Wisconsin Holiday Fondue

Leave it to Wisconsin to turn fondue into a full meal. This version skips the traditional Swiss cheese and wine route, going full Midwest with browned ground beef, pizza sauce, and a mountain of cheddar and mozzarella melted into a thick, scoopable dip.

Fennel seeds are the ingredient that makes this taste like pizza without being pizza. That sweet, anise-like flavor is what you’re tasting in Italian sausage, and it gives the fondue a warmth that straight oregano and garlic can’t deliver on their own.

Adding the cheese by handfuls and stirring after each addition prevents it from clumping into a stringy mass. Patience here means smooth fondue. Dump it all at once and you’ll be fighting cheese clumps for the next ten minutes.

Chef Tips

• Drain the ground beef well after browning. Excess grease will pool on top of the fondue and make it oily instead of creamy.
• Keep the fondue pot on a low flame. Too much heat makes the cheese separate and go grainy. You want it warm enough to stay fluid, not hot enough to bubble.
• Cut the bread into bite-sized cubes with some crust on each piece. The crust gives you something to grip with a fondue fork, and the soft interior soaks up the cheesy sauce.

Variations

• Swap ground beef for crumbled Italian sausage for an even more pronounced pizza flavor.
• Add diced green peppers and sliced mushrooms to the meat while browning for a supreme-style fondue.
• Serve with soft pretzel bites instead of bread for a more festive party presentation.