Raclette Cheese Dinner is the perfect dinner party idea! Why? Because you leave your guests to do all the cooking! The host's job is to provide a cheese that melts well and all the accoutrements for the meal, like meats for cooking on the raclette grill or cold meat to serve on the side, vegetables, fruits, pickles, and sauces. All of which can be heated or eaten cold.
Pickles, Sauces and Dips, and Fresh French Bread round out the main course beautifully. It is also a good accompaniment to provide drinks and spirits. A lovely pairing like French Beaujolais wine or another that is your favorite will make a complete and delicious meal!
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❤️About Raclette Cheese Dinner
The name raclette, to be fair, arguably has its roots in the French-speaking regions of Switzerland rather than France. But it is eaten in many parts of France.
Raclette was mentioned in medieval writings dating from the late 13th century, as a particularly nutritious meal consumed by peasants in Switzerland and the Savoy region of France, where it remains popular to this day.
The word raclette is three things: it is a type of cheese, the name of the dish itself, and the name of the grill used to heat and cook the food, which is performed by each guest sitting at the table together. A perfect social celebration!
It is not unlike a fondue in the manner it is served, and some raclette grills have a fondue pot built into their system.
It's a great DIY meal that your friends and family will love!
🐄🥛What is Raclette?
Raclette is a semi-firm, cow's milk cheese most commonly used for melting.
It is usually fashioned into a wheel of about 6 kg, but that's far more than you need for a dinner party. About 1kg of cheese will be sufficient for four people.
But of course, it all depends on what else you serve with it.
You will need to slice it fairly thinly so that it will fit under a small grill. This can be quite messy, so do it well in advance and then place the cheese in the fridge until your guests arrive so it is firm before heating.
🧀How To Serve Raclette Cheese
The cheese is heated, either in front of a fire or on a special machine, then scraped onto diners' plates; in fact, the term raclette derives from the French word racler, meaning "to scrape", a reference to the fact that the melted cheese must be scraped from the unmelted part of the cheese onto the plate.
Traditionally, the melting happens in front of an open fire with the big piece of cheese facing the heat. You then regularly scrape off the melting side.
In restaurants, a kind of cradle in which half a round of cheese sits is brought to your table.
A small heater is located over the cheese, and this causes it to melt… just serve yourself!
In the home, a variation on this theme is needed in the form of a kind of small electric grill with individual "paddles," or coupelles, into which the cheese is placed before placing it under the grill. (My Amazon recommendations are below.)
🍷What To Serve With Raclette Cheese Dinner?
- Traditionally, the cheese is accompanied by small, firm, boiled, or steamed waxy potatoes, Charlotte Red, Fingerling, La Ratte, or baby red/yellow potatoes
- cheese (it is not necessary to have only raclette cheese)
- charcuterie meats such as smoked ham and salami, or similar meats
- raw meat, chicken, bacon, or steak to grill
- gherkins, pickled onions, dill pickles
- bread and crackers
- sauces, rillettes, tapenade
How To Eat Raclette Cheese Dinner?
Simply place some slices of cheese and raw meat into your two "paddles", place them under the grill, and meanwhile put potatoes and meat on your plate. Once the cheese has melted it becomes quite runny, simply pour it over the meat and cheese and tuck in. It's as simple as that.
- A charcuterie board would also make a great addition to this easy dinner party idea.
- Choose items from my Easy Appetizers section, like my Oven Baked Camembert Cheese Recipe, Tangy Tapenade Appetizer, or French Olive Starters.
- A raw vegetable assortment, in France, crudités, with delicious flavored homemade mayonnaise, are always a welcome addition to a pick-and-choose buffet.
- Serve with a nice wine. A Sparkling Wine or Champagne always adds a special mood to any fancy get-together. Another choice, French Classic Beaujolais wine made from Gamay grapes, or choose a favorite from one of the Famous Wine Regions Of France.
- Don't leave out a beautiful loaf of crusty bread, just like a Paris Baguette!
Top Tip
Always choose food items and drinks that you and your guests will like and enjoy the most. What makes everyone happy will encourage great fellowship in being together!
🔄Raclette Cheese Substitutions
It may be difficult to find raclette cheese where you live. Here is a list of replacements for you to try, and hopefully, some are available in your area. They all melt well (stay clear of low-fat cheese for this dish, as it does not melt well), most have a light nutty taste, some are sweeter or creamier than others, but all make acceptable stand-ins.
- Asiago
- Havarti
- Gouda
- Gruyére
- Cheddar
- Comté
- Taleggio
- Emmental
- Fontina
Good Amazon Products For Raclette Grills
- CUSIMAX Raclette Grill An electric Grill Table, Portable, 2 in 1 Korean BBQ Grill - Indoor & Cheese Raclette, Reversible Non-stick plate, Crepe Maker with Adjustable temperature control and 8 Paddles
- Artestia 1500W Large Size Raclette Cheese Grill Adjustable Temperature Korean BBQ Grill, Cheese Raclette with Grill Stone and Non-Stick Reversible Aluminum Plate for Parties Family
- Hamilton Beach Electric Indoor Raclette Table Grill, 200 sq. in. Nonstick Griddle Serves up to 8 People for Parties and Family Fun, Includes 8 Warming Trays, Black (31612-MX)
- 2-Person Raclette Table Grill - Indoor Non-stick Electric Grill Griddle - Series Connection Contact Grill up to 4 Grills, 2 Paddles Included, 2 Packs, BC-02
❔Raclette Cheese Dinner FAQ
Any cheese that is mild in taste and melts well will make a good fill-in for Raclette Cheese. Swiss cheese, Gruyére, Cheddar, or Havarti. I have provided an extensive list higher up on this page; check it out.
It may be difficult to find raclette cheese in your local grocery store. You may have to look in specialty deli shops or online. I have provided a list further up in this post of very good alternative cheeses that can be used successfully.
For serving raclette cheese dinner, use any cheese that melts well, like Asiago, Brie, Havarti, Gouda, Gruyére, Cheddar, Comté, Taleggio, Emmental, Fontina.
You can serve anything with a raclette cheese dinner that you and your guests will enjoy. Here are some suggestions: steamed or baked small potatoes, raw meat to cook alongside, pickles, sauces and dips, bread, fruit, and veggies.
Absolutely! Many parts of a raclette cheese dinner can be prepared and made a few days ahead of time. This is because the host provides an assortment of food, just like a charcuterie board, but the guests cook their own dinner while they enjoy conversation with the other guests at the table.
If you tried Raclette Cheese Dinner or another recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 Star Rating and let me know how it went in the comments below.
Très Bien!!!
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📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
Raclette Cheese Dinner
Equipment
- Raclette Cheese Grill
Ingredients
- 36 small potatoes An assortment of 2-3 dozen small potatoes, firm-fleshed waxy potatoes. Red, Fingerling, La Ratte, or baby red/yellow potatoes
- 2 lbs deli meats Assorted ham slices, spicy deli meats.
- 2 lbs raw meat chicken, steak, bacon
- 2 lbs assorted cheese Choose cheese that melts well, with a variety of flavors. Raclette, Asiago, Brie, Havarti, Gouda, Gruyére, Cheddar, Comté, Taleggio, Emmental, Fontina
- 3 loaves bread Serve from my selection: Classic French Bread
- 4 cups dipping sauces 3-4 types or 1-2 if serving tapenade or rillettes. Choose from my sauces.
- 2 cups tapenade Try my recipes: Tangy Olive Tapenade and Easy Olive Tapenade
- 1 cup duck rilletes My recipe: Spicy Duck Meat Rillettes
- 24 oz pickles assortment of sweet and sour.
- 4 boxes crackers An assortment.
- 3 lbs vegetables Colorful raw, interestingly sliced veggie platter.
- 2 lbs fruit Your choice: grapes, orange slices, bananas, cherries, sliced apples, or pears (dipped in lemon water to prevent oxidation), and a few dried fruits such as figs and dates.
- Plan for a selection of drinks. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Instructions
- Choose a few days ahead of your dinner date, what your raclette menu will include. Decide what recipes you want to make yourself. I have offered suggestions below. Many of them can be made 2-3 days before the evening and kept safely in the fridge.
- Shop for all the ingredients before your prep needs to begin.
- Make the sauces you have chosen and the tapenade or rillettes 1-3 days ahead.
- Cut up the raw meat the day before. Make sure all items that are made and prepared ahead of time are wrapped well to be stored in the fridge.
- Wash and slice all the veggies the day before or the day of the dinner.
- Fruit can be prepared a few hours before dinner begins.
- An hour before dinner time, tastefully display everything on the table before your guests arrive. To avoid passing food over the hot grill, divide all the ingredients into two serving dishes to serve the food on both sides of the table. Providing each side with the full selection of choices.
- Set a glass of water out for each guest, plus utensils, a large plate, a couple of small bowls for each guest for sauces, and place cards with guest names if desired.
- Most raclette grills will come with cooking utensils for each guest.
- When your guests arrive, explain how to eat raclette cheese dinner. Tell them your work is finished! Except to replenish food when necessary, but they will be cooking their own dinner. 😁
- Offer drinks to everyone! 🍹
Notes
- Not everyone will eat a sixth of all the ingredients, so the nutritional calculations are not completely accurate. The food assortment is for choice, not a must serving for each person.
- Serving all the food equally on each side of the table is to prevent guests from passing serving dishes over the grill and getting burnt.
Nutrition
Did you make this & like it, or not, let us know?!