Here’s an easy vegan cheese fondue whose rich flavor is amplified by champagne or dry white wine. The creator of this recipe, Claudia Lucero, writes: “I’m on a mission to bring back the fondue party. I honestly don’t understand why it fell out of fashion.
Aside from restaurants where one can enjoy both a fondue meal and dessert, I just don’t hear enough about fondue parties. Let’s change that! Especially on cold and rainy nights, what could be better than gathering around hot cheesy sauce over a flame?
The variations will give you the same type of variety that can be achieved when using different traditional cheeses. Want to join me in my fondue party crusade? Try the serving suggestion and party on! Note: This fondue also works wonderfully as a special pasta sauce if you like to keep things simple.”
Excerpted from One-Hour Dairy-Free Cheese: Make Mozzarella, Cheddar, Feta, and Brie-Style Cheeses—Using Nuts, Seeds, and Vegetables by Claudia Lucero (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2019. Photographs by Matthew Benson.
You’ll need the following equipment:
- Strong blender or food processor
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sturdy wooden spoon
- Silicone scraper (optional but useful)
- Nonstick pan or heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pot, 2-quart capacity
- Heat-resistant serving container or storage container with lid
- Fondue pot, for serving
Variations
Fondue Suisse
Omit the whole grain mustard, 1 of the garlic cloves, and the nutmeg. In step 1, add to the blender:
- 1 tablespoon tahini paste
- 2 teaspoons mild miso (preferably chickpea-based)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Fondue Forte
Omit the champagne, garlic cloves, white pepper, and nutmeg. In step 1, add to the blender:
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup amber ale
- 2 cloves black garlic or roasted garlic
Suggested Fondue Dippers
Savory
- Bell peppers
- Bread (toasted or untoasted)
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Crackers
- Mushrooms
- Potatoes (roasted)
- Pretzels
- Radishes
- Ravioli
- Shishito peppers
- Tortilla chips
Sweet
- Apples
- Apricots (dried)
- Figs (fresh or dried)
- Grape tomatoes
- Grapes
- Nectarines
- Pears
- Pineapple
Fondue Etiquette
- Use your fondue fork or skewer to dip into the fondue and bring your bites to your personal plate.
- No licking or chewing the fork and then double-dipping.
- Use a table fork to eat once you have something on your plate.
- Do not use your table fork to fish around in the fondue when goodies fall off the skewers and into the pot.
- Use a spoon for fishing things out or bringing fondue to your plate only.
- Wear bell-bottoms and sit on floor pillows. (All right, I added this last one. Have fun!)
One-Hour Dairy-Free Cheese is available wherever books are sold
Explore more …
- Easy Cold & Hot Vegan Appetizers
- Vegan Cheese Pairings for Ultimate Enjoyment
- Delicious and Easy Vegan Dips and Spreads
Champagne Vegan Cheese Fondue
Here's an easy vegan cheese fondue whose rich flavor is amplified by champagne or dry white wine.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup blanched almond flour, no skins (not almond meal) or the substitution of your choice (following recipe box)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup steamed cauliflower or the substitution of your choice (following recipe box)
- 1/2 cup champagne (leftover and flat is fine) or dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch or arrowroot powder
- 1/4 cup light olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole grain or Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a strong blender or food processor.
- Blend the ingredients on low and gradually increase to top speed until the mixture is completely smooth. Depending on your machine, this could take 1 minute to 6 minutes. (Stop every minute or so to scrape down the side of the container if needed.)
- Pour the fondue mixture into a medium-size pot or pan. Stir frequently over low to medium heat as the mixture simmers and starts to change from thin to lumpy.
- Stir the mixture continuously in order to eliminate lumps and create a smooth texture. It will thicken dramatically as it heats.
- Stir the mixture for about 5 minutes to fully cook the tapioca starch. Lower the heat if you feel any sticking in the pan or if the blend “spits” too much. Turn off the heat when the fondue is shiny and coats the spoon thickly—you may even see stretchy strings.
- Pour the hot fondue into a serving dish and serve it immediately, so you can enjoy it while it’s hot—you can dip into it or pour it over noodles, casseroles, or steamed vegetables.
- Or pour the mixture into a fondue pot and set it over a low flame or the lowest setting of an electric pot. Store leftovers in a dry, covered container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 1 week. To reheat, whisk 1 tablespoon water or wine into the fondue as it warms in a saucepan. Stir thoroughly.
Notes
See the variations, substitutions, and fondue etiquette following this recipe box.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 291mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used.
Enjoy more vegan appetizers & snacks and sauces & dressings.
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