Swiss Cheese Fondue is a staple meal in Switzerland. This dish made from a variety of Swiss cheeses melted into white wine is a cold weather treat. Add nutmeg, Kirsch and a little garlic essence to round out the flavor. Served traditionally with sausage, bread, apple slices and pickles, Swiss Cheese Fondue is the ultimate meal for sharing with others. So get your friends and family together for Fondue night!
The earliest known recipe for Swiss Cheese Fondue comes from a 1699 book published in Zürich, Switzerland. Centuries later in the 1930s, Switzerland declared Cheese Fondue to be its national dish. When I lived in Switzerland, fondue restaurants were as common as fast food restaurants in the States. It is a fairly inexpensive meal to prepare, so inviting friends and family over won’t cost you an arm and a leg!
Ingredients
Just 7 ingredients required for this fairly inexpensive meal.
- Cheese – the obvious ingredient. I used Gruyère, Vacherin (both Swiss cheeses) and aged Gouda (not Swiss!)
- Garlic clove.
- Kirsch (colorless cherry brandy.)
- Corn starch.
- White wine, preferably Riesling, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Nutmeg
- Pepper
Instructions
Follow the instructions carefully and in no time you will be enjoying Swiss Cheese Fondue.
Finely grate all the cheeses. Peel and cut vertically the garlic clove.
Mix the Kirsch and cornstarch together to make a slurry.
Rub the cut garlic clove over the base and sides of the fondue pot. This will give a hint of garlic flavor.
Add the grated cheeses into the fondue pot, pour in the wine.
Place the pot over a medium heat. Stir slowly and consistently. The cheese will melt. Once melted, add the cornstarch and Kirsch slurry to thicken and emulsify the fondue. When it looks like creamy melted cheese, add grated nutmeg and freshly cracked black pepper.
Remove the fondue pot from the heat and place it on a burner to keep warm. A tea light, chafing fuel or fondue burner will work. Another option is to use an electric fondue set.
Using a fondue set is best as it usually includes a stand for the pot to sit on, a fondue burner which contains fuel, usually denatured alcohol (methylated spirits), and fondue forks.
Flexibility with Ingredients
There’s a lot of wriggle room in this recipe, so take advantage of it!
- For the fondue to be a Swiss Cheese Fondue, then Swiss cheeses should be front and center. If Swiss cheeses are not available then use any cheese that melts well. The end result may not be an authentic Swiss Cheese Fondue, but it will taste delicious. Use combinations of cheeses if possible. In addition to the 2 Swiss cheeses I used, I also included an aged Gouda (Dutch cheese) for a fuller, rounder flavor. Potential cheese candidates are Mozzarella, Emmentaler, Appenzeller, Brie, Cheddar, Fontina and Comte. Do not use sliced deli Swiss cheese.
- To increase the garlic presence in the Fondue, sauté finely minced garlic with olive oil in the fondue pot. Then add the grated cheeses.
- Instead of Kirsch, add Grappa, Apple Cider, Cognac, or Luxardo (Italian maraschino cherry liqueur.)
- Corn starch, arrowroot or potato starch give the fondue stability and a homogenized appearance. Use one of them.
- Wine is essential to melt the cheese in. The alcohol burns off as the fondue is cooking, making it suitable for all age diners. If you prefer to fore-go the wine, then use unsweetened apple cider instead.
- Add nutmeg and pepper for flavor, omit them if you don’t have or like them.
Flexibility with Equipment
Scroll down to the Equipment section to see fondue sets options.
Traditionally a caquelon is used. This is a ceramic pot used traditionally for Swiss Cheese Fondue preparation. See the suggestions below if one is not available.
If you do not have a fondue set, fear not, just be resourceful! Here are some suggestions:
- Make a water bath by filling a pot with water and bringing it to a boil. Then lower the heat to a simmer. Place a Pyrex bowl over a pot with the cheese fondue ingredients in it. Once the fondue is ready, transfer the bowl and pot to the table and start eating. There should be enough residual heat in the pot of water to keep the fondue warm.
- If you don’t want to go the ‘water bath’ route, then use a heavy bottomed pan to cook the fondue it. Bring it to the table and place it on a wooden board to protect the table or counter top.
- Another option is to cook the fondue using one of the above methods and then resting the bowl or pot on a teapot warmer that uses a tea light.
Not having exactly the ‘right’ equipment should not stop you from making and enjoying this recipe.
Uses for Swiss Cheese Fondue
- Cheese Fondue is great for a get together with others. It is a communal experience, with everyone dipping goodies into the fondue. It encourages conversation and community.
- As it is a dish that works well with a group (around 8) of people, it is fairly inexpensive. The cost of the dish lies mostly in the cheeses used. It works out to be a cost effective and quick dinner party option. It is also a lot of fun!
- Swiss Cheese Fondue is typically served as an entree, but it can be an appetizer too.
- Use it as a ‘dip’ at a party where no formal meal is being served. Having Cheese Fondue with dippers and disposable sticks / forks make this an easy and interesting hors d’oeuvres.
- Host a fondue party with Swiss Cheese Fondue, along with beef or seafood fondue and chocolate fondue for dessert.
Equipment
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Storage
Any leftover Cheese Fondue can be placed in a well sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Warm gently in a pot or even microwave. Stir well and enjoy! A great way to use leftover Cheese Fondue is to pour it over a baked potato.
I do not recommend freezing any leftover Cheese Fondue.
A Tip From Me
Use this Swiss Cheese Fondue as part of an entire fondue party. It’s a great theme for a dinner party.
Include the traditional rules for eating fondue for added fun:
“If a lady drops her bread into Cheese Fondue, (accidental or otherwise) she must give the gentlemen at the table a kiss.”
“If a man drops his bread into the Cheese Fondue (I assume accidentally,) then he must buy / provide the table with a bottle of wine.”
“Only stir the fondue clockwise.”
“Twirl, twirl, twirl your bread (or other dipper) to avoid a mess being made.”
“Only drink white wine or Kirsch with Cheese Fondue”
“Enjoy the crisp crust of browned cheese found at the bottom of the fondue pot. Divide it to let everyone have a taste. This crusty toasted cheese is called la religieuse (French for the nun) and is considered a delicacy.”
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully!
- I have read in some Cheese Fondue recipes that all the ingredients can be added into the pot at the same time, is this true? Yes, but I prefer to add the cornstarch / Kirsch slurry once the cheese has melted.
- What should I do if the fondue is too thick? Add more white wine, the acid and ethanol in it will help thin the fondue.
- My fondue curdled, what did I do wrong and how can I fix it? Typically this happens if a high heat is being used and insufficient liquid. Lower the heat, add more liquid (white wine) or lemon juice, whisking constantly to allow the fondue to resume its smooth texture.
- What dippers can I use for my Cheese Fondue? Bread cubes, apple slices, smoked sausage and pickles are the traditional dipping foods. Other options are pieces of jerky, ham, and cooked potato, also raw vegetables such as mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes.
Food Safety
There are a few food safety rules to take into consideration when eating Cheese Fondue.
Fondue forks are used to dip the food into the fondue. These are longer, thinner forks that allow the food to easily twirl and coat the food in Cheese Fondue. The fondue covered food should be removed from the fondue fork, placed on a plate and then eaten with another fork. This keeps fondue forks out of everyone’s mouths, and will help keep Covid and cooties at bay!
Cheese Fondue is typically served at a temperature around 150 degrees F. Exercise caution when eating it.
As Cheese Fondue uses an open flame if using a traditional fondue set, so be careful what is in close proximity to the flame. Make sure napkins, cloth or paper are not close to the open flame.
Swiss Cheese Fondue
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs cheese use 2-3 different cheeses
- 8 oz dry white wine
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1½ tbsp Kirsch
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Finely grate all the cheeses.
- Peel and cut vertically the garlic clove.
- Mix the Kirsch and cornstarch together to make a slurry.
- Rub the cut garlic clove over the base and sides of the fondue pot to add a hint of garlic flavor.
- Add the grated cheeses into the fondue pot, pour in the wine.
- Place the pot over a medium heat. Stir slowly and consistently. The cheese will melt. Once melted, add the cornstarch and Kirsch slurry to thicken and emulsify the fondue.
- When the fondue looks like creamy melted cheese, add grated nutmeg and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Remove the fondue pot from the heat and place it on a burner to keep warm. Eat immediately.
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