Spicy Cheddar Fondue

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NaturallyCheesy #CollectiveBias

A piece of broccoli being dipped in bowl of fondue

Fondue isn’t just for dinner parties anymore! Using Kraft Natural Cheese Finely Shredded Sharp Cheddar, whip up delicious, simple Spicy Cheddar Fondue to enjoy while watching the big game.

A bowl of fondue with party platter, napkins and dipping utensils

We’re alllllll about homegating these days, and because of this, I always try to have a good game plan for the weekends.

“A game plan?” you ask.

join our party!

get our latest recipes delivered to your inbox every week — plus all my entertaining tips and tricks!


    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Yes. A game plan.

    As I’ve gotten older and have more and more things piled on my plate, I’ve learned that having a game plan is essential for daily life, as well as in the grocery store. Especially when we’re planning on hosting folks on the weekends for football games.

    The orchestration of everything is important when you’re playing host, and like most new mamas, I don’t have nearly as much time on my hands as I once did. So when the house is quiet, I properly plot, then put the right game plan into motion so that hosting isn’t a stressor during the weekend.

    Because I love hosting and want it to remain fun for me and everyone else. And because I love sharing good food with friends.

    Food dipping into blue bowl of spicy cheddar fondue

    Good food with friends has been a theme since my husband and I got together more than eight years ago.

    When we were younger, we lived in the same town as our alma mater. We tailgated every weekend that the team was in town, waking up early to start the day strong with breakfast tacos, then continuing the celebration into the morning, then afternoon and evening hours.

    Food was always a mainstay, and our tailgate’s cook, one of Winston’s good friends, always made the best food for our party. Homemade fried chicken? That happened more than once. Jambalaya? When the weather felt like fall. Gumbo? That’s almost-wintertime food, y’all.

    Needless to say, that football season so much fun, and I occasionally brought a dessert to add to the fun.

    Unfortunately, it had to end, and the next fall, we moved to Texas.

    Cheese packages in grocery store aisle

    Since we live so far away and have a 6-month-old daughter, we do a ton of homegating these days. We love to have friends over to watch the games with us.

    With that in mind, I plotted out the perfect gameday appetizer for a crowd: easy, cheesy fondue that is family-friendly. So unlike traditional cheese fondues, this recipe calls for whole milk and vegetable stock instead of wine or beer. You’re welcome, world. 😉

    I headed on down to my local Walmart to pick up the ingredients for this recipe. I grabbed a 16 oz. bag of Kraft Natural Shreds in Sharp Cheddar to make this fondue. I also grabbed a block of Kraft Natural Chunk in Marbled Cheddar and Monterey Jack because, well, we love cheese in this house, and it’s always good to have on hand. If you’re not the biggest sharp cheddar fan, you could easily purchase mild cheddar or even add some of the Kraft Natural Chunk Marbled Cheddar and Monterey Jack to the fondue, as well… you just have to shred it up! (Personally, I like the pre-shredded stuff because it saves time, but to each their own!)

    Package of sharp cheddar cheese

    I also grabbed some bread, vegetables and apples to dip into the final fondue pot. Because what’s fondue without the dippers?!

    Also? If you happen to be around your local Walmart on Saturday, September 26th, you can check out a game time demonstration there to get some game day recipe inspiration!

    Apple slice dipped in bowl of spicy cheddar fondue

    When I got home, it was time to assemble the fondue.

    I tossed the cheese in cornstarch — this is a must, y’all, so the cheese doesn’t turn into a gloopy mess! — then heated a large saucepan over medium heat. (You could also do this in an electric fondue pot or heat your old school metal fondue pot over the stove.)

    I added the milk, the veggie broth, Worcestershire, mustard, hot sauce and some garlic, and brought them to a simmer. Then I tossed in the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly so it didn’t burn.

    When the cheese was all melty and gorgeous, I transferred the fondue pot to the table, and we were ready to go. (If you’re working on your weekend game plan and making this fondue in advance to bring to an actual tailgate, I suggest making it on the stovetop, then keeping it warm in the slow cooker. I actually made this during the daytime hours one day, then threw it into the slow cooker so my husband could appreciate it later in the day, too. It worked like a charm! Just remember that you’ll have to stir it occasionally so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.)

    Once the fondue was ready, I assembled my dippers.

    As y’all should know by now, I’m a carb lover, so I would be happy for all the bread in the world with fondue. However, broccoli or cauliflower, apples, carrots, tomatoes and more are totally delicious with this spicy, cheesy fondue. Use your imagination — it’s all quite delicious and fun to dip!

    And then we dug in. And it was wonderfully cheesy with a nice kick, which offers the perfect kind of balance for a tailgate/homegate!

    Here’s how I made it:

    A piece of broccoli being dipped in bowl of fondue

    Spicy Cheddar Fondue

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Fondue isn’t just for high-brow dinner parties anymore! Using Kraft Natural Cheese Finely Shredded Sharp Cheddar, whip up delicious, simple Spicy Cheddar Fondue to enjoy while watching the big game.
    5 from 2 votes
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 190 kcal
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cups whole milk
    • ½ cup vegetable broth
    • 3 garlic cloves finely minced
    • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
    • 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
    • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch
    • 16 oz. Kraft Natural Cheese Finely Shredded Sharp Cheddar

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, toss the shredded cheese with the cornstarch, tossing until the cheese is evenly coated. Set aside.
    • In a stovetop-safe fondue pot or a regular saucepan over medium-high heat, measure in the milk, broth and garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
    • Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the hot sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until incorporated.
    • Add the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so no cheese sticks and burns there.
    • Once all the cheese has been added, is melted and is simmering, add the salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
    • If heating in a saucepan, transfer to a fondue pot and place over a fondue burner. (If you’re making this in advance for an outdoor tailgate or a homegate that’s not at your place, transfer the fondue to a slow cooker, and keep on the low setting. When it comes time to serve, you may have to add more cheese or stock, so keep that on hand just in case.)
    • Serve the fondue immediately with bread, apples, tomatoes, steamed broccoli, or any dipping sides that sound good to you!

    Notes

    Inspired by the alcohol-free fondues from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 10gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 531mgSugar: 2g
    Course Appetizers & Starters
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Overhead view of food dipped in bowl of fondue next to party food platter

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

    Similar Posts

    Before leaving a comment or rating, ask yourself:

    • Did you make the recipe as directed? If you didn’t or made an ingredient swap, please do not leave a rating. Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.
    • Is your comment helpful to others? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Please remember that this website is run by a real person.
    • Are you complaining about ads? I develop these recipes and provide them to you for free. Advertising allows me to continue to do so at not cost to you. It is also unavoidable on the internet and in everyday life. If you want recipes without ads, please purchase a cookbook or borrow one from your local library.

    4 Comments

    1. Das cheeeeeeeese! I love cheese fondu and yours looks like it turned out marvelously! Brilliant adding some spice to give it a little something special. This is the perfect appetizer for entertaining, indeed! Can we watch football and eat fondu together please!?

      1. You and me both, girl. Cheese fondue is the BEST. And yes! Let’s watch football and eat fondue together! That sounds like a fabulous Saturday or Sunday! <3

    2. Oh cheese, how I love you! And with some spice??? Even better! This fondue looks awesome! And yes to planning!! haha I don’t even have kids yet and I’m obsessive about game plans!

      1. Cheese and spice are a match made in foodie heaven. I’m glad you’re totally on the planning bandwagon, too. Life is so much easier if you’ve got a plan… even if said plan gets shot to smithereens during the week. It’s the thought that counts. 😉

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating