A classic Swiss Raclette Dinner is so easy to make at home, and perfect for entertaining! Melty Swiss raclette cheese served over boiled potatoes, grilled sausages, and cured meats. All you need is a simple salad to serve and dinner is on the table.

This is one of my favorite dishes to serve when entertaining, because a Raclette Dinner is so easy and impressive for guests. Keep reading and learn how to make raclette at home for a fun and cheesy dinner.

Raclette Dinner at Home

If you’ve ever been to a fancy French or Swiss restaurant, you may have come across raclette! Typically, they cut a whole wheel of cheese in half and melt the top of the cut edge and scrape it onto a plate over bread, potatoes, and meat. Sounds like a dream, right?

Well, now you can make a delicious Raclette Dinner at home any time you want without any fancy equipment!

Raclette is such an elegant and fun meal for a party. Plus, who doesn’t love cheese? This recipe can easily be adapted to be vegetarian or perfect for meat lovers.

Raclette is as easy as cooking up some potatoes and sausages, slicing meats, and melting cheeses. Make this for your next dinner party and impress all your guests!

What is Raclette?

Raclette is both the name of the cheese and the name of the classic Swiss/French dish. It’s a semi-soft alpine-style cheese produced in both Switzerland and France. Raclette has a funk-heavy smell, but the taste is mild and a bit nutty. It pairs well with ham, cured meats, and the sharp pickled flavor of cornichons.

The cheese by itself is delicious, but it’s often served and enjoyed after being melted over various accoutrements.

You can buy raclette cheese at almost any cheese shop or well-stocked grocery store like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Central Market, etc.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

It is a quick, easy dinner. This Raclette Dinner recipe comes together quickly and easily, especially since the whole thing cooks quickly in the oven. You can get it on the table in less than 30 minutes. All you have to do is cook up the accoutrements!

This Raclette recipe is delicious! Melted cheese over potatoes with ham and tart pickles is an amazing combination of flavors. I love serving this recipe with a simple, lightly dressed salad, crusty bread, and lots of mustard on the side.

Perfect for a party. If you’re looking to host a get-together and you’re unsure of what to make, this raclette dinner recipe is a dream come true. It’s easy to prep the ingredients out in advance and just lay things out for your guests to choose. Then, all you have to do is melt the cheese!

How to Make a Raclette Dinner at Home

This recipe is so easy to make! I recommend using a cast iron skillet to melt the cheese or a heavy skillet that is oven safe.

Tools Needed

• Skillet
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Cheese. Look for raclette cheese, but if you can’t find it try a similar cheese like gruyere or emmenthal.
• Thyme. Adding a little thyme in while melting the cheese adds great flavor.
• White Wine. I add a tiny bit of white wine to the cheese while melting for flavor. This is an optional step.
• Cured meats. Choose your favorites here! You can also use cured ham.
• Sausage. Grilled sausages or bratwurst make a great pairing with the cheese.
• Baby potatoes. Boiled or roasted baby potatoes are a classic pairing.
• Cornichons. The acidity in cornichons help cut through the rich cheese.
• Dijon mustard. I always serve dijon or whole grain mustard on the side.
• Crusty bread. Crusty toasted bread or baguette is a must and makes a great vessel for the melted cheese.

The Process

1. Slice the cheese. Cut the cheese into 1/2 inch thick slices and set aside. This can be done in advance and stored in the fridge.
2. Boil the potatoes. Boil the potatoes in salted boiling water until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
3. Prepare the meats. Lay the cured meats out on a plate and grill up the sausages until cooked through.
4. Melt the raclette. Lay enough cheese slices in a cast iron skillet to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and add the white wine. Place the skillet in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
5. Serve. Lay an assortment of meats, bread, and cornichons on plates and top with melted cheese. Enjoy with mustard on the side.

What to Serve with Raclette

Serving a great Raclette Dinner isn’t just about the cheese! It’s what you choose to serve with the cheese that really makes this dinner special. Here are all my favorite accoutrements:

Cured meats: You can serve raclette with cured ham as well as other cured meats like coppa, salami, prosciutto, etc.

Sausages: Grilled sausages go so well with melty cheese! My favorite sausages to use are kielbasa, bratwurst, and even hot italian sausages. Use your favorite!

Grilled meats: You could skip the sausage and serve raclette with a variety of grilled proteins like shrimp, steak, or chicken.

Pickled veggies: Cornichons (mini gherkins) are my favorite for serving with raclette. The acidity helps balance the cheese for an incredible flavor combo. You could also use pickled onions, carrots, cauliflower, etc.

Veggies: Roasted veggies like cauliflower, asparagus, and potatoes are all great pairings. Corn and brussels sprouts would also be great!

Bread. Toasted bread is a must! I love using crusty sourdough, ciabatta, or french baguette and lightly toasting it before serving.

How to Serve Raclette without Fancy Equipment

You may have seen those fancy raclette grills that are meant for serving a raclette dinner at home, but the good news is that you don’t need it!

You don’t need any fancy equipment to serve raclette at home.

All you need is a hearty cast iron skillet for melting the cheese in the oven under the broiler. Easy day!

Raclette Dinner FAQS

What’s the best cheese to use for raclette?

Ideally, you would use raclette cheese for making raclette at home. If you can’t find it, try for emmental or gruyere which are both similar to raclette.

What should you serve with raclette?

I always serve raclette with a combination of toasted bread, grilled sausages, cured meats, and pickled cornichons with mustard on the side. I also love serving a simple salad on the side.

What does raclette taste like?

While raclette has a pungent aroma, the taste is actually pretty mild with a flavor that’s subtly sweet, salty, and nutty.

How much raclette should I buy?

Since the cheese is very rich, I would plan on about 4 oz per person to go with the assorted accoutrements.

If you’re planning a special dinner at home, add this Raclette Dinner to your menu! It’s delicious and elegant and never fails to impress. If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

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