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I was in the mood for a fun snack last night and noticed that I already had all the ingredients for this recipe in my fridge! Easy to make and tasted even better. Thanks Lindsay!
This is sponsored content from Sargento Foods.
The opinions stated are my own.
Confessions of a date night fondue junkie.
A few years ago, Bjork offered to make me dinner for a nice date night. Like, let me think for three seconds YES PLEASE, bae.
Please don’t think any less of me right now, but you should know that Bjork does most of the other true work around our house. He is just generally on his A-game with life. All-around. All the time. One of those 5-star people that you adore and couldn’t live without and just if they could just stop making you look so basic for a second, that would be great. That being said, I think I can count on one hand the number of times he has made dinner in the 7 years that we’ve been married. It’s the one thing he doesn’t do.
On this stay-at-home date night, he went out and bought the brand new snazzy fondue pot, looked up a cheese fondue recipe, and started on his fondue adventure all on his own, with me sitting on the other side of the counter, probably sipping a glass of wine, watching with a careful slash critical slash remember-to-try-not-to-be-overbearing eye.
Things started well.
Imagine music, laughter, maybe a candle. Cheese was being shredded, bread was being cut, smashed garlic was being rubbed into the sides the fondue pot (this is a magic genius trick for fondue BTW). It was the start of date night greatness.
But somewhere between the transfer of the fondue to the pot, and the actual reality of both of us having NO IDEA how to safely heat a fondue pot whatsoever, we ended up with a) boiling hot water sloshing all over the table, and b) a hard clump of non-dippable cheese in the pot. Still delicious, naturally. But solid like a wheel of cheese.
So maybe I shouldn’t be trying to sell you on fondue?
No, never. Because guys, here’s the thing about fondue.
Once you get it, you’ve got it. And it’s perfect for date night because it’s a simple, slow, romantic way to eat a meal. Kind of like when you make apps and snacks and bits from the fridge into your entire meal, which we do on the reg. We’re Dating Goals over here, I know.
Here’s how I recommend approaching a cheese fondue date night:
- One person is in charge of prepping the dippers. This includes cutting bread and apples, and blanching or roasting more substantial veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, or potatoes. This is more to think about, but also more straightforward.
- The other person is in charge of prepping the cheese fondue. This would, in theory, be the easier job, and can be if you’re pretty comfortable with the process, but even though it only has three ingredients, fondue can actually be a little tricky as I learned after our failed attempt with date night fondue: round one. You need to stay dedicated and attentive and coddle that fondue so as not to end up with a stretchy, lumpy cheese curd situation. Here are some tips for success. 👇🏼
Use Swiss cheese!
I used Sargento Sliced Swiss Natural Cheese, because EASY and accessible anywhere, anytime. And then look what I did:
Yes, that is cheese that’s been run through my food processor. Don’t mind if I do.
When it comes time to melt, work slowly, sloooooowly, and gently… that’s it. Yes. You were panicking for a second (happens to me every time) but then you hit the moment where it all just comes together. No blobs around here.
Final tip: juuuuuust add a little more wine. I’m currently feeding myself and the baby in there, so I am cooling it in the wine department, but for those of you who aren’t – another splash could never be a bad thing.
Date night, holiday party, Tuesday pre-TV snack sesh? any of them work, actually.
Cheese fondue is just our awesome BFF like that.
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Awesomely Easy Swiss Fondue
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Cheese Fondue – all you need is garlic, wine, cornstarch, and cheese! So versatile and perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 8-ounce packages Sargento Sliced Swiss Natural Cheese
- salt to taste
- foods to dip – apple slices, bread cubes, roasted broccoli, etc.
Instructions
- Whisk 1/2 cup of the white wine with the cornstarch.
- Run the cheese through a food processor or chop very, very finely to get small, even pieces.
- Rub the garlic clove all over the bottom and sides of a heavy-bottomed pot (this avoids garlic chunks in your smooth fondue). Discard the garlic. Heat the wine mixture over medium low heat, until thickening and bubbling. Add a tablespoon of wine if it seems too thick – you want it to resemble a smooth gravy.
- Add some of the cheese and slowly whisk. It should start to gently melt after just a few whisks around in the wine. When it’s almost completely smooth and incorporated, add more cheese and whisk gently. If it seems too tight or elasticy, add 1 tablespoon wine. Repeat this process until all cheese is melted. Consistency should be a smooth, loose sauce that has just a *little* bit of elastic stretch to it. You should be able to dip something in it and have the cheese stick to your dipper.
- Season with salt and face plant immediately! I mean, serve immediately. As it cools, the cheese will want to clump together but if you keep it at a nice, low, even heat, it should stay dippable for ya.
Notes
You can also use Sargento Artisan Blends Shredded Swiss Cheese to make this easy fondue even easier.
Heat is very important – too low and it won’t melt properly, and too high and it will clump together into chunks. The high heat was my issue more often than not, so I’d recommend keeping your heat low, especially if you have a high powered gas range like we do.
If you’d rather not use wine, use chicken broth and make sure to use some lemon juice as well – the acidity is important.
I found these links helpful when learning about cheese fondue awesomeness:
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: easy fondue, fondue recipe, swiss fondue, cheese fondue
Big s/o to Sargento for sponsoring this post! We heart real cheese.
What a gem Bjork is! My husband is really good about taking care of stuff too, if he wasn’t, our bills would never get paid and our licenses revoked. Not to mention library books never returned! For some reason, I think of savoring your fondue in the swiss alps? Must be those weird prego dreams I’m having, But my life of Sargento and their cheese is boundless. I could write an ode to Sargento and if you knew how much && we spent a month on Sargento cheese, you’d pass out! It just is better. Agreed!
sweet Bjork haha he tried 😀 I have NEVER attempted fondue but definitely want to now!! <3
Fondue is totally intimidating to me, but this sounds easy and so wonderful!
Love this! Will definitely be making this for a little holiday friends reunion… in my new house! With all my new cute kitchen things 🙂 This is easy-level A+ and right up my alley! Thanks Lindsay!
Do you know that my mom was just cleaning out a closet and found an old fondue set and just LAST WEEK asked me if I wanted it. And due to my anti-hoarding habits, I hemmed and hawed about it and then said YES because even though my man doesn’t do fondue, it’s a perfect girls night activity.
AND THEN YOU POSTED THIS. Mind reader! Can’t wait for the insanity of life to take a breather for cheese fondue night.
And big kudos to Bjork for that sweet memory you’ll have forever. 🙂
Hi, what would be a good alternative to alcohol when making cheese fondue without compromising taste and texture?
hey Fatima 🙂 Lindsay mentions chicken broth as an alternative in her notes, with lemon juice to match the acidity
Hi Fatima
You could also use apple juice for example. (I’m from Switzerland and it’s what we use sometime)
Thanks, Andrea! 🙂
My dad bought an electric fondue pot decades ago for Rotel dip. It still gets regular use for this purpose and works great for cheese fondue. I highly recommend it if you plan to eat this regularly. The heat is nice and low and even to keep everything nice and melty without burning.
Wow, looks amazing! My kids love fondue, dip and eat! Will be trying this soon…
yassssss girl! i’ve been looking for simple date night ideas that still feel special. will totally be taking a stab at this with chris on friday!
for all my culinary adventures, i have NEVER attempted to make fondue – something about it that’s a bit intimidating and makes you feel it’s best eaten at a restaurant 😀
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I absolutely love fondue, having spent a good chunk of time in Switzerland myself, so it’s nice to see others spreading the cheesy love. I do see that this post is sponsored, so I completely understand the cheese choice – however, if you want to experience more authentic fondue, I would highly suggest (if you can find them) a 50/50 mix of Emmentaler and Gruyere. It’s literally the most amazing thing ever on a cold winter’s night. Please let me know what you think if you decide to try it. Bon voyage to all your future cheesy adventures!
Eliza said exactly what I was thinking!!! I have a bag from the cheese shop from when we lived in Switzerland that has the recipe on it… and traditional is emmental(er) and gruyere. It’s one of our traditional holiday meals.
Actually the traditional Swiss fondue is the fondue moitié-moitié, which made 50/50 with Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois 🙂 but unfortunately Vacherin is almost impossible to find outside of Switzerland.
Unfortunately, this recipe uses white wine. I do not like wine.
Can be replaced with another one?
hey Melissa! Lindsay mentions chicken broth as an alternative in her notes, with lemon juice to match the acidity
Wine suggestion – one of our hardest parts with making fondue is picking the wine that made it taste like what we had in Switzerland…we’ve found an unoaked chardonnay works the best for us(Toad Hollow is our choice). Or if you want to splurge that won’t break the bank Fat Bastard Chardonnay from France.
I should have known this is an advertisement masquerading as a crap recipe for fondue.
If you want fondue, search for a recipe and use real cheeses. Swiss cheese isn’t even a cheese normally used in fondue. Sargento Swiss cheese isn’t used in anything!
Lindsay, are a few bucks really worth your culinary integrity??? Glad you’re not a teacher any more. Seriously.
A little harsh, but amen on the Sargento “Swiss” cheese rant. I mean dear god to think that most Americans believe this is real cheese. It’s painful.
I was in the mood for a fun snack last night and noticed that I already had all the ingredients for this recipe in my fridge! Easy to make and tasted even better. Thanks Lindsay!
This might just be the perfect appetizer to switch it up this Thanksgiving. I’ve been looking for something that will be a crowd favorite but is a bit out of the ordinary!
Personally I love a good fondue, so we’ll see if the rest of the family does too!
Great recipe! Thanks for posting!
Love this! Will definitely be making this for a little gathering at home.
Two things to make life easier when making Fondue. For stubborn stoves that won’t turn to the low you want. Use a double boiler. The water needs to be simmering hot. Also use garlic oil to grease the pan. Remove double boiler to a place to share, and set it on a thick heat pad. The water will keep it warm. Most fondue pots come with some method of keeping the fondue warm, an electric pot is best. You can also use a slow cooker on low to make the fondue. Make sure all ingredients are room temperature before making, it makes it less likely to seize up as you first attempt did. If your over has a Low heat(above warm) you may be able to use it to melt your fondue. When making fondue. Stir with an egg whisk or a smaller chef’s whisk, to help it stay smooth. If you want to be fancy, say for Valentine’s Day, test out the various types of Swiss cheese available in your local deli. Add a bit of nutmeg for a nutty taste, or smoke flavoring. You can make fondue with any Cheddar too. Many people like to use day old French Bread too. It is firmer and easier for the fork to hang on too.
Thanks for the tips, MaryAnn!
When i see your recipe, i remember how i miss my country… France!!! Fondue is so good!!!
Why is that cheese called Swiss Cheese? You literally can’t find that cheese in Switzerland. If you want to make authentic fondue you should use the kind of cheese used in Switzerland.
And for those who don’t like wine, you can look up a recipe of fondue fribourgeoise which is an authentic swiss fondue made without wine.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe, Lindsay!
Do you think other cheese varieties might be interchangeable with this recipe?
Thank you!
Just like its name, seems easy to make. Trying it tonight!! Fingers crossed, wish me luck..
Thanks in advance.
Followed the recipe to a T. It clumped and when I added slightly more wine it never became smoother. A waste of cheese and money. Such a shame.
Oh my goodness, this fondue recipe is calling my name! I love the simplicity of it and how easy it is to make. Plus, the ability to customize it with your favorite dipping options is amazing. Can’t wait to try it out with my friends and family! 😍