Fondue for a gluten-free vegan?

[Anonymous]

Our Christmas Eve tradition is fondue.
One cheese for bread, apples, veg.
One broth for meat, shrimp, and veg.
One chocolate for pound cake, fruit, pretzels, marshmallows.

One of our regular guests informed me they're now gluten free, lactose free, and vegetarian (no meat or dairy but they eat eggs). They don't want me to change a thing about the traditional menu and said they'd be happy just eating the vegetables and fruit raw.

I don't feel comfortable just doing that. I suggested skipping the fondue to make something that would work for everyone and they insisted I keep it since it's a tradition and everyone else loves it.

What can I add to the spread to make it hospitable? I can keep a separate broth vegetarian to do just veggies. Would tofu be good? Extra interesting mushrooms? Some additional side dishes? Dessert? Is there a way to do dairy free chocolate fondue?

I'd welcome any ideas!

[Anonymous]

I would keep things the way that you always do it and make sure that you have enough other things they can eat. We also do fondue (on New Years’ Eve) and a couple of my kids just eat the various dipping items without dipping them because they don’t like to. Have generous appetizers of other things and you will be fine.

As a host, you need to feed all your guests. But you don’t need to feed all your guests all the same things.

[Anonymous]

You are nice to try to accommodate this. Tofu tastes good when it has yummy seasonings on it. I'm not sure fondue is the way to go there. You could do mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers? It wont be very filing but it will be warm and fun.


Carob is a vegan alternative to chocolate. However, the only item on your list that you mentioned that fits this diet is fruit. Could you just do a plate with fruit, carob and maybe some nuts and skip the fondue part for dessert?

[Anonymous]

Definitely keep the fondue. You don't want other people resenting the vegan.

Vegetable broth sounds like a nice addition.

And although I haven't tried these, I've seen some vegan caramel dip recipes that look good - maybe one of those would work along the chocolate fondue? I know one of my (very much NOT vegan) teens would choose to dip fruit and pretzels in caramel instead of chocolate any day. (Not knocking the chocolate, my other kid would be all over that, just pointing out that caramel is good in its own right, not just a concession).

[Anonymous]

How about some dips your guest can add to the veggies you have for fondue? Add some chunkier items like mushrooms, pea pods, or raw zucchini cut in rounds or spears

How about a bean-based dip - a few kinds of hummus?
https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-dip-recipes/

Vegan Roast beet dip?
https://minimalistbaker.com/roasted-beet-hummus/

Make a GF dessert - if she eats eggs, how about meringue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely keep the fondue. You don't want other people resenting the vegan.

Vegetable broth sounds like a nice addition.

And although I haven't tried these, I've seen some vegan caramel dip recipes that look good - maybe one of those would work along the chocolate fondue? I know one of my (very much NOT vegan) teens would choose to dip fruit and pretzels in caramel instead of chocolate any day. (Not knocking the chocolate, my other kid would be all over that, just pointing out that caramel is good in its own right, not just a concession).

Caramel is dairy based, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about some dips your guest can add to the veggies you have for fondue? Add some chunkier items like mushrooms, pea pods, or raw zucchini cut in rounds or spears

How about a bean-based dip - a few kinds of hummus?
https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-dip-recipes/

Vegan Roast beet dip?
https://minimalistbaker.com/roasted-beet-hummus/

Make a GF dessert - if she eats eggs, how about meringue?

These dips are a great idea! I thought of hummus but wanted something warm. That link actually heats up hummus! Interesting. I also like the sound of Kale & White Bean Artichoke Dip.

Instead if bread I could also have those mini potatoes for dipping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely keep the fondue. You don't want other people resenting the vegan.

Vegetable broth sounds like a nice addition.

And although I haven't tried these, I've seen some vegan caramel dip recipes that look good - maybe one of those would work along the chocolate fondue? I know one of my (very much NOT vegan) teens would choose to dip fruit and pretzels in caramel instead of chocolate any day. (Not knocking the chocolate, my other kid would be all over that, just pointing out that caramel is good in its own right, not just a concession).

Caramel is dairy based, right?

Caramel, in its purest form, is based on pure sugar.

Caramel dips often rely on some form of dairy to smooth it out to a dippable consistency. But there are recipes that use coconut milk or other vegan alternatives to get that consistency. Again, I haven't tried them, but I think they look pretty good based on what I know about how sugar caramel reacts with fats & liquid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about some dips your guest can add to the veggies you have for fondue? Add some chunkier items like mushrooms, pea pods, or raw zucchini cut in rounds or spears

How about a bean-based dip - a few kinds of hummus?
https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-vegan-dip-recipes/

Vegan Roast beet dip?
https://minimalistbaker.com/roasted-beet-hummus/

Make a GF dessert - if she eats eggs, how about meringue?

These dips are a great idea! I thought of hummus but wanted something warm. That link actually heats up hummus! Interesting. I also like the sound of Kale & White Bean Artichoke Dip.

Instead if bread I could also have those mini potatoes for dipping.

Potatoes can also be used as bread in cheese fondue. Win win

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely keep the fondue. You don't want other people resenting the vegan.

Vegetable broth sounds like a nice addition.

And although I haven't tried these, I've seen some vegan caramel dip recipes that look good - maybe one of those would work along the chocolate fondue? I know one of my (very much NOT vegan) teens would choose to dip fruit and pretzels in caramel instead of chocolate any day. (Not knocking the chocolate, my other kid would be all over that, just pointing out that caramel is good in its own right, not just a concession).

Caramel is dairy based, right?

Caramel, in its purest form, is based on pure sugar.

Caramel dips often rely on some form of dairy to smooth it out to a dippable consistency. But there are recipes that use coconut milk or other vegan alternatives to get that consistency. Again, I haven't tried them, but I think they look pretty good based on what I know about how sugar caramel reacts with fats & liquid.

“Vegan caramel” is often dates and maple syrup blended together. It works for a thin layer in a cookie or a topping on overnight oats, but a whole bowl for dipping would not be appealing.


Caramel sauce or candy usually contains heavy cream. What people think of as caramel dip for apples is more like dulce de leche, which is made from sweetened condensed milk. Butterscotch also has dairy as its brown sugar and butter.

[Anonymous]

Op here. My regular chocolate fondue has cream but I could experiment with a dairy free chocolate and coconut cream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our Christmas Eve tradition is fondue.
One cheese for bread, apples, veg.
One broth for meat, shrimp, and veg.
One chocolate for pound cake, fruit, pretzels, marshmallows.

One of our regular guests informed me they're now gluten free, lactose free, and vegetarian (no meat or dairy but they eat eggs). They don't want me to change a thing about the traditional menu and said they'd be happy just eating the vegetables and fruit raw.

I don't feel comfortable just doing that. I suggested skipping the fondue to make something that would work for everyone and they insisted I keep it since it's a tradition and everyone else loves it.

What can I add to the spread to make it hospitable? I can keep a separate broth vegetarian to do just veggies. Would tofu be good? Extra interesting mushrooms? Some additional side dishes? Dessert? Is there a way to do dairy free chocolate fondue?

I'd welcome any ideas!

Why would you do that? Don't contort yourself to accommodate some guest's annoying, obnoxious dietary choices, especially if they're at least cognizant enough of their stupidity to say they'll just eat the vegetables, which is what gluten-free vegans should be doing anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our Christmas Eve tradition is fondue.
One cheese for bread, apples, veg.
One broth for meat, shrimp, and veg.
One chocolate for pound cake, fruit, pretzels, marshmallows.

One of our regular guests informed me they're now gluten free, lactose free, and vegetarian (no meat or dairy but they eat eggs). They don't want me to change a thing about the traditional menu and said they'd be happy just eating the vegetables and fruit raw.

I don't feel comfortable just doing that. I suggested skipping the fondue to make something that would work for everyone and they insisted I keep it since it's a tradition and everyone else loves it.

What can I add to the spread to make it hospitable? I can keep a separate broth vegetarian to do just veggies. Would tofu be good? Extra interesting mushrooms? Some additional side dishes? Dessert? Is there a way to do dairy free chocolate fondue?

I'd welcome any ideas!

Why would you do that? Don't contort yourself to accommodate some guest's annoying, obnoxious dietary choices, especially if they're at least cognizant enough of their stupidity to say they'll just eat the vegetables, which is what gluten-free vegans should be doing anyway?

It's stupidity to follow doctor's orders? My guest is one of the kindest sand most generous people, which is why they are saying not to change anything on their behalf. I love them and want them to feel welcome and find a way to be healthy again, so of course I will think about how to help them and make them feel included and loved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My regular chocolate fondue has cream but I could experiment with a dairy free chocolate and coconut cream.

I haven’t worked with it, but there is sweetened condensed coconut milk. Harris Teeter often carries it, Wegmans might too. I see it at other shops as well. Either with baking items or in natural foods section.

Have you considered a mezze type spread? Stuffed grape leaves, hummus, gf crackers, roast veg, etc. DC Vegan sells nut cheeses and you could hit a Lebanese market for dips/olives etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our Christmas Eve tradition is fondue.
One cheese for bread, apples, veg.
One broth for meat, shrimp, and veg.
One chocolate for pound cake, fruit, pretzels, marshmallows.

One of our regular guests informed me they're now gluten free, lactose free, and vegetarian (no meat or dairy but they eat eggs). They don't want me to change a thing about the traditional menu and said they'd be happy just eating the vegetables and fruit raw.

I don't feel comfortable just doing that. I suggested skipping the fondue to make something that would work for everyone and they insisted I keep it since it's a tradition and everyone else loves it.

What can I add to the spread to make it hospitable? I can keep a separate broth vegetarian to do just veggies. Would tofu be good? Extra interesting mushrooms? Some additional side dishes? Dessert? Is there a way to do dairy free chocolate fondue?

I'd welcome any ideas!

Why would you do that? Don't contort yourself to accommodate some guest's annoying, obnoxious dietary choices, especially if they're at least cognizant enough of their stupidity to say they'll just eat the vegetables, which is what gluten-free vegans should be doing anyway?

It's stupidity to follow doctor's orders? My guest is one of the kindest sand most generous people, which is why they are saying not to change anything on their behalf. I love them and want them to feel welcome and find a way to be healthy again, so of course I will think about how to help them and make them feel included and loved.

From another with multiple food sensitivities who tends to make do or cook for myself- I thank you for your gracious, thoughtful, and loving hospitality.