Instead of the cheese curds, I made a cheese sauce with amazing Vermont sharp cheddar cheese!
How to make Old Bay Roasted Potato Wedges with Vermont Cheddar Cheese Sauce:
- Start with 5 pounds of Russet potatoes. You could also use waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold or Red Bliss if you prefer.
- Peel and cut into wedges.
- If time allows, place them in water so that some of the starch leeches out. This will help to make them even crispier!
- Drain and pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Toss with oil and Old Bay seasoning.
- Spread them out on two nonstick aluminum foil-lined baking sheets. If you have a baking sheet large enough to accommodate them, go for it, but two 10 x 15-inch pans work perfectly and will fit on a single rack in most conventional ovens.
- Place them in the oven to roast, flipping after approximately 30 minutes.
- While the potatoes are roasting, make the cheese sauce.
- To make your cheese sauce silky smooth, add the cheese in small amounts and whisk like crazy after each addition.
Beautiful and lively Old Bay-seasoned potato wedges!
Place on a platter and serve with the cheese sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh chives!
So easy! So delicious!
Old Bay Roasted Potato Wedges with Vermont Cheddar Cheese Sauce is a great side dish or game day recipe!
Check out some of my other amazing potato recipes!
- Duck Fat and Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Sausage
- Skillet Salt-Roasted Baby Potatoes with Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce
- Patatas Bravas Chilenos
- Oven Fries with Spicy Pesto Aioli
- Perfect Roasted Potato Wedges
- Rosemary Garlic Crushed Potatoes with Lemon Chive Aioli
Old Bay Roasted Potato Wedges with Vermont Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Potato Wedges
- 5 pounds Russet potatoes - peeled and cut into wedges
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup beer
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded extra-sharp Vermont Cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - or to taste
- Salt - to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
Potato Wedges
- If time allows, place potato wedges in a bowl full of cold water to draw some of the starch out. Let stand for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two 10 x 15-inch pans with nonstick aluminum foil.
- Drain potato wedges and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with oil and Old Bay seasoning. Toss well.
- Spread out on the lined baking sheet making sure that each potato has the wedge side down to the baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Flip the potatoes so the other wedge side is on down on the baking sheet.
- Roast another 30 minutes or until tender and crispy.
Cheese Sauce
- Heat butter and oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk 2-3 minutes, being careful to not brown the roux.
- Add the beer and continue to whisk until a thick paste forms.
- Slowly whisk in the milk.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3-4 minutes or until the combination thickens.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the grated cheese by the handful, whisking vigorously after each addition.
- Add Worcestershire, dry mustard, cayenne and salt to taste.
- Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it sits.
- TO SERVE: Place potato wedges on serving platter. Garnish with chives. Serve sauce alongside or serve in bowls with sauce drizzled over potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Michelle O'Brien says
Any luck cooking these in a large batch ahead of time and reheating to serve with a Christmas crab cake dinner?
Carol says
Hi, Michelle, Thanks so much for your question. Yes, you can do these ahead of time, but you want to only "par-roast" them. Get them about halfway roasted WITHOUT the Old-Bay. Then, when you're ready to serve, toss with the Old Bay then place back onto a nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper-lined sheet pan and finish roasting. Honestly, unless you have older nonstick aluminum foil which is thicker, I would opt for the parchment paper because Reynolds did something to their nonstick foil and it's super-thin now; I'm not a fan of what they did. The cheese sauce can be reheated in a saucepan on top of the stove. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!!
Jenni says
These are the best fries ever! So simple to make, but the seasoning and cheese cause are amazing additions! Seriously, so so good!
Kathryn says
This is totally my kind of side dish! Love crispy potatoes and that cheese sauce...YUM!! Putting this on my must-try list!!
Carol says
Thanks, Kathryn! Hope you enjoy! We sure did!
Karen says
Oh man these sound amazing. That sauce! I've never had cheese curds so I have no objection to your cheddar sauce.
Carol says
Thanks, Karen! Hope you get a chance to try good, fresh cheese curds one day! They're amazing!
Liz Berg says
Using Old Bay as a potato seasoning is genius! Guess what's going with our grilled chicken this weekend??? Can't wait to give your recipe a try.
Carol says
Thanks, Liz! Hope you enjoy.
Lynn says
We often have Potato wedges in our house. I never thought of doing them with a cheese sauce. I'll try this next time.
Carol says
Thanks, Lynn! Hope you enjoy!
Tamara Andersen says
What a gorgeous New England inspired side Carol! I've drooled over these since I first saw the photos. The cheese sauce and Old Bay? OMG. Perfect potatoes. I love the water soak idea... and hope to start incorporating that often when I roast potatoes. Thanks!
Carol says
Thanks, Tamara! Works especially well with Russets. Let them sit in water for even 10 minutes and you'll be amazed at how cloudy the water gets from the starch. Hope you enjoy!
Ansh says
I would take these over poutine, anyday! I have had my share of good and bad poutines, but these look so much more "elevated" !
Carol says
Thanks so very much, Ansh! Given what I know about cheese curds, I'm thinking if the cheese curds are anything over a few hours old, poutine could be heading down a very dangerous road. They've GOT to be really fresh! Thanks again!
Dorothy Reinhold says
I can't get enough Old Bay. It adds such a great flavor. That cheese sauce sounds ammmmazing!
Carol says
Thanks so much, Dorothy! It really is a great combination of seasonings. I think it pairs perfectly with potatoes! Thanks again!
susan | the wimpy vegetarian says
I did not know that soaking the potato slices before frying/baking would make them crisper! Really great to know. And I love your Cheese Sauce - genius move to add Old Bay!!
Carol says
Thanks so much, Susan! Yes, placing them in water is perfect if you want to get a head start on them, too. Thanks again!