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Raclette is one of those dishes that makes everything taste better! Whether you’re serving potatoes, veggies, meats, or even bread, a layer of melted raclette cheese will take it to the next level.
Switzerland may just be my favorite place on earth. I love everything about it. From the people, to the scenery, to the incredible food. It just can’t be beat. The food there is fresh and real and there’s just something about it that speaks to my soul. Maybe it’s because there’s so much cheese, and if you know me at all, you will know that cheese is my love language. Call me crazy but I even love the cheese in Switzerland more than the chocolate. We just returned from a trip a few weeks ago and I am not even joking, I ate cheese with every. single. meal. I couldn’t get enough. That is why I love raclette so much. It’s something that I can make at home that can transport me straight back to Switzerland with just one bite. I’m telling you, if you haven’t tried raclette yet, now is the time!
What is Raclette?
Raclette is both a type of Swiss semi-hard cheese and also a traditional Swiss dish originating from the Alpine regions of Switzerland and France. The cheese itself has a creamy, slightly nutty flavor and melts easily. The rind is edible but most prefer to remove it before melting because it is strong and pungent. It is almost an acquired taste so if it is your first time having it, I would suggest removing the rind.
In the traditional raclette dish, the cheese is heated (traditionally by a fire directly from the cheese wheel or nowadays with a raclette grill) and then scraped onto boiled potatoes, bread, and other accompaniments like pickles, onions, and cured meats. The name “raclette” comes from the French word racler, meaning “to scrape,” referring to how the melted cheese is scraped off the wheel. Since most people don’t have a giant wheel of raclette cheese at home to heat and scrape, it’s much easier to melt individual slices in small cheese pans (like the one pictured below). This is a perfect solution for home kitchens, and you’ll still get the same result: hot, ooey, gooey melted cheese to pour over just about anything.
Slicing and Preparing the Cheese
Raclette cheese is usually sold in wheels or blocks but more and more I am finding it available in slices. Trader Joe’s has a delicious sliced raclette for a great price but it is only sold seasonally in the fall and winter months. Before melting, remove the rind (again, this is edible but has a strong, very pungent flavor that some might find off-putting). I found the block pictured above at my local grocery store that has a specialty cheese section. The cheesemonger (cheese specialist) cut it off straight from the wheel and offered to remove the rind after weighing but I kept it on for the picture’s sake. They can also usually cut it into slices for you too. I used my little hand cheese slicer so it took several slices to fill my cheese pan. A wire cheese cutter works best for getting thick slices all in one piece.
Raclette Cheese Substitutes
Sometimes raclette can be tricky to find, especially in the U.S. As I mentioned above, you can find it seasonally at Trader Joe’s but other times of the year it may be harder to find. It can also be a bit pricy if you are getting it at a specialized shop. I have found fantastic imported cheeses at Costco for amazing prices. Several of the cheeses in the picture below are from Costco and they are great for melting. Gruyere and Appenzeller are my two favorite substitutes for raclette. The tastes are similar and they melt well. You can also use gouda, Jarlsberg, Emmentaler, Comté, Havarti, or any other semi-hard Swiss cheeses. You can really melt any kind of cheese in the melting pans, even though it won’t traditionally be “raclette”. Try melting cheddar, provolone, pepper Jack, mozzarella, or even blue cheese!
How to Melt Raclette
When it comes to melting the raclette, there are several different ways it can be done. You can go all-out and buy a raclette grill or you can use a simple non-stick skillet that you already have on-hand. For me, I like having the pans, but not the whole grill. I will explain more in detail below, including the pros and cons of each method:
Raclette Grill
I will admit, having a raclette grill is probably best overall. The cheese will melt from the top giving it more of that traditional bubbly top layer and you will be able to heat more servings at a time. It is also great for raclette parties because you can keep foods warm on the griddle while you are melting the cheese underneath. However, the whole grills are bulky and take up a lot of storage space when not in use. I can’t bring myself to buy one because I have so many bulky appliances already and I can just melt the cheese on my current griddle and get the same results.
Mini Candle-lit Raclette Grill
Little raclette grilling sets (like the one pictured above) are traditional and create a fun ambiance. However, they just aren’t practical for more than one or two people at a time. It’s a great idea for a romantic date-night in or for Valentine’s Day but not ideal for a family dinner. The cheese takes longer to melt but romantic, candlelight dinners aren’t supposed to be rushed. The grill kit itself is more compact so it’s super easy to store, so that’s a plus.
Cheese Melt Pans and Electric Griddle
This is my preferred method. I bought a bunch of raclette pans on Amazon which was way cheaper than buying a raclette grill or individual candle-lit kits. I simply heat my own electric griddle and place the pans on the top to melt the cheese. This method is also great because you can easily control the heat. It’s nice having the individual pans too, in case you want to use an outdoor grill for heating. The pans fold up small and take up hardly any space. They kind of stack together and can be wedged into my cabinet. The only con is that mine aren’t oven-safe (there may be some that are out there that are) so I don’t have the option of the melting in the oven to get a bubbly top. This is just a minor inconvenience though and I can live without it.
Non-Stick Skillet
You can also use a small non-stick skillet to melt the cheese. This method is great if you don’t want to go through the trouble of buying anything new. You can just use what you have on-hand. Place the slices in a non-stick skillet and heat gently over the lowest heat possible. If you have an oven-safe non-stick skillet you can place it in the oven and broil until bubbly on the top. The only real downside is that the cheese doesn’t slide out of the pan as easily because it is circular. You may have a more difficult time spreading the cheese over the plate, but it’s definitely doable!
What to Serve with Raclette
Raclette is similar to fondue in that you provide lots of bite-sized options for serving but instead of dipping the different food items in the cheese, you pour the cheese over the top. Serve the accompaniments all together on a large board or serve in separate bowls. Family and guests can choose what they want and put it all on their own plates before dousing it all with cheese. Here are some traditional serving ideas and other accompaniments to try:
Traditional Accompaniments
- Baby potatoes (aka “Gschwellti in Switzerland)
- Cured meats (like salami, pepperoni, ham, prosciutto, etc.)
- Cornichons (tiny dill pickles)
- Crusty breads (like French bread)
- Cocktail onions
- Baby corn or corn on the cob
- Sliced cherry tomatoes
More Accompaniment Ideas
- bite-sized cooked meats (chicken, steak, meatballs, shrimp, smoked sausage, etc.)
- asparagus (I love it with prosciutto wrapped asparagus)
- Roasted vegetables (root vegetables, onion, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)
- Sautéed mushrooms (so good)
Making a Swiss Raclette Dinner
When we make raclette for dinner we serve it kind of like a charcuterie. We just put everything out on a large charcuterie board or in bowls and everyone takes what they want and pours the melted cheese over the top of their own plates. This way of serving is easy to scale if you are wanting to do a raclette dinner party (much like a fondue party). When serving for my family, we each have our own raclette pan and place it on a griddle over low heat to melt. We put the griddle in the middle of the table and while the cheese is melting we serve up our individual plates.
More Dinner Ideas
You can also serve raclette over burgers, sandwiches, omelettes, short pasta (like macaroni), Rösti… really anything that you can imagine slathered in melted cheese. Please tell me in the comments what you love putting raclette on!
Pictured: the best burger I have ever eaten in my entire life, and that is saying something. It is from the Riffelalp Resort above Zermatt. Made from all the freshest ingredients from Switzerland and the melted raclette cheese just takes it to the next level.
More Melty Cheese Recipes
Swiss Cheese Pies
Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue
Cheddar Cheese Fondue
Korean Corn Cheese
Grilled Cheese
Homemade Mac and Cheese
How to Make Raclette (with Dinner Ideas)
Equipment
- Raclette grill or melting pan (optional)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Raclette cheese
- butter (optional)
Traditional Serving Ideas
- baby potatoes (boiled or roasted)
- cornichons (tiny English pickles)
- cured meats (salami, ham, prosciutto, pepperoni, etc.)
- cocktail onions
- sliced cherry tomatoes
- sliced baguette bread (or crusty bread)
More Serving Ideas
- asparagus
- sautéed mushrooms
- meatballs
- sliced smoked sausage
- cooked shrimp
- roasted vegetables
Instructions
- Slice cheese and place in raclette melting pan. To help the cheese slide out of the pan better, you can brush a little butter onto the pan before adding the cheese, but many raclette pans are non-stick so it may not be necessary. You can also just place the cheese slices directly in a small non-stick skillet.
- Melt over candle flame (if provided with raclette pan), or place the pan on a flat-top griddle over low heat (I have found this way melts more evenly). If you are using a skillet, don't put the skillet over direct heat. Do as you would if you had a raclette pan and place it on the griddle to heat. This will allow you to heat it slowly.
- Heat slowly until the cheese melts. Heating the cheese too quickly will make the cheese separate and it won't have the desired melty texture.
- When cheese is melted, gently slide it out of the pan over your favorite bite-sized foods such as baby potatoes, pickles, cold cuts, or anything else you love slathered in cheese.
