Tillie Doyle
Cheese fondue is a simple dish that can be served as an appetizer or a complete meal. The best dippers to serve with cheese fondue include bread, crackers, chips, vegetables, cured meats, and fruits. Bread is the most popular dipper for cheese fondue, with French bread, breadsticks, croutons, multigrain bread, rye, sourdough, and bagels being common choices. For a unique option, consider a rustic cranberry walnut loaf. To avoid a mess, it is important to lightly toast the bread before cutting it into large cubes. In addition to bread, wheat crackers, pita chips, and tortilla chips can also be used as dippers. Vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, and carrots can be roasted, steamed, or served raw. Cured meats such as beef jerky, kielbasa, pepperoni, salami, and sausage add a spicy kick to the fondue. Fruits like apples, pears, and grapes can also be served as dippers, adding a touch of sweetness to the savoury cheese fondue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bread | French bread, breadsticks, croutons, multigrain bread, rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, bagels, rustic cranberry walnut loaf, baguette, focaccia bread, ciabatta bread, naan, challah, pretzels, English muffins, tortillas |
| Crackers | Wheat crackers, pita chips |
| Chips | Potato chips, tortilla chips, nachos |
| Vegetables | Asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, green beans, pearl onions, radishes, baby potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, fingerling potatoes, red potatoes, purple potatoes, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, celery, fennel spears, cherry tomatoes, pickles, gherkins |
| Meat | Grilled steak, poached chicken, cooked ham, cured meats (beef jerky, kielbasa, pepperoni, salami, sausage), meatballs, marinated sirloin, filet mignon, herb-roasted chicken breast, prime rib, mini-meatballs, prosciutto, chorizo, soppressata, grilled cocktail wieners |
| Seafood | Shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops, octopus, squid |
| Fruit | Apples, pears, pineapple, grapes, avocado, cherry tomatoes, apricots, figs, nectarines, peaches, citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines) |
What You'll Learn
Bread
There are many types of bread that work well with fondue. French bread, sourdough, rye, and pumpernickel are all popular choices. For something a little different, you could try a rustic cranberry walnut loaf, or a sweet bread with nuts and dried fruits. If you're feeling ambitious, you could even try making your own baguette or peasant bread from scratch.
If you want to branch out from traditional bread, there are plenty of other bread-adjacent dippers to choose from. Breadsticks, croutons, crackers, bagels, English muffins, tortillas, and pretzels (homemade or store-bought) all make excellent dippers.
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Vegetables
If you're serving raw vegetables, carrots, celery, fennel spears, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers are all great options. You can also serve raw broccoli and cauliflower, although these are more commonly cooked first. Lightly steaming or boiling is a good way to retain their crunch while removing any bitter flavours.
For cooked vegetables, roasting is a popular choice. You could try roasting asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, and green beans. Or, for something a little more unusual, try grilling, frying, or sautéing artichoke hearts, mushrooms, or eggplant/aubergine.
For root vegetables, boiling or steaming is a good option. Try baby potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, fingerling, red, or purple varieties. You could also steam some radishes, pearl onions, or sweet gherkins, although these should be patted dry before serving to avoid watering down the fondue.
Most vegetables will need to be cut into bite-sized pieces or strips to make dipping easier. If the vegetable is small or an awkward shape for dipping, provide toothpicks or skewers.
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Meat
If you want to make a full meal out of your fondue, adding some meat is a great way to do it. Try serving steak cubes, filet mignon, or juicy meatballs with your cheese fondue. You could also go for grilled or fried seafood—a quick and impressive option that pairs well with the cheese. Miniature meatballs are another good choice if you're looking for something fun and filling.
If you're serving hot oil or broth fondue, you can cook your meat in the pot. Just be sure to use the correct fondue fork so you don't have to eat off a greasy fork! Raw meats should be transferred directly from their original bowl to the pot of oil or broth, and never placed on a dinner plate.
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Seafood
Firstly, you will want to choose your seafood. Shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops, squid, and octopus are all great options to dip into a cheese fondue. You could also try wrapping your seafood in bacon before dipping it into the cheese.
If you are serving a hot oil or broth fondue, you will want to offer a selection of at least three dipping sauces. A tomato and ginger sauce, a chickpea sauce, and a cocktail sauce are all good options. You could also try a curry sauce or a simple vinegar sauce with gherkins, capers, green olives, onions, hard-boiled eggs, and mild pickles.
When preparing your seafood, it is best to lightly steam or grill it. Be careful not to overcook it, as seafood can become rubbery and flavorless if cooked for too long. If you are cooking shrimp, try adding some minced garlic and chopped parsley for an extra kick of flavor.
And finally, don't forget to provide your guests with fondue forks so that they can easily dip their seafood into the cheese or broth.
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Fruit
Sliced apples and pears are a classic pairing with Gruyere cheese, making them perfect dippers for cheese fondue. Apples with a crisp, tart flavour, such as Granny Smith apples, complement the creaminess of the fondue well. Bosc pears, with their nutmeg and cinnamon undertones, bring out the spices found in many fondues.
Citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines, cut into thick wedges, also make excellent dippers. If you prefer a sweeter fruit with milder cheese varieties, opt for apricots, nectarines, or peaches, choosing firmer fruit over ripe, mushy ones.
Other fruits that pair well with cheese fondue include pineapple, seedless grapes, dried apricots, and dried figs.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many options for fondue dippers, including bread, crackers, chips, vegetables, cured meats, and fruit.
Yes, it is recommended to cut the dippers into bite-sized pieces before serving. If you are serving raw vegetables, it is a good idea to provide toothpicks or skewers for easier dipping. It is also important to precook any food that would ordinarily be cooked, such as vegetables or meat.
The best type of bread for fondue is a matter of personal preference, but it is recommended to use a denser bread that will hold up to the cheese. Breads such as sourdough, French bread, rye, and pumpernickel are all good options. It is also a good idea to lightly toast the bread before serving to prevent it from falling apart in the cheese.
