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It’s a good idea to figure out what to serve with cheese fondue if you want a unique party idea that is sure to impress the stomachs of all your guests.
Although it’s easy enough to figure out what dippers you’ll want to serve with your fondue, what about any other dishes you’d like to serve, as well?
Table of Contents
What to Serve With Cheese Fondue
Whether you’re planning a backyard pool party or a more elegant dinner party, we’ve collected a list of the best side dishes and entrees that you can serve with cheese fondue.
Appetizers and Finger Food
Appetizers are sure to be a hit mostly because they have everything that most people love about food, delectable flavors in fun bite-size pieces.
You’ll likely want to opt for finger food for a regular function instead of an elegant evening, but they can also work correctly for appetizers as well as entrees.
We especially love the idea of serving finger food along with cheese fondue for sporting events or backyard barbecues.
1. Mini Crab Cakes
Crab is easily one of the best types of seafood to dip into fondue, which is what makes crab cakes a fantastic appetizer option to serve alongside cheese fondue.
Your guests can choose whether they want to dip the fried cakes into the cheese or eat them separately, making it an incredibly versatile option.
There’s nothing quite like the flaky and crispy texture of crab cakes that pairs perfectly with the soft and velvety texture of melted cheese.
2. Bruschetta
Since you will have cheese fondue served separately, it’s best if you opt for cheese-free versions of bruschetta that focus more on the fresh and bright flavors of the tomatoes and onions tossed in a sweet balsamic vinaigrette.
Served on slices of crispy baguette or any other type of bread that you desire, bruschetta is a fantastic choice for summer barbecues since the fresh ingredients are quintessential to the warmer weather.
It’s also a vegan option that anyone with food restrictions will love to get their hands on, with or without fondue.
3. Beer-Battered Fish
Whether you want to cut up pieces of haddock and deep fry them into the perfect finger-sized treats or if you’re going to batter whole shrimp for dipping or eating on the side, beer-battered fish is a savory appetizer that would work perfectly with cheese fondue.
Similar to the crab cakes, fish is an excellent pairing with cheese, and your guests can choose to eat it on its own or dip it into the fondue for an extra kick.
If you want to make this appetizer even more appealing, add a little bit of spiciness by combining jalapeno peppers into the batter, which will elevate the flavors of your fondue ten-fold.
4. Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Sometimes, it’s best to stick with what you know, especially if you aren’t interested in developing an over-the-top menu that will be a hit or miss with your guests.
Homemade chicken nuggets and chicken strips are easy to make, and although there is a little bit of preparation involved with the task, you can guarantee your guests will love them.
Also, they will quickly become a fan favorite of any children you have at the party.
As a creative twist for your chicken nuggets, consider serving a side dish of cheese fondue for each guest to use as their dipping sauce.
You can also pair the cheese with different types of smoky barbecue sauce and ketchup pastes for a nouveau twist on a traditional favorite.
Entrees
Now that you have a good idea of some of the best appetizers and finger food items to serve your guests alongside fondue, let’s discuss some unique entrees that also work well with cheese fondue.
1. Meat Roasts
Whether it be beef, chicken, or pork, meat roasts are a filling and comforting dish that your guests are sure to love along with the filling nature of cheese fondue.
We highly recommend considering a beef roast, as the savory flavor of the meat is something your guests aren’t soon to forget, and you can also pair it with popular sides that you would typically dip into fondue.
For example, you can add roasted baby potatoes and carrots along with the beef that will compliment your chosen cheeses perfectly.
2. Meat Fondue
If you genuinely want to host a fondue-centric party, opting to add meat fondue to the mix is the best option for an entree out of any option on this list.
However, we recommend it for a smaller gathering of up to five people, unless you have multiple fondue pots for your guests to use since it will take a long time for everyone to cook the meat that they want to eat.
Meat fondues are easy to set up, as you provide raw cuts of different slices of meats and prepare vegetable oil in your fondue pots.
Once the oil has reached the desired temperature, your guests will use their fondue forks for cooking their slices of meat individually, and once cooked, people can then choose to dip it in cheese or eat it on its own.
One of the most considerable advantages to meat fondue is that everyone can customize their ingredients to their perfect level of cook, such as rare, medium-rare, or well done.
Not to mention it also takes a lot of pressure off you as the host, as you won’t have to cut giant servings of meat to appease the appetites of your guests.
3. Seafood Kebabs
If you want a more elevated dish that will appeal to the masses, we recommend considering seafood kebabs since they have an assortment of fresh and flavorful ingredients that are equally as satisfying as any other entree you can think of.
On your kebabs, you’ll want to consider pairing slices of salmon, pieces of shrimp, lobster, or even scallops.
You can decide how you want to cook them, although we believe that pre-grilling the kebabs on a barbecue or in your oven is the perfect way to accentuate the flavors of the fish.
Consider different seasonings and herbs, as well, such as fresh dill and Worcestershire sauce, to elevate the dish.
Although seafood kebabs are sure to be quite the investment, they are a unique yet delicious entree that you should serve at an upcoming formal event.
Also, you can opt to dip the kebabs into the cheese fondue instead of serving them as a standalone entree.
Desserts
By this point, your guests should be full of the unique dish options that you’ve served alongside your cheese fondue, but no meal is finished without the perfect dessert.
Fortunately, cheese fondue pairs perfectly with an assortment of fruit-based desserts that you can either make yourself or buy from a local bakery to make hosting even simpler.
1. Tarts
It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t like a fruit tart, and since fruits are one of the most popular ingredients to dip into cheese fondue, serving fruit tarts as a dessert is a great way to finish off any meal.
Another type of tart that you should consider is a butter tart, as they have a smooth and buttery flavor that your guests will love to have to finish off their meal.
Although there are a wide variety of tart recipes, they can be time-consuming to make, so you might want to consider purchasing them from a local bakery.
2. Fruit Salad
If you’re searching for a simple yet delicious dessert that will be a crowd favorite, fruit salad is a phenomenal option.
You’ll want to choose fruits that work perfectly with different types of cheese, such as pears, pineapples, and apples.
Your guests can then decide whether they want to dip the fruit into the cheese or eat it as a complimentary dessert that will pull the flavors of your entire menu together.
What we love the most about fruit salad is that it’s easy to prepare and serve, not to mention if there are any leftovers you can eat guilt-free throughout the week.
3. Chocolate Fondue
Our last and most popular dessert option to work with cheese fondue is chocolate fondue.
There is an endless list of items that you can include with the chocolate fondue that you can dip into the creamy and luxurious texture of the sugary liquid that your guests won’t forget.
From more salty options such as potato chips and pretzels to sweet ingredients such as fruits, marshmallows, and even chocolate chip cookies, you can find plenty of dippers for everyone in the group.
Also, chocolate fondue is incredibly simple to prepare along with a meat fondue and cheese fondue, especially if you have several fondue pots at your disposal.
Final Thoughts
These phenomenal appetizers, entrees, and desserts pair perfectly with fondue, making it easier to know what to serve with cheese fondue.
We guarantee your guests will appreciate the encapsulating flavors that are bound to appease any palate and have everyone feeling full at the end of your event.
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