Cheese Fondue

Cheese fondue is a fun and elegant way to entertain. You may have only enjoyed it at the Melting Pot, but it is actually extremely easy to make at home. Classic cheese fondue and chocolate fondue are some my favorite things to make for a date night or special occasion like Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve. A wide variety of tasty dippers presented at your dinner party are sure to be a huge hit!

The word fondue comes from the French word “fondre” which means “to melt”. A simple combination of stale bread dipped into grated cheese melted in wine and served warm in a communal pot is now the quintessential Swiss dish.

Ingredients Needed to Make Swiss Cheese Fondue

There are endless ways to make this decadent cheese sauce, but this is an easy recipe for the most simple Swiss cheese fondue that you can make.

The main ingredients consist of a pound of cheese (different kinds of cheese work best – more info on that below), white wine, cornstarch, garlic, and lemon juice.

How to Make Cheese Fondue

Coat cheese: Toss grated cheese and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Heat wine: Add wine to a medium-sized saucepan. If you want a more intense garlic flavor, add minced garlic. If you want a subtle garlic flavor, add the whole garlic clove and remove it before adding the cheese. Add the lemon juice as well. Heat over medium heat on the stove top until the wine comes to a simmer.

Melt cheese: Add small amounts of cornstarch-coated cheese mixture to the hot wine mixture while stirring continuously. Give the cheese time to melt before adding more. Continue adding the cheese a little bit at a time while constantly stirring until all of the cheese has been added.

Melt cheese: Add small amounts of cornstarch-coated cheese to the hot wine mixture while stirring continuously. Give the cheese time to melt before adding more. Continue adding the cheese in small amounts while constantly stirring until all of the cheese has been added. If cheese looks like a giant glob and does not turn into a homogeneous mixture with the wine, the temperature may need to be slightly increased so that the cheese can more easily melt.

Best Cheese for Fondue

No matter what type of cheese you choose when making your fondue, a combination of cheese will give you the best-tasting results. You want to choose anything that will melt beautifully and create a smooth fondue that coats anything dipped in it.

The quality of your cheese matters. Cheese is one of those products where cost usually directly relates to quality, so the best-tasting fondue might cost more.

• Classic Swiss Fondue will consist of cheese made in Switzerland. The two most popular Swiss kinds of cheese for fondue are Emmentaler and Gruyere cheese.
• Cheddar fondue is not a traditional fondue, however, it is wildly popular, especially when made with beer instead of wine. Anything from a sharp white cheddar to a smoked cheddar will work.
• Other varieties – Depending on your preference, any of these types of cheeses are fantastic in fondue because of how they melt. Gouda, Brie, Comte, Raclette, Fontina, Colby, Jack, or even Gorgonzola are all good choices.

Recipe Variations

Mild seasonings can be added to fondue to add more complex flavor. These can include black pepper, white pepper, or garlic powder.

Sometimes a small amount of Dijon mustard is mixed in to add a ton of flavor.

A good dry white wine like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Gris is most often used, but beer works equally well. Try making a Ruby Port Caramelized Onion Fondue if you really want to try something different!

Recipe Tips for Best Results

If this is your first time making Swiss fondue, be sure to follow these tips for the best results.

• Grate the cheese. The smaller the cheese, the better it will melt. The quickest and easiest way to shred cheese is to use a food processor with the grating blade. If you have the time, a microplane is actually your best option because of how fine the cheese shreds are.
• Smooth consistency. If the cheese looks like a giant glob and does not turn into a homogeneous mixture with the wine, the temperature may need to be slightly increased so that the cheese can more easily melt. As the liquid evaporates, you may need to add an additional splash of white wine to maintain the smooth texture.
• Pre-heat your fondue pot. If you’re using a cast iron fondue pot, it may take a long time to heat from the flame beneath. Preheating it in the oven at 200°F will ensure the transition from the stove to the fondue pot will keep the melted cheese at the best consistency.

Dippers for Cheese Fondue

What’s cheese fondue without your favorite dippers on the side. Good options include anything that tastes great with cheese. My favorites are listed below.

• apple slices – I think sweet, tart, and firm is best. Honeycrisp or Pink Lady are my favorites.
• cubes of crusty bread – a nice long baguette cut into cubes works best. If every piece has crust, it will hold together well in the warm cheese
• cauliflower florets – specifically roasted cauliflower tastes amazing
• roasted fingerling potatoes – they are the perfect size
• sausage – bite-sized pieces that have been warmed

How to Best Serve Fondue

Whether you are making cheese fondue or serving chocolate fondue as a dessert, your best option is to serve the fondue in a traditional fondue pot over an open flame. There are a wide variety out there, but I personally think the best fondue pot is the one you see in my photos. It’s the mini Staub fondue set. Although it looks small, it actually holds a lot and is perfect for two people.

Another option people like to use is a mini slow cooker. To keep the fondue a nice smooth consistency, it needs to be kept at a low heat.

When all else fails, just take it off the stove and eat right out of the pot!