Fondue Chinoise (Vegan Hot Pot Recipe)

This vegan fondue chinoise, made with a rich vegetable broth, offers a lighter, healthier alternative to the oil-based method. With a variety of plant-based goodies, it makes for a fun, interactive dish perfect for gatherings.

Why You'll Love This Fondue Chinoise

• By using plant-based ingredients and opting for a vegetable broth, you're treating yourself to a meal that's not just delicious but also better for you.
• Like this Easy Vegan Cashew Queso, this vegan broth version is about the experience. It's a great way to bring friends and family together, cooking and chatting around the pot.
• You can have various ingredients to choose from - from different vegetables to your favorite vegan proteins like Meati steaks, tofu, or one of these 15 Delicious Vegan Sausage Recipes.
• A rich, flavorful veggie broth paired with delicious vegan dipping sauces makes this dish incredibly satisfying - you won't miss the meat.
• It's super adaptable to different tastes and preferences. Don't like tofu? Swap it out. Love mushrooms? Use more.

What is Fondue Chinoise?

Fondue chinoise is a Swiss take on Chinese hot pot, traditionally enjoyed during the holidays.

Inspired by ancient Mongolian and Chinese hot pots, it features a simmering broth at the center of the table where diners cook bite-sized pieces of meat, seafood, and vegetables using fondue forks. The real highlight? A variety of dipping sauces that add bold flavors to every bite.

Transforming this dish into a vegan version is easy-just swap out the meat for tofu, tempeh, or seitan, which soak up the broth's rich flavors.

The vegan broth is made with vegetable stock, herbs, and spices, and pairs perfectly with vegan-friendly sauces like soy, chili, or creamy dips. Many traditional sauces are already vegan or can be easily adapted-see below for more suggestions!

The Fondue Chinoise Broth

The broth is the heart of fondue chinoise. Unlike oil-based fondues, the broth keeps things light while delivering real depth of flavor - and it doubles as a soup at the end of the meal once everything has cooked in it.

For this vegan version, a well-seasoned vegetable broth does the job beautifully. A few things that make a better Chinese fondue broth:

• Start with good stock. Homemade or a quality store-bought vegetable broth - it makes a real difference since everything cooks in it.
• Add aromatics. Fresh ginger slices, a smashed garlic clove, and a splash of soy sauce add depth without overpowering the dippers.
• Keep it at a gentle simmer. A full rolling boil toughens tofu and mushrooms. A low simmer lets everything cook through evenly.
• Drink it at the end. Once everyone's done, the broth has absorbed all the flavor from hours of dipping. Ladle it into small cups - it's the best part of the whole meal.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make the broth, plus some notes below. See the recipe card for quantities.

I use this vegetable-based paste to make the broth even stronger and more flavorful. You can also opt for vegan beef bouillon cubes.

What to Dip in Fondue Chinoise?

Note that some vegetables may need to be blanched or parboiled to reduce cooking time when enjoying the fondue. I also like to brown the 'meat' for a nice visual appeal.

• mushrooms - Use button, cremini, or shitake
• firm tofu - I bake it slightly in my air fryer at 350°F for 12 minutes to dry it out.
• vegan meatballs - brown in a skillet first.
• pasta - vegan tortellini or ravioli are great choices because they don't require long cooking time, and the 'dipping dagger' can hold onto them well.
• seitan - Make your own, like this High Protein Lupini Bean Seitan, or buy your favorite. My favorite store-bought seitan brand is Field Roast.
• baby potatoes - parboiled
• baby corn
• cherry tomatoes
• bell peppers
• snap peas
• zucchini - parboiled or blanched
• artichoke hearts
• Meati steak
• Beyond Meat sausages
• asparagus spears
• broccoli florets - parboiled or blanched
• carrots - parboiled
• cauliflower - parboiled

Dipping Sauces for Fondue Chinoise

Here are some suggestions for sauces. For more on how to make your own delicious vegan sauces, visit How to Make Homemade Vegan Sauces (Easy + Fast).

• Vegan Chipotle Aioli
• spicy mustard
• Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce
• soy sauce
• Easy Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce
• Cuban chimichurri
• tartar sauce
• cocktail sauce
• mustard sauce
• vegan Béarnaise Sauce
• curry sauce
• horseradish sauce

How To Make Fondue Chinoise (Vegan)

Here is where you'll find pictures of the process. See the recipe card for details.

Have your sauces ready to go. If you are making homemade sauces, they can be made in advance and remember to parboil the necessary ingredients.

Step 1: Mix vegetable broth, minced garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns in a large pot. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.

Step 2: While the broth simmers, prepare bite-sized pieces of your dipping ingredients.

Step 3: Transfer the broth to a fondue pot over a flame, maintaining a gentle simmer.

Step 4: Skewer and cook the ingredients in the hot broth, typically taking just a few minutes per item. After cooking, dip the items in the various sauces you've prepared.

Serving Suggestions

• End your fondue meal sweetly with this Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Fondue or Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Fondue. Continue dipping with various fruits, vegan marshmallows, and baked goods.

Equipment

Fondue chinoise pots are different from cheese fondue pots.

Fondue chinoise involves cooking meat, fish, and vegetables in a hot broth, so the pot is typically larger and deeper, designed to handle a large amount of liquid, and suitable for simmering. These pots are often made of stainless steel to manage the high heat required for the broth.

In contrast, cheese fondue pots are generally smaller and shallower, designed for melting and keeping cheese warm at a lower temperature, and are often made of ceramic or cast iron.

Each type of pot is specialized for its specific fondue style to ensure the best cooking experience, but don't worry if you don't have a 'special' chinoise pot. I use my regular small fondue pot with no problems. My current pot is old, and I have no link, but here is Amazon's current recommended fondue pot for you to look at.

Note: If you have a large pot, however, you may need to adjust the quantities of this recipe to fit your pot. You should have about ¾ of the pot full of broth for people to comfortably cook their food.

Chinoise Fondue FAQS

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