Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Fontina Fondue
Of all the fondue recipes I’ve made over the years, this is a favorite. This Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and Cheese Fondue Recipe will rock your party, or your romantic dinner for two!
My first encounter with fondue was on my honeymoon in the summer of 1999… feeling old.
Lt. Dan and I had just finished college and after 3 and a half years of dating we thought, “What the heck, let’s get married!”
Lt. Dan had saved some money for our honeymoon and we determined it was enough for either a week on a tropical island, or a month-long road trip out west. Having just graduated college and not having to start work for a couple months, we opted for the road trip.
We spent an entire month working our way through little towns in Colorado. From Vale, to Steamboat Springs, to Canyon City, to Colorado Springs. We stayed in several cabins a college buddy’s family loaned us, lounged in natural hot springs, hiked, rode horses, and ate in some amazing restaurants.
One of our favorite memories was finding a fondue restaurant called the Mona Lisa in Manitou Springs, the town at the foot of Pikes Peak.
Weren’t we cute? Lovebirds in 1999.
We sat out on a tiny open-air balcony to enjoy our first experience with fondue. We were so young and care-free, that this opulent dining experience felt like it was straight out of the movies. Course after course, wine after wine, we laughed, flirted, and ever so slyly gorged ourselves with bread, cheese and chocolate.
To this day, it was one of the most romantic dinners I’ve ever experienced.
We knew fondue was something we would have to do again. After returning home, we promptly acquired a fondue pot, so we could recreate our experience at home.
We have hosted many fondue parties over the years, each bringing back the memory of our first nostalgic fondue dinner on a balcony in the mountain air.
I’ve experimented with quite a few cheese fondue recipes: the classic swiss, beer and cheddar, irish dubliner fondue… but this pesto laced cheese fondue recipe is a real winner.
I recently discovered DeLallo’s new Simply Pesto, and immediately fell in love with the Sun-Dried Tomato & Olive Pesto.
Guys… it is so good.
Dare I say just as good, if not better, than homemade sun-dried tomato pesto, and made from natural non-scientific ingredients.
We’ve been eating it left and right over DeLallo Whole Wheat Pasta with a sprinkle of fresh romano cheese, but I digress.
This was just the pesto to breathe life into a creamy italian fontina cheese fondue!
I made a classic cheese fondue recipe, using creamy and nutty italian fontina cheese (sometimes called fontal or fontinella.) Then once the cheese was molten and hot, I stirred in a generous scoop of sun-dried tomato pesto to kick up the flavor.
Briny, nutty, fresh and fragrant oozing pot of goodness. That’s what this is.
Try dunking bread, gerkin pickles, or veggies in it, and you have a party in a pot. No noise-makers required.
Pesto Cheese Fondue Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cheese Fondue Recipe:
- 1 1/2 pounds Italian Fontina Fontal cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Gold Medal Flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
- 1/2 cup DeLallo Sun-Dried Tomato & Olive Pesto
Possible items for dipping:
- 1 loaf rustic Italian bread cut into cubes
- Raw vegetables
- Small pickles
- Grapes
- Apples cut into cubes
Instructions
- Set a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add the oil and flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes until thick and smooth, but not dark. Whisk in the wine and bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, heat a fondue pot on its stand in preparation for the fondue. Slowly add the cheese to the hot liquid, stirring continuously to melt. Once all the cheese is melted into the liquid, and the mixture is smooth, stir in the pesto.
- Pour the cheese fondue into the fondue pot to keep it warm and serve with bread cubes, veggies and/or fruit.
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Delallo Foods. All pesto-loving opinions are my own.
Love a dollop or t
Dollop or three over fresh gnocchi…hit submit too quickly
I follow you on Pinterest and love all the pins you share! I just wanted to stop by today (for the first time) to let you know that your recipe pins are some of my favorites, I didn’t know you had a blog too… with gorgeous photos! I’ll be back! :)
I love pesto on a tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwich.
I adore the photo of you two!! Such love in your eyes! :)
And this pesto sounds perfect for fondue! Love it!!
I love pesto stuffed chicken breast. MMMM.
Definitely craving fondue now! Great idea Sommer.
My favorite is chicken pesto sandwiches. My husband even takes them to work.
I don’t know if I have ever had fondue or not. How crazy is that! I need to make this!
Oh and that photo of you and Lt. Dan is adorable!
Pesto over pasta is my favorite, but I’m definitely open to trying it different ways.
Love this fondue, adding pesto is such a great idea!
Am not sure if it went through — we love pesto any way over anything! Our faves are still the classic, over pasta, although i punch up the midl flavors of fish and chicken with good pesto before baking.
Oh, I was thinking I would scroll down and see the same pose today. I bet you’re just as cute today! Looks like such a tasty recipe!
My favorite is still the classic pesto over pasta, although now I also used it to flavor fish fillets or chicken breast fillets– they are so mild, a nutty punch is always a good variation. We love pesto, thank you for this suggestion!
I love pesto on a pannini!
What a cute picture!! Love the idea of honeymooning on a month long road trip! ;) We honeymooned in 1997 in Key West so I’m feeling ya on the old comment. lol
Awww!!! This is so cute and sweet!!! And this fondue….I’m getting out my fondue pot for this one!!! MMMMM!
This fondue looks amazing! Love your story! So sweet!
I love pesto on toasted French bread or pizza!
I never thought about pesto and fondue but that sounds amazing!