Dip into this rich, creamy, velvety, and delicious plant-based twist on a classic European cheese fondue. Full of authentic cheese fondue flavor, yet made with all dairy-free, vegan ingredients including cashews and potato - this recipe is as easy to prepare as it is fun to share!
Cheese fondue may be at the top of my list as the ultimate cozy, comfort food to share on a chilly night with family and friends. It's the perfect interactive dining experience where everyone can have fun dipping a variety of small bites into a pot of sumptuously scrumptious hot melted vegan cheese. In fact, it is right up there with a couple other favorite cheesy dishes like our vegan broccoli cheese pot pie, and easy vegan mac & cheese.
During a recent trip to Amsterdam, my family enjoyed an amazing meal at the popular vegan restaurant and plant-based cheesery Mr. & Mrs. Watson. The café is named after Donald Watson, the English animal rights advocate, and his wife Dorothy who co-founded The Vegan Society in 1944. On the menu was a fantastic vegan Prosecco cashew fondue served with bread and seasonal vegetables. It was so good, we couldn’t stop thinking about it.
We just had to try to recreate their luscious vegan cheese fondue. Using our recipe for easy vegan cheese sauce as a jumping off point, we added Prosecco and a splash of kirsch, (also known as Kirschwasser - a dry, colorless brandy distilled from cherries). Kirsch is a common ingredient in Swiss cheese fondue, so we decided to go with tradition and include some in our vegan version.
It turned out absolutely delicious or, as the Dutch would say "verrukkelijk!" The texture was thick and creamy, just as we experienced in Amsterdam and the flavor was rich and tangy with a cheesy tartness and subtle fruity undertone of the Prosecco and kirsch. It's so good, I think you are going to love this easy vegan cheese fondue recipe!
Table of Contents
🥕Fondue Fun Facts
The word fondue originates from the French word "fondre" meaning "to melt".
Fondue is a method of cooking, heating or melting ingredients in a pot or chafing dish with a burner or heat source underneath.
In the 1960's & 70's, due to its trendy popularity, many households had at least one fondue set proudly displayed in their kitchens.
🌱Ingredient Notes
- Cashews - raw & soaked
- Potatoes - we prefer russet potatoes
- Nutritional yeast - we like this brand a lot
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- Non-dairy milk - your choice. We used oat milk.
- Prosecco - or dry white wine
- Kirsch - optional or substitute with any colorless fruit brandy
- Tapioca flour - for thickening
- Garlic - fresh (optional ingredient)
🥕Non-alcohol version: If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute the Prosecco and/or kirsch with additional non-dairy milk, vegetable broth, apple juice or sparkling cider.
What to dip in cheese fondue?
Fondue is all about dipping and this is where you can get as creative as you want! Here are some of our favorite things to enjoy as dippers:
- Bread - Baguettes, sourdough, rustic artisan bread - cut into cubes
- Fruit - Fresh or dried apples, pears, apricots, dates.
- Veggies - Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, potato wedges, artichoke hearts, and pickles, just to name a few.
- Vegan Meats - Firm tofu cubes or slices, seitan, meatless nuggets, or our favorite veggie meatballs.
🌱Serving Suggestions
It's a good idea to lightly cook the vegetables for a few minutes by steaming, blanching in boiling water, or roasting in an oven until they're slightly tender. It helps bring out the colors & flavors while making them easier to eat. See this recipe for creating the best Mediterranean roasted veggies for more tips!
Arrange your bread, veggies, etc. on a cutting board or in individual dishes or bowls. Provide small plates and forks or disposable bamboo skewers for single-use dipping (which isn't a bad idea when entertaining several people).
🌱Instructions
🥕First – soak the cashews. Cashews need to be soaked before using if you want your vegan cheese to be super smooth and creamy. If I know I’m going to make this the next day, I’ll soak the cashews in water (refrigerated) overnight.
A faster method is to cover the cashews in boiling water and allow them to sit for a couple hours. You can also place the cashews covered in water in a saucepan and boil for about 10 minutes on the stovetop until they plump up and soften.
Rinse and drain presoaked cashews.
2. Peel and cut potatoes.
3. Place in a deep pot and cover with water. Boil until tender (but not mushy).
4. Place cashews, cooked potatoes, nutritional yeast, salt & pepper, lemon juice, non-dairy milk, kirsch and tapioca flour in a blender.
5. Blend at high speed. Shut off blender and stir (as needed) in between blending, until smooth.
6. Transfer to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Fold in Prosecco or white wine.
7. Stir a few minutes until cheese is thick and a bit stringy. Remove from heat.
8. Slice garlic in half and rub against the inside walls of your fondue pot (optional). Light burner under pot or plug-in (if electric). Place on a non-flammable surface. Pour cheese into pot. Sprinkle with chopped chives or freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy with cubes of french bread, baguette or sourdough and a variety of veggies, sliced fruit, or vegan meats.
🌱Equipment
- Fondue pot & burner
- Warming candle or fuel
- Forks or bamboo skewers for dipping
- Blender
- 4 qt covered pot
- Silicone spatula or whisk
- Kitchen knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Citrus juicer
- Medium bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cup
🥕Safety Reminder
Never leave a lit fondue pot unattended. Be sure to place the pot on a flame-proof or non-combustable surface. Stir cheese occasionally to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pot. Adjust or lower the flame as needed and make sure to fully extinguish it before the pot is empty.
🌱Fondue FAQ's
Where did fondue originate?
According to this article, it originated in 18th century Switzerland as a means for farm families to stretch their limited resources during the winter months. With some remaining cheese and stale bread, and a dash of wine, the family could gather around the hearth. By dipping the bread in the melted cheese, the bread was softened and became delectable.
What is a fondue pot?
Fondue pots are typically small (2 quart or less) food-safe cooking vessels made of ceramic, stainless steel or cast iron that can be be heated directly underneath with a tea candle, Sterno or cooking fuel. Most come with a flame-proof stand and burner. Some pots are electric.
Do I need a fondue pot to make fondue?
No, you can prepare the cheese in a saucepan on a stove top and place the hot pan on a trivet or heat-proof surface without an added heat source underneath. You might need to occasionally re-heat the cheese to keep it warm, or place it on an electric hotplate.
How do I store leftover cheese fondue?
Since fondue is often served as a "communal" type dish, I do not recommend storing any leftover cheese that has been dipped into by others. If you think you might have more cheese than you will use at one time, package the untouched extra cheese into an airtight container and keep it refrigerated up to 3 days.
How can I make this easy vegan cheese fondue recipe kid-friendly?
This recipe can be made kid-friendly by replacing the alcohol with dairy-free milk, vegetable broth, apple juice or sparkling cider. They'll love it!
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Easy Cheese Fondue Recipe (vegan)
Equipment
- Fondue pot & burner
- Warming candle or fuel
- Fondue forks or bamboo skewers for dipping
- 4 qt covered pot
- Silicone spatula or whisk
- Vegetable peeler
- medium bowl
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Cashews Raw and soaked
- 2 large Potatoes We prefer russet potatoes
- 1.5 tablespoons Nutritional yeast We like this brand
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- ⅓ cup Lemon juice
- ½ cup Non-dairy milk Your choice. We used oat milk.
- ¾ cup Prosecco or dry white wine.
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch Optional
- 1 teaspoon Tapioca flour
- 1 clove Garlic Optional
Instructions
Pre-soak cashews
- Place cashews in a bowl. Cover with water and soak overnight in refrigerator. See notes below for quick method.
Prepare cheese fondue
- Rinse and drain pre-soaked cashews. Place in a blender.
- Peel and cube potatoes. Place in a 4 quart (or larger) pot. Cover with water and place lid over pot.
- Place on high heat. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and drain.
- Place cooked potatoes in blender. Add nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, lemon juice, vegan milk, kirsch and tapioca powder.
- Place lid on blender and blend at high speed until very smooth. You might need shut off the blender occasionally and stir the ingredients a few times as it will be quite thick.
- Transfer blended mixture to a 4 quart (or larger) pot. Place on stove over med-high heat.
- Fold in Prosecco or white wine. Stir with silicone spatula or whisk for a few minutes until cheese is thick and a bit stringy. Remove from heat.
- Slice garlic clove in half and rub the cut side on the inside walls of the fondue pot. (Optional).
- Place fondue pot and stand on a non-flammable surface.
- Light burner under fondue pot or plug-in (if electric).
- Pour hot cheese into fondue pot. Sprinkle with chopped chives or freshly ground black pepper.
- Enjoy with cubes of french bread, baguette or sourdough and a variety of veggies, sliced fruit, or vegan meats.
Notes
- Bread – Baguettes, sourdough, rustic artisan bread – cut into cubes
- Fruit – Fresh or dried apples, pears, apricots, dates.
- Veggies – Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, potato wedges, artichoke hearts, and pickles . . . just to name a few.
- Vegan Meats – Firm tofu cubes or slices, seitan, meatless nuggets, or our favorite veggie meatballs.
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Eve says
I love that your cheese is made of healthy ingredients. I can’t wait to try it. I tend to avoid most vegan cheeses because they’re really not very good for you. Additionally, I was given a few recommendations for different fondue dippers lately that turned out great, that I thought I’d share. Sautéed mushrooms (garlicky) and cornichons. Sautéed mushrooms are always yummy, dipped in cheese… well, of course they were good. I know mini dill pickles sound horrible in cheese sauce, but because it was so weird, I just had to try it! The tartness of the pickle, and its crunch, went very well with the creaminess of the cheese. It was very good! I further the recommendation.
Connie says
Hi Eve! Thanks for your tasty suggestions! Love them all - particularly the mini dill pickles. They really do add a bright contast to the rich cheese.
Jola says
I made this last night and the taste was delicious, but help me determine what I did wrong. I blended everything and although you said the mixture would be thick - it was super thick - like mashed potatoes thick. Do you think the russet potatoes I used were too large. I added a little more prosecco than the recipe called for, but the fondue was too thick for dipping. Help me figure this out.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Jola! I'm so glad you enjoyed the flavor of the fondue! I talked with my daughter Madi (who has prepared this many times) about how thick your cheese sauce turned out. Here are her thoughts on why it may have happened:
Unless your russets were huge, she doesn't think that would be the issue. They should be boiled until tender, but not mushy. The prosecco should be folded in while the mixture is heating, not during blending. If you are willing to try it again and the blended ingredients still appear way too thick, she suggests adding more milk (not more than 1/4 cup) to the mixture before placing on the stove. I hope that helps! Do let us know if you decide to give it another go! Thank you for your comments & the 5-star rating!💚
nancy says
love this fun recipe that's dairy free! great for someone thats lactose intolerant like me!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
You're right Nancy, it is a wonderful alternative to dairy cheese.
Gina Abernathy says
I've never made fondue before. This would be a great New Year's recipe to try.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Thank you Gina. It's surprisingly easy to make. I do hope you'll give it a try!
Mihaela says
This is so worth trying! Not the typical ingredients in my cupboard, but this is precisely what makes it more interesting!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Looking for something new to serve for a small gathering or for a cozy night at home? Look no further! Vegan cheese fondue to the rescue! You won't believe how fun & easy it is to prepare this delish plant-based version of a classic Swiss dish.