Swiss · Dinner

Raclette

A half wheel of cheese melted under heat and scraped onto plates of boiled potatoes, pickles and cured meats, one round at a time.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 35 min total Serves 4 servings Easy
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Raclette — Swiss dinner recipe, served and ready to eat

Photograph credit: Raclette - 001 by Martin Steiger · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Method

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  1. Scrub the potatoes and boil them whole in heavily salted water for 20 minutes until a knife slides in easily. Drain and keep them warm in a covered dish.

  2. Arrange the cornichons, onions, ham, mushrooms and peppers in separate bowls on the table.

  3. Heat the raclette grill, or set the half wheel under its heater, 15 minutes before you plan to eat.

  4. Melt the cheese in rounds — a slice per pan under the grill, or the cut face of the wheel until the surface bubbles and slumps.

  5. Scrape or tip the molten cheese straight onto a plate of hot potatoes, crushing them lightly with a fork first so the cheese gets in.

  6. Grind black pepper over and dust with paprika. Eat immediately, while the next round melts.

  7. Keep going in rounds until everyone stops. Drink kirsch or white wine, not water — the local rule is that cold water sets the cheese in your stomach.

Chef’s Tips

  • Waxy potatoes, boiled whole in salty water and kept hot.
  • Melt in rounds, not all at once. Cheese that waits goes oily.
  • Crush the potato before the cheese lands so it soaks in.

Common Substitutions & Variations

  • A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

  • A dry Swiss white wine
  • Kirsch
  • A green salad with sharp vinaigrette

Storage & Reheating

Wrap leftover cheese well and refrigerate 1 week. Leftover potatoes make an excellent rösti.

Common questions

How long does Raclette take to make?

About 35 minutes in total — 20 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.

What are the key tips for making Raclette?

Waxy potatoes, boiled whole in salty water and kept hot. Melt in rounds, not all at once. Cheese that waits goes oily. Crush the potato before the cheese lands so it soaks in.

What should I serve with Raclette?

A dry Swiss white wine; Kirsch; A green salad with sharp vinaigrette.

How should Raclette be stored?

Wrap leftover cheese well and refrigerate 1 week. Leftover potatoes make an excellent rösti.

Is Raclette suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, high-protein and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Raclette?

About 886 kcal per serving, with 58 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate and 44 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

886Calories
58gProtein
48gCarbs
44gFat
5gFibre
6gSugar
1780mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.