alpine cheese fondue;
I love a classic cheese fondue. This alpine cheese fondue is the perfect meal for a special night, because not only does it taste and feel exotic–it’s surprisingly easy to make! Buttery, creamy, and luxurious, this rich swiss-cheese-inspired fondue goes well with just about any dipper. I’ll show you exactly how to make it creamy and smooth, and give you tons of ideas to keep this meal surprisingly filling and healthy!
I started with this cheese fondue recipe that’s essentially a melting pot copycat recipe. I will say, it’s pricey, but the melting pot does know how to do fondue. The melting pot cheese fondue is the inspiration for a lot of these dippers as well, but I added some more deliciousness of my own for your consideration!
They key to any fondue is high quality cheese. A high quality wine doesn’t hurt either because there are so few ingredients here, you can taste the flavor profile nicely.
secret to success
To make your own fondue at home, start with good quality ingredients and cooking utensils. The key to any fondue is high quality cheese. Gruyere and fontina melt beautifully and give a rich, earthy texture that doesn’t overpower your dippers. But besides the cheese, use a high quality wine. I often opt for cheaper wines for cooking, but because there are so few ingredients here, you can taste the flavor profile and a nice wine really rounds out the alpine cheese fondue.
Low and slow is the way to go when mixing your cheese to be melted! This is the secret to getting smooth, creamy cheese fondue that doesn’t separate. Once everything is incorporated, you want to keep it at a constant, even, low temperature to make sure it doesn’t separate. If it does a little–don’t worry, it’ll still taste delicious! You can try adding a bit more wine or liquid, and stirring vigorously over even heat again.
Low and slow is the way to go when mixing your cheese to be melted.
secret to success
If you don’t have a high quality fondue pot, no worries, but make sure you make your fondue on the stove in a regular pot before you transfer it to the fondue pot. Many fondue pots are meant only for low heat, and will burn or cause issues if used directly on the stove. Be sure to read the instructions for your specific pot.
For traditional dippers try any or all of the following that sound good to you:
- French bread, sourdough bread, or pumpernickel bread. Firmer or denser bread is ideal, as you want them to hold up to some stabbing with a fondue fork, even when they are weighed down with cheese fondue.
- Try pretzel bread or pretzel bites! You can never go wrong with pretzels and cheese dip. Go the extra mile and make your own pretzels! (Be warned…it does take a fair bit of prep work, but they’re soooo delicious.)
- Broccoli and/or cauliflower florets
- Carrots. I find that full-sized carrots have more flavor, so they’re my go-to. That said, if you’re not looking for the extra work of peeling and chopping carrots, grab a bag of baby carrots and call it a day!
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Button or cremini mushroom caps. Cremini’s are my favorite…I just don’t think white button mushrooms have much flavor. Though you could argue that anything doused in cheese tastes mostly like…cheese. No problems here!
- Granny smith apples. This is the sleeper hit, in my opinion. I never would have thought to include this, but the tart refreshing apple pairs wonderfully with the rich alpine cheese fondue.
- Pickles; cornichons are a perfect size with little to no prep work needed
- Bell peppers add a little sweetness to your table, and they pair with the alpine cheese fondue quite nicely!
That said, don’t get distracted by all the fun dippers and forget the fondue pot and cheese is hot! Make sure to set your dippers far enough away that you’re not reaching for a tomato right next to the hot pot.
Caution hot! You’re sticking your hands and the hands of your guests or family around a hot fondue pot. Always be careful.
secrets to success
You’re sticking your hands and the hands of your guests or family around a warmer plate or fondue pot. Always be careful around hot dishes. Keep in mind that the more cheese fondue you eat, the closer you get to the hot bottom of the pot. As you eat more, the remaining cheese gets hotter. Be careful not to burn your mouth!
To make this meal more of a full-fledged meal as opposed to an appetizer, add some protein and some more hearty dippers to your table.
- Steak. Cooking a steak sous-vide works wonderfully to keep it tender and moist, and allows you to reheat it just before serving without losing that butter-soft texture.
- Bacon
- Roasted baby potatoes
- Sausage
- Chicken
secrets to success;
Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!
more recipes;
Looking for other copycat recipes from your favorite restaurants? Try these on for size:
- For a blast of umami, try this copycat trader joes mushroom seasoning recipe. You can use it on everything from better than packet ramen to seasoning an easy weeknight meal of spaghetti and meatballs!
- Another melting pot inspired recipe, actually, this raspberry california salad pairs perfectly with alpine cheese fondue.
- Chicken bellagio is an elevated new take on a breaded cutlet, this time with pesto, proscuitto, and a cream sauce; inspired by the cheesecake factory.
- Cheesy marsala goodness, this stuffed chicken marsala is an olive garden favorite you can make yourself at home now!
cheese fondue;
Ingredients
alpine fondue;
- 8 oz gruyere cheese
- 8 oz fontina cheese
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup white wine (use your favorite, recommend sauvignon blanc or chardonnay)
- 1 clove garlic (minced, or sub 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional, zest from ¼ lemon)
- 1 Tbsp honey mustard dressing (alt. 1 tsp dijon mustard)
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
fondue dippers;
- cubed french bread, sourdough bread, and/or pumpernickle bread
- broccoli florets (raw, or lightly steamed)
- cauliflower florets (raw, or lightly steamed)
- carrots (sliced, or use baby carrots)
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- sliced granny smith apples
- sous-vide steak
- button mushroom caps
- homemade pretzel bites (or frozen, heated through)
Instructions
fondue dippers;
- Prepare all fondue dippers in advance. Slice bread into cubes, chop vegetables and fruit into dippable sizes. If steaming vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower make sure to prepare them in advance. Make sure they retain enough crunch to allow the fondue forks to pierce them and not fall apart. Sous-vide (or cook) steak to desired temperature and allow to rest. Slice steak and reheat just before serving. Clean and de-stem mushrooms if using. Bake off pretzel bites according to instructions and set aside.
alpine fondue;
- Grate all cheeses and add to a medium bowl. Add 1 Tbsp cornstarch and toss together until evenly coated.
- In a stove-safe fondue pot or a large saucepan, add ½ cup white wine, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once bubbles begin to form across the liquid, add the cheese a sprinkle at a time, stirring well between each to ensure a smooth and cohesive fondue. The slower and more patient you are the better incorporated and smoother the fondue will be.
- Once smooth and melted, add in the 1 Tbsp honey mustard, and ⅛ tsp nutmeg. Season more to taste as desired.
- Transfer from the stove to fondue pot as needed, or place on warmer plate. Arrange assortment of fondue dippers within easy reach and provide fondue forks or wooden skewers. Enjoy warm!
