Fondue For One | One Pot One Portion
Who says fondue is only for dinner parties? Whether you're craving a cosy moment after a long day or a decadent solo dining experience, this single-serve fondue recipe is your ultimate indulgence. Made with a handful of simple ingredients, this easy recipe transforms any night into a luxurious treat. Perfect for anyone looking for quick comfort food ideas or the ultimate single-serve meal inspiration. Dig in and enjoy this fondue for one!
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Fondue for one is a single-serve cheese fondue made in one small pan, designed specifically for solo dining. It combines Gruyère and Emmental melted gently with white wine, lemon juice, and thyme for a smooth, luxurious texture. This is a classic Swiss-style fondue, scaled down perfectly to one portion with no waste. Rich, savoury, and deeply comforting, it’s an indulgent yet simple recipe that turns an ordinary evening into something special. Ideal for anyone cooking for one who still wants a sense of occasion.
Why You’ll Want to Make This Recipe
Perfectly Portioned for One
This recipe is carefully scaled for a single serving, meaning no leftover cheese solidifying sadly in the fridge. It’s indulgent without being excessive — just enough to feel truly special.
Quick & Easy
From start to finish, this fondue comes together in around 15 minutes. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, it’s perfect for a cosy weeknight treat.
One Pot Cooking
Everything happens in one small saucepan, keeping washing up minimal and stress low. It’s proof that comfort food doesn’t have to mean chaos in the kitchen.
Ultimate Comfort Food Moment
Whether you’re winding down after a long day or leaning into solo self-care, this fondue delivers maximum cosiness with very little effort.
Eleanor’s Top Tips for the Perfect Fondue for One
- Grate your cheese finely so it melts smoothly and evenly.
- Keep the heat low once the cheese is added — boiling will cause it to split.
- Stir constantly in a gentle figure-eight motion for the best texture.
- Lemon juice helps balance richness and keeps the cheese smooth.
- Remove the thyme before adding cheese to avoid overpowering flavour.
- If it thickens too much, add a splash of warm wine or water to loosen.
- Serve immediately and keep warm if possible — fondue waits for no one.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Essential Ingredients
- Gruyère: Nutty, savoury base cheese that melts beautifully.
- Emmental: Mild and creamy, balancing the Gruyère.
- Dry white wine: Adds acidity and depth.
- Lemon juice: Helps stabilise the cheese and brighten flavour.
- Fresh thyme: Subtle herbal note.
- Cornflour: Thickens and stabilises the fondue.
To Serve (Optional)
- Crudités (carrots, radishes)
- Leftover roast potatoes
- Grapes
- Pickles
- Bread
Essential Tools
- Small saucepan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Grater
- Small bowl (for cornflour slurry)
Dietary Variations
Gluten-Free
Serve with gluten-free bread, potatoes, or vegetables. Ensure cornflour is certified gluten-free.
Alcohol-Free
Replace wine with the same amount of vegetable stock plus a little extra lemon juice.
Adding Protein
Cooked sausage slices, ham, or crispy pancetta make excellent dippers.
Flavour Variations
Add a pinch of nutmeg, white pepper, or a small clove of garlic rubbed around the pan before cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I make fondue for one without a fondue pot?
A: Yes — a small saucepan works perfectly. Just keep the heat low and serve immediately.
Q: What’s the best pan size for single-serve fondue?
A: A 14–16cm saucepan is ideal for one portion and helps maintain an even melt.
Q: Can I reheat leftovers?
A: Fondue is best eaten fresh, but you can gently reheat on very low heat with a splash of liquid if needed.
Q: Why did my cheese split?
A: The heat was likely too high. Always melt cheese slowly and never let it boil.
Q: Can I use other cheeses?
A: Yes — Comté or Appenzeller work well, but avoid very soft cheeses.
Closing Sentence
This fondue for one is proof that solo dining can still feel indulgent, cosy, and joyfully unrushed.
Ingredients
- 50g Gruyère
- 50g Emmental
- 75ml Dry White Wine
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- ½ tsp Cornflour with 2 tbsp water
To serve:
- Crudité (raw carrots and radishes are great options)
- Leftover roast potatoes
- Grapes
- Pickles
- Bread
Instructions
- Put the wine, lemon juice and thyme in a pan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for around 5 minutes and then remove the thyme.
- Add in the cheese and cook this on a medium-low heat until all the cheese it melted- don’t let it boil as the cheese will split.
- Once the cheese is melted, add in the cornflour slurry and cook on low until smooth.
- Serve (and keep warm if possible) with your favourite accompaniments.
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Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly meal plans, for one! I select 5 one pot one portion recipes that use similar ingredients and include your shopping list plus recipe notes, ingredient swaps and tips and tricks for using up leftovers. Take a look at the first one here...
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Usually I would consider a brothy meal that you eat with a bowl and a spoon a form of comfort food, however, the flavours in this dish are so fresh and vibrant that it has to go in this chapter. I love the fiery freshness of ginger and it’s the predominant flavour in this rich chicken broth. The finished dish isn’t a soup as such, but there is just enough broth to make every mouthful deliciously juicy. It also takes minimal time to make so it’s a useful recipe to have on hand for days when you’re short of time.
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I have an affinity for crunchy slaws, as I think they provide more interest, more texture and are more filling than many other salads. However, I’m not partial to excessive quantities of mayonnaise. Here I opt for coconut milk instead, which delivers the same creaminess in a less monotonous way. The fresh coriander and bite of roasted peanuts keep this slaw lively and interesting and are perfect with the lightly charred curried chicken skewers. This would also be great sandwiched between a burger bun, or on a soft flatbread.
Creamy Green Linguine
In a way, this linguine changed my life. It was the first recipe in the series to take off on social media, bringing new people and new opportunities into my life. It’s an exceptionally simple recipe that uses the same water to cook both the pasta and the vegetables, which you then use to create a velvety, carbonara-esque sauce with the cheese and egg. I’ve retested this and tweaked it since its original conception and, though I can’t promise it will change your life, I can promise it will be delicious.
Vegetable Pancake with a Chilli Crisp Egg
This vegetable pancake has its origin in Korea (where they’re known as yachaejeon) and is the perfect dish to use up odds and ends of any vegetables you have lying around. Cabbage, spring onions, carrots and courgettes work really well and provide a nice balance of moisture and crunch, but peppers, potatoes, mushrooms or leafy greens are good alternatives. Depending on the vegetables you use, you may need more or less water to make the light batter so adjust as necessary.
Prawn & Mango Salad
The perfect fresh, but still flavourful, summer salad! This is a beautiful fragrant salad with a creamy, zingy coconut milk dressing. With just a little bit of chopping and a minute of whisking, you’ve got a gorgeous summer lunch, perfect for working from home, taking lunch to the office or a sunny meal in the garden this weekend.
Some big praise!
Take a look at what some of my happy customers have to say about "One Pot, One Portion"!
"One Pot One Portion is, to borrow from The Parent Trap “a brilliant beyond brilliant idea”…I know many feel that it’s too much bother to cook ‘just’ for themselves — a sad admission, I feel — and to those people, and many others besides, I say: get this book and prove yourself liberatingly wrong!…Thank goodness for books! And thank goodness for Eleanor Wilkinson, a young talent to lift the spirits…There are so many people who could benefit from this book…this book is a boon and a blessing"
"A genius approach to bringing joy to every meal, Eleanor gets that good food is the best form of self-love."
I buy a lot of cook books and this is genuinely one of the best l've ever bought. I've tried 6 or 7 recipes so far and they're all winners. I'm well used to scaling recipes down to one portion, but not having to calculate measurements as l go along feels like a little luxury. One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up! Highly recommended.
I have been following Eleanor on IG for a while and have made several of her dishes before the cookbook came out. I was thrilled to see so many new things to try and have already made about 6 of them. Her recipes are approachable, the dishes are delicious, and they make me feel like I can cook! Highly recommend.
If you love eating good home cooked food but can't be bothered to cook just for yourself, then this is the book for you. Using ingredients that are easy to find, then mixing, cooking and eating from the same pan or dish means a minimum of washing up. Every recipe I have tried so far has been delicious and have all turned out well which isn't always the case with many cookery books. Definitely recommend!
Following Eleanor on Instagram and seeing her recipes come to life is one thing but then having them in my own kitchen is quite another. Not only are the recipes easy to follow and delicious she also help you not to waste food. This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?
Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This is perfect, as far as influencer chefs go, I find this book refreshing in what has become a cohort of lauded influencers who really aren't doing much more than the bog standard meals most people make anyway, or making googled recipes and adding their own "flair". This book is different as it's your normal fare you'd likely make yourself, given a little bit of a twist to speed up the process / use less utensils / ingredients / food waste, in really creative and tasty ways, all perfectly portioned for one.
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
It's so nice to finally have a recipe book that I can go to if I want a quick easy meal with minimal cleaning up required! Everything l've tried so far is delicious. And I salivate at the thought of everything in there!
Totally reignited my cooking mojo which had been MIA for a while. I'm going to buy my daughter a copy to take back to Uni too as everything is simple and delicious - perfect for a student!
Best cookbook for somebody single!
The fact I know I won't have loads to wash up really feels motivating and l've earmarked so many of the recipes already.
This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?