A guide to raclette — both the Alpine melting cheese and the convivial dish of melted cheese scraped over potatoes. How to enjoy both.
Raclette is two things at once: a semi-firm Alpine cheese prized for melting, and the beloved communal meal named after it. Few foods are as warming or as social — gathering around a table to scrape molten cheese over potatoes is winter comfort at its finest.
What Raclette Cheese Is
Raclette is a semi-hard cow's-milk cheese from the Alpine regions of Switzerland and France (notably Valais in Switzerland and Savoie in France). It's a washed-rind cheese with a pale yellow, supple paste and a savory, nutty, slightly fruity flavor. While pleasant eaten cold, raclette is made above all for melting — its smooth, even melt and rich aroma are what define it.
The Name Says It All
The word raclette comes from the French racler, "to scrape," which describes exactly how the dish is eaten. Traditionally, a large half-wheel of cheese is held near a fire or heat source, and as the cut face melts, it's scraped off onto a waiting plate. The name of the cheese and the name of the dish are one and the same.
The Raclette Dish
The classic meal is simple and convivial. Melted raclette is scraped over boiled or steamed potatoes and served with accompaniments like cornichons (small pickles), pickled onions, and cured meats such as air-dried beef or ham. The combination of rich melted cheese, earthy potatoes, and sharp pickles is balanced and deeply satisfying. It's a dish meant to be shared slowly around the table.
Modern Raclette Grills
While the traditional method uses a half-wheel by an open fire, most home cooks today use a tabletop raclette grill. These devices have small individual pans (coupelles) that slide under a heating element; each diner melts their own slice of cheese, then pours it over potatoes and other foods. A grill plate on top lets you cook vegetables, mushrooms, and meats at the same time, making it an interactive group meal.
How to Use Raclette Cheese
Beyond the classic dish, raclette is a superb all-purpose melting cheese: excellent in gratins, over burgers, in toasted sandwiches, or melted onto roasted vegetables. Its rich, savory flavor adds Alpine depth wherever a great melting cheese is wanted.
Pairings
Raclette pairs traditionally with the crisp white wines of its home regions, as well as dry cider. Hot tea is a traditional accompaniment too, as cold drinks are sometimes avoided with so much melted cheese. Cornichons, pickled onions, and cured meats are the classic plate-mates.
Buying and Storing
Raclette is sold in wedges, blocks, and pre-sliced for grills. Keep it wrapped in the fridge and use within a couple of weeks. For a raclette meal, allow a generous amount per person, as it's the centerpiece of the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is raclette a cheese or a dish?
Both. Raclette is an Alpine melting cheese, and the dish named after it involves scraping the melted cheese over potatoes and pickles.
What do you serve with raclette?
Boiled potatoes, cornichons, pickled onions, and cured meats are the classics, often with crisp white wine.
Do you need a special grill for raclette?
Not strictly — traditionally it's melted by a fire — but tabletop raclette grills make it easy and fun to melt individual portions at the table.