How to Host The Perfect Raclette Dinner

A raclette dinner is always a hit, and for good reason! Imagine a cozy evening filled with gooey, melted cheese, delicious toppings, and endless conversation as everyone gathers around the table. Whether you’re planning a date night, hosting a dinner party with family and friends, or looking for something for special occasions, this traditional Swiss dish brings a unique mix of fun, flavor, and togetherness. It’s an interactive dining experience that’s as much about the process as it is about the food.

This hearty dish is perfect for the colder months. I have fond memories of spending New Year’s Eve in Switzerland with friends while having a raclette night the traditional way.  

In this article, I am showing you exactly what you need and how to set it up so that you can have a successful raclette party!

What Is Raclette?

Raclette is originally from the Swiss Alps but is also popular in the Alpine regions of Germany, Austria, and France. The word Raclette is the name for both the type of cheese and the actual meal. It comes from the French word “racler” which means “to scrape”. 

Traditionally, a big chunk of cheese is melted over a fire, and then scraped over potatoes. Most people don’t have that kind of fire or fireplace in their homes but you can easily get tabletop versions.

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​Equipment You Need

• Raclette grill: Unless you want to melt your raclette cheese over an open fire, you will need some special equipment. One of the most popular versions is an electric grill. These types of raclette machines allow 2 to 8 people to melt their cheese in small pans under the heating element as well a grill food on the grill top. Those tops can either be granite (my preferred top) or aluminum with a non-stick finish. Most of them are complete with the little trays and wooden scrapers.

• Raclette plates: Some people love specific plates with partitions. They can be fun but are single-use items. We just use regular dinner plates.

Ingredients and Foods You Need

The Cheese

Ideally, you want to get real Raclette cheese. It is a semi-hard cheese that you can either get as a wedge or sliced. Since this cheese can be a bit challenging to cut, I highly recommend you buy it sliced or ask the cheese monger to slice it for you if they only sell it in chunks. 

• How much cheese? A good rule of thumb is to serve about 200g or 7 oz of cheese per person.

Where to buy Raclette Cheese:

• You can get high-quality Emmi Raclette cheese online 
• I have found it at Trader Joe’s
• It’s definitely worth checking your regular grocery stores
• A good cheese shop will have it or order it for you

Potatoes

The traditional pairing for Raclette cheese is boiled potatoes. I recommend you get new potatoes if you can. We love starchy types such as Russet potatoes but any type will work. We also like to use smaller ones over very large ones.

Vegetables

The side dishes are the fun part. Here are our favorite ones:

• Tomatoes: Sliced tomatoes go perfectly with melted cheese
• Mushrooms: Any type of sliced mushroom is great for your raclette party
• Onions: These are nice when sauteed on the grill top
• Garlic: Not everyone does but we absolutely love serving garlic

Proteins

While not traditional, we always serve some cold cuts such as

• Salami: You might like to serve different types of salami
• Prosciutto: Both Italy and Spain make great cured hams
• Ham: Cooked ham is also nice with melted raclette cheese

Condiments

• Gherkins or cornichons: The salty flavor of these compliments many melting cheese
• Mixed pickles: You can also serve mixed pickles for more variety

Drinks:

There are a few different types of drinks you can serve with your Raclette meal:

• Wine: This would be fairly traditional. I recommend a dry white wine such as Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner, or even a dry Riesling.
• Tea: Warm tea is another traditional choice of drink with this meal. 
• Beer: While not traditional, beer does go well with Raclette.
• Water: Many people recommend against serving water as it tends to congeal the cheese in your stomach.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are some other ideas of what to serve for your Raclette meal:

• Cheese: If you can’t find Raclette cheese or if you’re looking for other options, I recommend any other cheese with a high fat content. Good choices are Fontina, Gouda, brie, or even Cheddar cheese but ultimately, any kind of cheese that you like will work. Cheese lovers might have their favorites, too!
• Bread: More often than not, we serve bread with our Raclette. While the rectangular slices of sandwich bread fit the trays a bit more neatly, we love using crusty bread.
• Chicken: You can either grill pieces of chicken breast right on top of the grill or use pre-cooked chicken.
• Seafood: Prawns or white fish are a great protein alternative for this meal.
• Fruit: Apples and pears go very nicely with melty cheese. It might be very 1970s but many Germans love ham with pineapple and cheese.
• Other vegetable options: You can also serve bell peppers, summer squashes, winter squashes
• Cruciferous: These are other vegetable options such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and so on.

How to Have the Perfect Raclette Dinner Party:

1. Table Setup:

Place the Raclette grill in the center of the table. Since there is a lot of heat, make sure you’re using a good tablecloth or something to protect your table. Everyone will need a plate, utensils, drinkware, and a napkin.

2. Prep the food:

Boil the potatoes (if using), drain, and place them in a bowl or basket to keep them warm. Slice all the other food you are using and place them on an individual plate or bowl.

3. Preheat the Raclette grill:

Be sure to turn the Raclette machine to high about 15-20 minutes before you would like to eat.

4. Enjoy and have fun: 

Everyone gets to either use their little Raclette trays or the tabletop grill or both to prepare their food. You can add some butter and onions or garlic slices to the tray and saute them under the grill before adding the cheese. I find that melting the cheese in the trays is the best way. The key to a successful Raclette dinner party is to slow down and enjoy the food and the company. 

Other fun dinner recipes you might enjoy:

The Perfect Cheese Fondue

Oktoberfest Party

German Pizza | Flammkuchen