Meat Fondue Dinner: Perfect Side Dishes To Serve Alongside

Meat fondue is a delightful way to bring people together over a delicious meal. It's a unique and tasty way of serving meat, where guests can cook chunks or strips of meat in a pot of hot oil, broth, or other liquid. The best part? It can be customised to everyone's tastes! Whether you're after something light and fresh or hearty and filling, there are plenty of sides to serve with your fondue.

- Bread and crackers

- Pickles and olives

- Fruits and nuts

- Salads

- Rice

- Potatoes

- Roasted vegetables

- Cheese fondue

- Noodles

- Couscous

Bread and crackers

For bread, you could provide French bread slices, baguettes, focaccia bread cubes, pita wedges, crusty artisanal bread, or even naan bread slices. If you want to serve something a little more unique, you could try pretzels, bagels, English muffins, or tortillas.

As for crackers, an assortment of gourmet wheat crackers and buttery round crackers will add variety to your meat-fondue meal. You could also offer pita chips or tortilla chips for those who prefer something crunchy.

Salads

A simple green salad can be made more interesting by adding ingredients such as beetroot, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and garlic. A Caesar salad or Greek salad would also work well.

If you want to add some fruit to your salad, apples go particularly well with cheese fondue, so you could try a green salad with apple slices.

A grilled corn salad is another option that would complement a meat fondue. This could be served with cheese, bacon, or salsa.

Potatoes

Baked Potato

A classic and easy option, baked potatoes can be served with a variety of toppings such as butter, sour cream, ketchup, or salt. They provide a simple yet delicious contrast to the rich flavours of the meat fondue.

Mashed Potato

Mashed potatoes are a great way to add a creamy and savoury element to your meal. They can be served as a side dish or used for dipping bread. Adding spices can also give a slight kick to the dish.

Roasted Potatoes

For maximum flavour and minimal cleanup, try tossing cubed potatoes in olive oil and baking them until golden brown. Roasted potatoes add a nice crunch and texture to your meal, making them a perfect pairing with the tender meat cooked in the fondue.

Potato Fries

Whether you go for classic potato fries or opt for sweet potato fries, this side dish is a crowd-pleaser. They are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, pairing well with the juicy meat cooked in the fondue.

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are a traditional side dish made with thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy sauce, usually layered with cheese and seasonings. They offer a creamy texture with a slightly firm bite, making them a comforting and filling addition to your meat fondue dinner.

Cheese fondue

What to Dip in Cheese Fondue

Firstly, you will need to decide what your guests will be dipping into the cheese fondue. The most classic option is bread, particularly a French baguette or sourdough, cut into 1-inch cubes. This is the perfect size for dipping and can easily be skewered. Other bread options include pumpernickel, focaccia, pita wedges, and naan bread slices.

If you want to offer something other than bread, there are plenty of options. Apples are a great choice, especially tart varieties like Granny Smith, cut into cubes for easy dipping. Crudites such as cherry tomatoes, sliced red bell peppers, and carrots provide a crunchy contrast to the cheese. Bacon is another surprising but tasty addition, just make sure it is baked until crisp so it doesn't break up in the fondue. Roasted baby potatoes, steamed broccoli, steamed cauliflower, steamed asparagus, button mushrooms, and pickles are also excellent choices for dipping into cheese fondue.

There are many different types of cheese fondue to try, and you can get creative with different combinations of cheeses and flavour additions. Here are some ideas for cheese fondue recipes:

• Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue: This is the traditional variety, made with a blend of firm, mountain-style Swiss cheeses like Gruyere, Emmental, and Appenzeller. White wine is also a key ingredient, adding a smooth texture and balancing the richness of the cheese.
• Zesty Cheddar Fondue: Sharp cheddar is the star of this fondue, with onions, garlic, and cilantro adding a fresh kick. This pairs well with bread and apples.
• Macaroni & Cheese Fondue: A decadent and kid-friendly option, this fondue combines Fontina, Cheddar, and Swiss cheese with pasta for an extra hearty dip.
• Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue: Take the classic spinach and artichoke dip and turn it into a melty cheese fondue, perfect for dipping bread and vegetables.
• Classic Beer Cheese Fondue: Beer and cheese are a match made in heaven, and this fondue is fantastic with pretzels, chips, bread, or vegetable dippers.

Tips for Making Cheese Fondue

When making cheese fondue, it is important to use good-quality cheese and grate it yourself for the best results. The best cheeses for fondue are those that melt smoothly and have a buttery, creamy texture, such as fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. Cornstarch is also key, as it helps to thicken the fondue and prevents the cheese from clumping.

Fondue is a fun and interactive way to enjoy food with friends, and cheese fondue is a classic that is sure to be a hit at your next dinner party!

Fruits

For a more exotic take, you could try a peanut butter and banana fondue. Dried fruits such as apricots and cranberries also pair well with meat fondue, especially when dipped in savoury honey mustard sauces or sweet barbecue sauces.

For a refreshing end to the meal, you could try a simple fruit salad by combining mangoes, strawberries, and blueberries, and drizzling on some honey lime dressing.

Frequently asked questions