A delicious and comforting recipe for how to make cheese fondue. Serve with fresh crusty bread, veggies or grilled meats.
Cheese fondue became a family favorite meal while living in Switzerland! I was pregnant twice during our 4-year transfer there and during one of my pregnancies, we had fondue at least once a week but more often, two times a week! It was such a lovely way to get to know others and have an up-close relationship with our new home.
Cheese Fondue is basically melted cheese served in a communal pot over a heat source to keep it hot and bubbly.
Normally, people use long forks to dip chunks of bread into the melted cheese mixture.
While the term “fondue” has become extended to include chocolate fondue or fondue bourguignonne (in which pieces of meat are dipped and cooked in hot oil), when we say fondue is for dinner, it means cheese fondue!
You would think, with all the low fat/no fat propaganda, that I would have gained a pound after pound eating all that fat. Not the case at all – in fact, I only gained 21 lbs during that pregnancy! Says something about our body’s need for fat doesn’t it?
Traditionally, it was the man’s job to make cheese fondue.
Our theory on the reasoning behind this is that since so much alcohol evaporates during the cooking process, the men were there to inhale the vapors! I think it’s a great idea to learn how to make fondue whoever you are, however.
This recipe is adaptable to your own tastes and preferences.
I have made the following recipe with Appenzeller and Gruyere cheeses, as well as other combinations, including one sharp and one milder cheese. Now, I primarily use our homemade cheese which is normally a combination of Swiss, Muenster and/or cheddar cheese.
Tip: I double the recipe and serve it with pickles, pickled okra, pickled onions and/or olives.
Good Cheese To Use To Make Fondue;
- Appenzeller
- Gruyere, Swiss
- Monterey Jack
- Cheddar
- Muenster
How to Make Cheese Fondue Step by Step
A traditional meal for sharing, or to make a fun date night in.
- 7 c grated cheese combination of Appenzeller, Gruyere, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Muenster - I pick 1 sharp and 1 mild variety
- 2 c white wine
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 6 Tbsp kirschwasser a cherry liquor
- garlic paprika and pepper to taste
- ground pepper and garlic powder to taste
- 2 loaves french whole wheat or gluten free bread, cut into chunks. Click for sources of sprouted bread and gluten free bread
- Mix the grated cheese and white wine in the fondue pot and heat over medium heat stirring constantly with a figure 8 motion.
- Heat slowly! This should take at least 10 - 15 min. It will appear lumpy as the cheese melt.
- Add the corn starch dissolved in cherry liquor and the lemon juice.The corn starch acts as a binder to hold the cheese mixture together.
- When the cheese begins to get smooth rather than lumpy, add paprika, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
- Move the fondue pot to the table over a small burner to keep it warm.
- Using fondue forks, dip bite size bread pieces into the hot cheese.
- Fondue may be served with pickles, pickled okra and pickled onions as side dishes.
- Enjoy!
Lisa @ HappyinDoleValley says
This sounds delicious and healthy! I have a friend who makes the most yummy fondue, but hers is made using processed Swiss cheese — eeww. Pinned this and hope to try it soon, but before I do, where might I find the kirschwasser?
Blessings, ~Lisa :)
Dina-Marie says
Lisa, I found it at a liquor store.
Lisa @ HappyinDoleValley says
Thanks!!
KimH says
Yum.. sounds delish.. my man though would ask me where his meal is.. ;)
Michelle says
Visiting from Full Plate Thursday. I could just dive into this fondue!
Miz Helen says
Good Morning Dina,
Your Cheese Fondue looks fabulous. Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Julie says
Hi Dina-Marie!
This looks and sounds delicious. I love cheese so I’d probably enjoy this. Thanks for sharing at Marvelous Mondays!
Julie
Heidi says
I haven’t had this since I was a kid! Thanks for the memories! Yours looks so yummy! I’m so glad you linked this up at One Creative Weekend! I love it! Hope your weekend is fantastic.
Jennifer says
This looks yummy! Please share this in a new Linky Party –Weekend Kitchen Creations at http://www.weekendkitchencreations.blogspot.com. Please join us, share your delicious creation, build more traffic for your blog and get other scrumptious ideas.
Charlene@A Pinch of Joy says
This sounds wonderful — like the touch of lemon juice idea for a little extra jazz. Men make it sounds like a tradition that should be passed on — grill in summer, fondue in winter – mom gets time off either way! :-) Thanks so much for linking on Busy Monday!
Jill @ Modern Alternative Kitchen says
I love fondue! Sounds really good on this cold, yucky day! Thanks for sharing at Meal Plan Monday! Hope to see you there tomorrow!