A cold winter day begs you to host a cozy fondue night. Transport your friends to the Swiss Alps for the evening with fondue at your house.
Fondue is an activity you can eat. It brings people together over a warm pot of cheese like humans have gathered around a fire for centuries. (Ok, maybe, that’s a bit dramatic.) But, no one can resist the cheesy goodness of fondue because let’s face it, everything tastes better with cheese.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know to host a fondue night at your house without any fancy pots or burners that will collect dust in your cabinets.
The cheese
Fondue is a Swiss tradition, so traditional Swiss cheeses like Emmentaler (Emmental) and Gruyere are preferred. But, you can add a variety of cheeses to your fondue pot. There’s no perfect ratio or number of cheeses you need.
Here is a list ranked in order of preference:
- Emmental (also known as Emmentaler)
- Gruyere
- Comte (French cheese similar to Emmental)
- Fontina
- Gouda (regular, not smoked)
- Swiss cheese (the basic type you’d put on a sandwich)
Each block of cheese needs to be grated before it is melted in the pot. The likelihood of finding any of these cheeses pre-grated in a bag is extremely low. Regardless, pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that affect how cheese melts so you should never use pre-grated cheese for fondue.
How much cheese is too much cheese?
For me, the limit of cheese does not exist, but from a practical standpoint, you should plan for at least .25 pounds or 4 oz of cheese per person. If you’re inviting proven cheese lovers over, you should aim for 1/3 to 1/2 of a pound per person.
What you’ll need
This guide promises no fancy fondue equipment. At the bare minimum, you’ll need a heavy-bottomed pot like a Dutch oven to cook your cheese in. To make the occasion feel extra special, you can buy wooden skewers for your guests to use instead of forks.
The recipe
Cheese Fondue
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinto Grigio
- 3 lbs Swiss-style cheese preferably a mix of Emmental, Gruyere, and Fontina
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Grate 3 lbs Swiss-style cheese and place in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp cornstarch to the cheese and mix well.
- Cut 1 garlic clove in half and rub it on the bottom of a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pot.
- Chop the garlic up and add it to the pot.
- Heat the pot over medium-high heat and add 1 cup dry white wine.
- When the wine boils, bring the heat down to medium and add the grated cheese a handful at a time. Add teh cheese little by little as it melts.
- Stir the cheese until completely melted and add freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
- Serve with potatoes, bread, cured meats, and cornichons.
Sides for dipping
Anything covered in cheese tastes delicious, so you can add virtually anything that can be stabbed with a skewer to your fondue spread.
Here is some inspiration for your fondue night:
- Small potatoes
- Baguette torn into small pieces
- Cornichons
- Cured meats (prosciutto, salami, etc.)
- Apples
- Grapes
- Radishes
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli or cauliflower
A quick note on cooking small potatoes: boil the potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes maximum until they can be stabbed with a fork.
How to keep the fondue warm
The simple answer is…you don’t. Without a direct heat source, you’ll need to reheat your fondue on the stovetop every 10 minutes for about three to five minutes. It’s a good moment to hit the breaks on the ungodly amount of cheese you’re eating. Trust me, it’s not a big deal to move your fondue back to the stove when you’re getting together with friends. It beats buying an expensive fondue kit.
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