Cheese Fondue Dips: Perfect Pairing Ideas For Your Next Party

Cheese fondue is a dish that combines melted cheese with wine and a touch of herbs and spices. It can be served as an appetizer or a main course and is best enjoyed with a variety of dippers. While bread is the most popular dipper, there are many other options to elevate your fondue experience. Here are some ideas to get you started:

- Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, asparagus, carrots, and zucchini.

- Fruits: Apples, pears, pineapple, grapes, apricots, and peaches.

- Proteins: Grilled steak, poached chicken, cured meats, shrimp, crab, or lobster.

- Starches: Roasted baby potatoes, pretzels, tortilla chips, or ravioli.

Remember to lightly toast or cook your dippers before serving to ensure they hold together in the warm cheese. So, go ahead and get creative with your dippers, and enjoy your fondue!

Bread, Crackers, and Chips

Bread is the most popular dipper for cheese fondue. You can't go wrong with a French baguette or a simple, no-knead peasant loaf. If you're feeling ambitious, you can bake your own bread, but store-bought options like sourdough, French bread, or a baguette will also do the trick. Toasting your bread of choice is recommended, especially if you're using a type of bread that may fall apart in the cheese. Be sure to cut your bread into large cubes to make it easier to dip.

If you're looking for a crunchier option, crackers are also a great choice. While not as traditional, they can add a nice texture contrast to your fondue. Pretzels, wheat crackers, and tortilla chips are all excellent options to consider.

For a more unique spin on the classic bread option, you could try a rustic cranberry walnut loaf. This combination of sweet and savoury flavours is sure to impress your guests.

No matter which type of bread or cracker you choose, be sure to provide long-handled fondue forks or skewers to avoid any accidents with the hot fondue pot.

Vegetables

Raw vegetables can be a great option, especially crunchy options like carrots, celery, and bell peppers. However, some people may prefer their vegetables cooked, in which case steaming or roasting are good options. Steaming vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and celery can make them more palatable and easier to dip. Roasting vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, and zucchini can bring out their natural sweetness and add a nice charred flavour.

For odd-shaped or small vegetables, it's a good idea to offer toothpicks or skewers to make dipping easier. Long, thin slices of bell peppers, for example, can be easily dipped without the need for a skewer.

Some other vegetable options that go well with fondue include:

• Green beans
• Pearl onions
• Radishes
• Baby potatoes (like Yukon Gold, fingerling, red, or purple)
• Mushrooms (crimini, shiitake, oyster, or portobellos)
• Artichoke hearts
• Fennel spears
• Cherry tomatoes
• Pickled vegetables (such as pearl onions, pickles, or sweet gherkins)

Meat

Steak

Steak is a classic option for fondue. Cut your steak of choice, such as beef tenderloin, beef sirloin, or top round beef, into 1-inch cubes. You can cook the steak in hot oil, adjusting the cooking time based on your desired doneness. Rare steak will take around 25-30 seconds, medium will take 30-35 seconds, and well-done will take 45-60 seconds. You can also dip steak strips or bites into a gooey cheese fondue for a delicious cheesesteak slider.

Sausage

Sausage is another excellent meat option for fondue, especially if you are looking for something with a bit more spice. Authentic sweet Italian sausage pairs well with the savouriness of the cheese. You can also try other types of sausage, such as chorizo or spicy chicken sausage. Cut the sausage into smaller pieces to make it easier to dip.

Chicken

Poached chicken is a great option if you want a mild-flavoured meat that can take on the flavours of the fondue. You can add herbs and spices to the chicken for extra flavour and dip the pieces into the fondue. Chicken breasts in particular go well with cheese fondue.

Bacon

Bacon is a tasty option for those who want a salty and sweet combination. Cook the bacon until it is crispy, and then dip it into chocolate fondue for a unique treat. The crispy bacon can even act as its own skewer!

Seafood

If you want to add some seafood to your fondue, shrimp is an excellent choice. Grilled, roasted, sautéed, or fried shrimp pairs well with a bold cheese fondue made with brandy or white wine. You can also cook raw shrimp in the hot oil along with your other meats.

Seafood

Shrimp

Shrimp is a perfect addition to a classic cheese fondue. It can be roasted, sautéed, fried, or grilled. Before cooking, consider adding some minced garlic and chopped parsley for extra flavour.

Crab and Lobster

Crab and lobster are elegant and decadent offerings, perfect for a special occasion. Lightly steam these seafood options before serving.

Scallops and Squid

Scallops and squid are other great seafood options to serve with fondue. They are generally quicker to cook than meat, but be careful not to overcook them, or they will become rubbery and flavourless.

When serving seafood fondue, it is ideal to offer a selection of at least three dipping sauces for your guests. Here is a recipe for a dipping sauce that goes well with seafood fondue:

• Mix thinly chopped gherkins, capers, green olives, onions, mashed hard-boiled eggs, and mild pickles.
• Gradually add vinegar until the right tartness is achieved.
• Combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, and ensure all sugar dissolves.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled or fried seafood is an impressive and simple option to serve as a fondue dipper, and they tend to pair well with the mellow types of cheese used for the fondue base.

Fruit

When selecting fruit to serve with cheese fondue, it is best to opt for fruit with a crispy and firm texture that can maintain its form when dipped into hot cheese. Apples and pears are classic flavour pairings for Gruyere cheese, a common choice for fondue, and make perfect dippers. Granny Smith apples, in particular, are a great choice as their extra crunch and tartness are a perfect match for melted cheese. Bosc pears also work well, as their nutmeg and cinnamon undertones bring out the spices found in many fondues.

Zesty but sweet citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines also make good dippers when cut into thick wedges. Apricots, nectarines, and peaches are excellent choices for those who prefer to pair sweeter fruit with milder cheese varieties. Again, it is best to opt for firmer fruit rather than ripe and mushy ones.

Frequently asked questions