This Swiss Cheese Fondue is a classic for a reason. Traditionally enjoyed in Switzerland during the winter, the warm, melty cheese is the perfect accompaniment for bread, potatoes, and so much more. Make your own pot of fondue for a holiday party, a New Year's celebration, or to celebrate any special occasion.
Transport your guests to a Swiss chalet by melting the best cheeses with white wine and lemon juice in your handy Fondue pot! It's quick and easy to make too. Fondue makes a great appetizer before a dinner party, but a fondue dinner is always so much fun. No matter how you serve it, this easy fondue recipe will quickly become the centerpiece of any event!
Why You'll Love This Cheese Fondue
- So easy to make. This classic fondue recipe is incredibly simple to make. Start by adding the wine to your fondue pot, then stir in the flour to create a thick gravy. Add the cheese and let it melt before you season it with lemon, salt, and garlic powder. Once it's all melted together, grab your favorite cheese fondue dippers and go!
- Delicious flavors. Fondue is the national dish of Switzerland, so it's essential to use the best Swiss cheese! The white wine and lemon juice mellow out the cheese's earthy flavor to make it perfectly creamy.
- Warm and cozy. Although you can technically make fondue any time of the year, it's wonderful on a cold night. Serve it on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve for a wonderfully cozy meal!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Cheese Fondue, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- swiss cheese - shred your favorite Swiss cheese. You can also use Jarlsberg, Emmental, Appenzeller, or other options.
- gruyère cheese - gruyère has a nutty, creamy flavor that is perfect for a Swiss fondue.
- cornstarch - use corn starch or flour to give the fondue the perfect creamy texture and to avoid clumps.
- garlic powder - a little garlic powder adds an extra savory note that brings the fondue to life.
- dry white wine - choose a dry wine, like sauvignon blanc, to balance the earthy flavor of the Swiss cheeses.
- lemon juice - the tart, bright flavor of lemon juice contrasts the rich cheeses. The citric acid will also help emulsify the cheese for the perfect consistency.
- nutmeg - add nutmeg to taste.
- french bread - cut a fresh French baguette loaf into 1-inch cubes. Serve as is or bake until dry. Sourdough bread or Italian bread work well, too.
You will also need a fondue pot, a spoon, and fondue forks or skewers.
How to Make the Best Cheese Fondue
- Combine cheese. In a mixing bowl, combine cheese, garlic powder and cornstarch. Toss well to coat and set aside.
- Heat. In a medium saucepan or fondue pot, heat wine over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
- Add cheese. Gradually stir in cheese mixture, one cup at a time. Mix constantly until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Add seasoning. Once the melted mixture is smooth, stir in lemon juice and nutmeg.
- Serve. Serve the fondue in a fondue pot with cubed french bread.
Recipe Variations
- Use a double boiler. If you don't have a traditional fondue pot, fill a saucepan with 2-3 inches of water, then add a glass or metal bowl on top to make a double boiler. Start over medium heat, but drop the temperature lower if needed.
- Adjust the cheeses. This is a Swiss cheese fondue, but you can easily use different kinds of cheeses. Aged cheddar cheese tastes amazing with gruyère!
- Offer different sides. It's traditional to serve fondue cheese with stale bread, which holds the melty cheese really well. Pair this easy cheese fondue recipe with apple slices, sausages, meatballs, crispy potatoes, and more.
- Use a slow cooker. If you're serving this cheese fondue as an appetizer at a party, keep it warm in a slow cooker.
- Use apple cider. Instead of white wine, use a dry, hard apple cider for a wonderfully light flavor.
How to Serve
This cheese fondue is delicious served on its own, or paired with some of my favorite sides for dipping including:
- Easy Salted Soft Pretzels
- Small Batch Sourdough Bread
- Easy Baked Meatballs
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Garlic Parmesan Baby Potatoes
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Keep it warm. It's important to keep your cheese at just the right temperature. If it's too low, the cheese will thicken. If it's too high, the cheese will brown on the side of your fondue pot. Keep the cheese over medium-low heat and drop it lower if needed.
- Gather the right equipment. Make sure you have some skewers or dipping forks to keep the bread cubes and slices of apples from falling into the pot of cheese.
- Don't skip the acids. There's a reason why fondue has both lemon juice and a splash of white wine. The citric acid from the lemon and the tartaric acid from the wine help the cheese stay perfectly smooth and melty.
- Shred the cheese. Did you know that chopped cheese doesn't melt as well as shredded cheese? Grate the cheese first before melting for the best results.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Let your leftover cheese cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
How to Reheat
Add the leftover cheese to a small pan on the stove and stir in a splash of milk. Let the cheese warm up until it is soft and creamy again.
How to Freeze
Although you can freeze fondue, the cheese will likely become grainy after thawing. It's best to serve it freshly melted or reheated from the fridge.
FAQ
Fondue is a classic Swiss food, and they traditionally use a variety of Swiss cheeses to get the perfect texture and flavor. We recommend using Gruyère, Emmentaler, or Appenzeller for a traditional flavor. Raclette cheese is not traditional, but it's wonderfully melty and would taste amazing in your fondue pot.
No fondue is complete without a variety of dippers, like cubes of crusty bread, soft pretzels, grapes, tomatoes, crispy potatoes, apple slices, sausage, meatballs, crackers, and more.
If you're hosting a fondue night and aren't sure about serving alcohol to children or other groups, don't worry! The alcohol in the wine will cook out by the time the fondue is ready. If you're still unsure about it, you can make a non-alcoholic fondue by using alcohol-free wine or beer.
More Cheesy Dip Recipes
- 20 Best Dip Recipes
- Queso Mexican Cheese Dip
- Baked Ricotta
- Cranberry Baked Brie
- Creamy Artichoke Dip
- Pizza Dip
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
