Cheese Fondue Mac and Cheese (Gluten Free)

Today’s Cheese Fondue Mac and Cheese is a real winner that everyone will beg you to make again and again. Toss the cheesy wine-infused sauce with pasta and enjoy every bite! This is the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had and I hope you love it just as much as I do!

When I was challenged to create a recipe that contains both wine and cheese, my mind immediately leapt back in time to a day I spent in Belgium when I was working for a company based there …

It was a cold and rainy day in Brussels when a friend and I decided to make the drive out to Bruges, one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Despite the gray skies and brisk winds, we wandered through the streets, across the bridges, and into the town center.

When we got too cold, we stepped into a small café to warm up. And that is when I had the best cheese fondue of my life – luscious morsels of homemade rustic bread dipped into wine infused hot melted cheese. We took one bite after the other, until the pot was empty and we had polished off all the bread.

As we sat at the table warmed by the fire with our tummies full, it began to snow. Large white flakes drifting past the windows as we sipped our wine and talked about our day. It was a fairytale moment in time, a lifetime ago and yet the strength of images and flavors in my mind feel like it was just a couple of months ago. That is the power of food – and the perfect setting!

Today’s recipe is a tribute to that day in Bruges, with the flavors of white wine and a blend of three cheeses to create a more elegant, adult version of mac and cheese. 

On an episode of “The Chew” they featured Chef Michael Symon making his version of cheese fondue. I thought, “How fantastic would that be if it was combined with pasta.” So I put together a new recipe that combines the technique I borrowed from Chef Symon with the flavors of the Bruges fondue to create a cheesy casserole. And I have to tell you – this one hit it out of the proverbial park.

The beauty of this recipe is that unlike most cheese sauces, there is no bechamel sauce required! Chef Symon tosses his shredded cheese with a little cornstarch (you could use arrowroot if you can’t have corn products) and then adds it to a simmering wine and shallot mixture. The cornstarch thickens the wine and then the cheese melts and suddenly you have a luscious, creamy gluten-free cheese sauce. Miracles happen every day!

I wanted to use the Gruyere cheese that is the most common base for fondue, but I also wanted to add some others to boost the creaminess factor and smooth out the flavors. I wound up with a combination of Gruyere, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Havarti that worked beautifully. Thankfully it proved to be just as good as it smelled and the Artist and I inhaled our portions.

When you want something that will appeal to the adults in your crowd (or if you have adventurous kids), make this Cheese Fondue Mac and Cheese. It is good old-fashioned comfort food, elevated to an exceptional elegance. It would a wonderful New Year’s Eve meal, served with champagne of course!

This is our latest edition of Progressive Eats, where a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

This month’s theme is Wine and Cheese, with recipes that contain either or both ingredients, and hosted by Jenni Field of Pastry Chef Online. You’ll love all the recipes that will be perfect for cozy meals at home, lovely dinner parties with friends, or to take with you to potluck suppers! Make sure you check out all the links below the recipe.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Cheese Fondue Mac and Cheese:

• Butter, oil, onion, white wine, thyme leaves, Gruyere, Cheddar
• Monterey Jack, Havarti, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, Dijon mustard
• Gluten-free pasta, Parmesan, GF breadcrumbs, parsley, green onions

PRO Tip:

I made two version of this recipe, one with gluten-free breadcrumbs and the other without (using smaller baking pans). Both were delicious, but I liked the texture that the breadcrumbs added. If you are making this ahead, bake it without the breadcrumbs and add them when you reheat the casserole so they stay crunchy.

How to make Cheese Fondue Mac and Cheese:

1. Melt the butter and oil together then add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring often; add the wine and bring to a simmer, lower the heat and cook 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced and stir in the thyme
2. Place all the grated cheese and sprinkle with the cornstarch and using your hands, toss the cheese until evenly coated; add the coated cheese to the wine mixture a handful at a time, waiting until mostly melted before adding more, whisking constantly, when all melted, take off the heat
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the mustard, whisking until smooth; add some pasta cooking water if needed for a thinner, smoother consistency and keep warm over very low heat, stirring often
4. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, stirring occasionally, according to directions on the package; scoop out a cup of the cooking water and reserve; drain pasta in a colander and transfer to a large mixing bowl, pour in the cheese sauce and toss until completely coated, if the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water – you want it a little soupier than normal because pasta soaks up the liquid
5. Pour the pasta into a buttered 9×13-inch baking pan or similar size casserole dish, sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top and if using buttered breadcrumbs, add those to the top of the dish too; turn on the broiler and cook the casserole until the top is browned and bubbling, about 3 minutes (you can skip this step if you want)
6. Sprinkle the top with chopped green onions, parsley, or more fresh thyme, scoop servings into bowls, and serve hot

PRO Tip:

To make buttered breadcrumbs, melt butter in a saucepan and stir in breadcrumbs (preferably fresh, but dried are OK). Once the bread is evenly coated, use the breadcrumbs to top your dishes.

PRO Tip:

If you don’t drink wine often and don’t want to open a bottle just for this recipe, try dry vermouth (be sure it is dry!). It is much less expensive, holds beautifully in the refrigerator after opening, and works in recipes that call for white wine. I always have a bottle on hand.

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowls
• Cheese grater
• Medium saucepan
• Stockpot
• Colander
• Large mixing bowl

Gluten-Free Tips:

The cornstarch is the thickener, so there is no gluten to worry about in the sauce. Buy the best quality gluten-free pasta that you can afford – it will hold up better to the heavy cheese sauce. Also, remember that the pasta will finish cooking with the residual heat and in the oven, so don’t cook it quite all the way through before combining with the cheese sauce.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

*NOTE: The major gluten-free organizations have declared that wines are gluten-free. There is a very slight possibility that the caulk used in some wine barrels may contain gluten. For some very sensitive people this may cause issues. If you want to avoid this, look  for wineries that do all their aging in steel tanks.

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Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Cheese Fondue Mac and Cheese (Gluten Free)

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Today’s Cheese Fondue Mac and Cheese is a real winner that everyone will beg you to make again and again. Toss the cheesy wine-infused sauce with pasta and enjoy every bite! This is the best mac and cheese I've ever had and I hope you love it just as much as I do!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Cheese Sauce

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small white onion, finely minced
• 1-1/4 cups (284g) dry white wine, dry vermouth, or chicken stock
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 10 oz (284g) Gruyere cheese, grated
• 6 oz (170g) medium-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 5 oz (141g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 5 oz (141g) Havarti cheese, grated
• 4 tsp (9g) cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard

Pasta

• 12 to 16 oz (340g to 454g) macaroni, penne, rotini, or similar pasta (gluten-free if needed *see note)
• Kosher or sea salt

Casserole

• 1/2 cup (50g) grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
• Buttered breadcrumbs, optional (gluten-free if needed)
• Chopped fresh parsley, green onions, or more fresh thyme, for garnish

Instructions

1. Lightly butter a large 3- to 4-quart (2.8 to 3.8L) baking dish, such as a deep 9x13-inch (23x33cm) pan or something similar.
2. Make the Cheese Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and oil over medium heat. When the butter is melted and starting to bubble, add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the thyme.
3. While the wine mixture is simmering, in a medium bowl, place the grated cheeses and sprinkle with the cornstarch. Using your hands, toss the cheese to evenly coat it with the cornstarch. This will help thicken the mixture without using flour and give a creamier mouthfeel.
4. While whisking the wine mixture, add the cheese one handful at a time, waiting until it is mostly melted before adding more. Whisk constantly until all of the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.
5. Season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the mustard. Whisk until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce slightly if needed. Keep warm over very low heat.
6. Prepare the Pasta: In a large stockpot filled 3/4 with water, bring to a boil over high heat. Add enough salt that the water tastes salty and stir until dissolved. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, following the suggested times on the package. Before draining, scoop out 1 cup (237ml) of the cooking water and reserve.
7. Drain the pasta in a colander, shaking to remove excess water. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and toss until completely coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water - remember that pasta tends to absorb liquid from sauces, so you always want it a little soupier than you think it should be.
8. Pour the cheese and pasta into the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle the Parmesan over the top of the casserole. If using the breadcrumbs, mix melted butter into the breadcrumbs, stirring until fully incorporated, and sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs over the top.
9. Brown the Casserole: Move a rack to the top part of the oven and preheat the broiler on high for about 5 minutes. Place the casserole in the oven and cook until the top of the casserole is browned and bubbling, 3 minutes. Time will depend on the strength of your broiler and how far the rack is from the heating element. (You can skip this step if you prefer.)
10. To Serve: Sprinkle the casserole with chopped green onions, parsley, or more fresh thyme. Scoop servings into individual bowls and serve hot.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

* Because gluten-free pasta does not hold up as well as traditional wheat pasta, if you make this casserole with gluten-free pasta, I recommend you only make as much pasta as you will eat at one meal. If you do have leftovers, do not be surprised if the pasta tends to break down when you reheat it. It is still delicious, but the texture will be different. You can hold the cheese sauce in the fridge, reheat gently over low heat and combine with freshly boiled pasta for the best texture with gluten-free pasta.

The cornstarch is your thickener, so there is no gluten to worry about in the sauce. Buy the best quality gluten-free pasta that you can afford – it will hold up better to the heavy cheese sauce. Also, remember that the pasta will finish cooking with the residual heat and in the oven, so don't cook it all the way through before combining with the cheese sauce.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

The major gluten-free organizations have declared that wines are gluten-free. There is a very slight possibility that the caulk used in some wine barrels may contain gluten. For some very sensitive people this may cause issues. If you want to avoid this, search for wineries that do all their aging in steel tanks.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 931Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 931mgCarbohydrates: 95gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 39g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.

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This recipe is part of our monthly progressive dinner party, Progressive Eats. See the links below for more inspiration and great recipes!

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in March 2016. The article was updated in 2022.