Creamy Vegan Fondue
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer
Fondue. The word conjures up images of impossibly luscious, cheesy decadence. Skewers of soft bread dipped into a creamy pool of silky goodness. Doesn't get any better, does it?
Well, if you're fondue is made with cheese, it actually can get better–a LOT better! It's no secret that cheese is high in calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol–things that can lead to an increased risk of heart disease. No thanks! Not when we can use simple plant-based ingredients to create creamy vegan fondue that's scrumptious and healthy.
Plant-based ingredients, like potatoes, cashews, and beans, make a creamy–and nourishing vegan fondue. Potatoes may seem like an odd addition to a vegan cheese sauce but they have a magical ability to turn a humble puree into a luscious, glossy cheese sauce. Tapioca starch thickens the sauce and creates the perfect stretchy texture. Use cornstarch if you can’t find tapioca, but the result will be less stretchy.
For an appetizer that’s sure to please, serve the warm fondue inside a hollowed-out loaf of bread with lots of cubes alongside. For a gluten-free option, serve in a casserole dish or small pot. Put the read bowl on a curring board or platter and add more dippers, like steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and squash. Sliced apples work just as well! And if you have any left, serve the fondue over pasta for a decadent take on vegan mac ‘n cheese. However you choose to serve it, this sauce is a winner!
Ingredients
3 ½ cups vegetable broth
2 medium waxy potatoes (red, yellow, or Yukon Gold), peeled and diced, about 2 cups
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or butter beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cup raw cashews
1 small onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
½ cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
2 tablespoons light-colored miso
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Pinch of nutmeg, optional
For serving
1 large, round sourdough boule, or smaller individual-sized round loaves of bread, tops removed and hollowed out leaving a 1-inch border all around. Carefully hollow out so you can cut cubes of bread for dipping. Or serve fondue in a small casserole dish.
¼ cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese, optional
Dippers: Cubed bread, from hollowing out the boule; blanched/steamed vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, potatoes, or asparagus tips; fresh fruit like sliced apples, pears, or figs.
Directions
Put the vegetable broth in a large pot and add the potatoes, beans, cashews, onion, garlic, and salt. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender. Add nutritional yeast, vinegar, tapioca, miso, and mustard. (Safety tip: if blending while hot, remove the knob from the blender lid and partially cover with a towel while blending to let steam escape.) Blend for about 1 minute or until completely smooth and glossy.
Transfer the fondue mixture back to the pot. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching and browning on the bottom until the fondue is gently bubbling and slightly thickened and stretchy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg. Taste, adding additional salt if necessary.
Transfer fondue to a bread bowl or casserole and serve surrounded by dippers.
If using vegan mozzarella, turn the broiler on high. Place the bread bowl or casserole dish on a baking tray. Pour the thickened fondue mixture into the bread bowl and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Place the tray in the oven under the broiler for about 1 minute or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbling. Transfer the bread bowl to a platter or board and serve immediately.
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