Hello, my chickpeas! Today's recipe is for anyone who loves cheese but also loves to keep things dairy-free. This Easy Vegan Cheese Fondue is delicious, easy to make, and perfect for entertaining guests or for a fun date night. The base of this vegan fondue recipe is cashews and white beans, keeping it creamy but fully dairy-free.

This recipe comes together quicker than you probably expect. So get your dippers of choice ready, throw this recipe together, and let's fondue!
Inspiration for Easy Vegan Cheese Fondue
I'm one of those vegans who used to say I could never go vegan "because I love cheese too much". So I take any cheese-related recipe very seriously! As a kid my mom had a cheese fondue recipe that I LOVED. I even requested her fondue as my birthday dinner multiple years in a row. This recipe is a nod to that one, though the ingredients themselves are very different to keep it vegan.
I kept this vegan fondue creamy by using cashews and white beans. We are pulling in those cheesy flavors with nutritional yeast and nondairy milk. Plus we are bringing in a ton of savory "beer cheese" vibes with our seasonings, vinegars, and of course beer. (However, I do include a beer-free option if you prefer!)
Ingredients
This recipe has LOTS of savory and cheesy flavor going on. Let's go over our ingredients.
- Cannellini beans, raw cashews, & nondairy milk: all of these make our fondue nice and creamy!
- White wine vinegar & apple cider vinegar: for a bit of acidity to cut through the other rich flavors.
- Beer OR veggie broth: for a vegan twist on beer cheese fondue, go with the beer! Blonde ale or lager will work best. However, veggie broth also works great if you don't want that beer flavor!
- Nutritional yeast: for those cheesy vibes.
- Tapioca starch: this helps to thicken our vegan fondue and give it a slightly more cheesy consistency.
- Onion powder, garlic, miso paste, and dijon mustard: these are very savory and play into the "beer cheese" flavors very nicely.
How to Make Vegan Cheese Fondue
This recipe is honestly pretty simple! I usually spend more time prepping my veggies and other items that I dip in the fondue than I do making the fondue itself. Here are the basics!
- Blend all fondue ingredients together.
- Bring your mixture to a simmer on the stovetop, whisking frequently.
- Allow your mixture to thicken.
- Add salt to taste. Transfer to a fondue pot at low heat.
- Serve with steamed veggies, toasted bagels, or whatever else you'd like & enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
I am SO proud of this recipe and I cannot wait for you to try it. Here are some of my tips & tricks for best enjoying this Vegan Cheese Fondue!
- You'll notice that you can either use beer OR veggie broth in this recipe. The beer option will give stronger beer cheese vibes, but either option is delicious. If you are WFPB or just prefer to not cook with alcohol, feel free to simply use veggie broth!
- Get creative with what you dip in the fondue! I love all the options listed in the recipe - toasted bagel pieces, steamed veggies, and of course Crispy Baked Tofu. Some other options that could be fun are apple slices, roasted potatoes, or even vegan meatballs!
- You may notice that I have 2 other cheesy sauce recipes - my Quick Vegan Queso and my Vegan Cheddar Cheese Sauce! These all have different flavor profiles and serve different purposes, but are all deliciously cheesy. Be sure to check out the others if you love cheesy vegan recipes like this one!
Enjoy!
Easy Vegan Cheese Fondue
Ingredients
- 1 can white cannellini beans - drained and rinsed
- ½ cup raw cashews - soaked in very hot water for 20-30 minutes (OR in room temperature water overnight)
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup beer* (OR veggie broth)
- 1 cup nondairy milk - (I like cashew best for this)
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1.5 teaspoon dijon mustard
Optional, for dipping:
- Joyful Balance Crispy Baked Tofu
- Bagels - (I like to chop them into bite-sized pieces and then bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes to toast them)
- Steamed or raw broccoli & carrots - (I like to steam mine about 10 minutes)
Instructions
- Add all fondue ingredients to a high powered blender. Blend until very smooth.
- Pour your blended mixture into a pot at medium-low heat on the stovetop. Whisk frequently and slowly increase to medium heat as you bring it to a simmer.
- As the mixture starts to simmer, it will also begin to thicken. Keep whisking. Once the fondue has thickened enough that it coats the back of a spoon (without running off), it's ready.
- Add more salt to taste if desired. Transfer to a fondue pot at low heat to maintain the warmth while serving.
- Serve with whatever you'd like - such as steamed veggies, crispy tofu, or toasted bagels. Enjoy!
Notes
Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your fondue-making ways.
Stay joyfully balanced!
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