Why it works: Gruyere cheese and swiss cheese share more aroma than cooks usually use. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 24 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Cheese and Tomato Fondue
Ingredients
Directions
In a fondue pot or double broiler over medium heat, melt the butter.
Stir in the garlic and onion.
Slowly cook and stir until the vegetables are soft.
Mix in the tomatoes and cook another 3 minutes.
Pour in the wine.
Continue stirring until the wine reaches a near boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in Gruyère and Swiss cheeses until melted.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Gruyere Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Swiss Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 108 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Gruyere cheese + swiss cheesetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together24 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together29,058 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Garlic + tomatotop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,076 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
White wine + swiss cheesetop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together101 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl pentanoate (yeast, fruit).
-
White wine + gruyere cheesetop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together55 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl pentanoate (yeast, fruit).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Gruyère cheese
- Melts into a smooth, stretchy base that gives the fondue its body and rich flavour.
- Swiss cheese
- Adds meltability and nutty flavour, helping the fondue stay smooth when combined with Gruyère.
- Dry white wine
- Thins the cheese and its acidity helps keep the melted cheese smooth rather than stringy or greasy.
- Butter
- Adds fat and richness, and cooks the garlic and onion gently without browning.
- Tomatoes
- Add moisture and a fresh, slightly acidic flavour to the cheese base.
The step that matters
Continue stirring until the wine reaches a near boil. Cheese can clump, turn grainy, or go stringy if it overheats or the mixture boils hard. Keeping the heat moderate and stirring steadily helps the cheese melt into an even, smooth emulsion.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, garlic, onion, tomato, white wine, gruyere cheese, swiss cheese):
- Thymefits better
- Oreganofits better
- Parsleyfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, garlic, onion, tomato, white wine, gruyere cheese, swiss cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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