Raclette Ideas: Your Guide to the Perfect Raclette Menu

Raclette Ideas: The Ultimate Guide to Stress-Free Raclette Dinner Parties

You've sent the invitations, prepared the table, and your raclette grill is ready to go. Then it hits you: that familiar pre-party panic. Standing in the grocery store, you're second-guessing everything:

Is two pounds of cheese enough for eight people?

Does everybody like Raclette cheese? What are the alternatives?

What if you forget something crucial and the whole evening falls flat?

Take a deep breath. Every raclette host has been exactly where you are right now.

The good news? With the right planning and my downloadable shopping list, you can transform that overwhelming feeling into excitement.

Download this handy raclette shopping list for free here! Simply cross out the items you do not want to buy and add your own ideas to it.

The Swiss Secret: Raclette's Origins

Raclette originates from the Canton Wallis in Switzerland and is around 400 years old. The star ingredient is melted cheese. “Bratchäs, or "roasted cheese" as it is called in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Traditionally the cheese is melted over an open fire.

In Switzerland, a scraper continuously serves all in the restaurant from an oven placed in a separated table or near a wood fire. In France, restaurateurs often place a raclette oven directly on the table. The scraping is to be done by the guests in that case. [source Wikipedia]

Mastering the Melt: Your Guide to How to Eat Raclette Properly

Have your friends sit around a cozy dining table. Set your raclette grill at the heart of the table and create a colorful spread of ingredients around it like an edible rainbow.

Each person gets their individual raclette pan – your very own canvas for culinary creativity. Load it up with your favorite ingredients: boiled potatoes, cured ham or fresh vegetables. Top your creation with a generous slice of that gloriously creamy raclette cheese, then slide your pan under the grill.

Watch as the cheese transforms into golden, bubbling perfection – that's your cue! The cheese is ready when it's gloriously melted and gently bubbling at the edges.

Meanwhile, the top of the grill becomes a second cooking station. Raclette Ideas for this large pan are endless; grill some pineapple on top, fry some sausages, or sear cuts of meat.

Just remember to keep ingredients moderately lean – nobody wants hot fat surprising the guests across the table! The key is creating a personal flavour explosion with each pan while keeping the experience comfortable and fun for everyone.

Gearing Up: Essential Equipment for the Perfect Raclette Experience

The most important equipment is the raclette grill. In Switzerland, you also use a raclette oven, but in this article, we are only discussing the conventional grill.

I am not an expert in choosing a raclette grill, but I can give you some pointers.

What to consider when choosing a raclette grill

• How many should it feed? (you can buy raclette grills for 2 people and for 8 or more)
• Would you like a stone or a metal grill or a combination of both?
  • Advantages of a metal grill raclette
    • Cheaper to purchase
    • A lightweight grill
    • Does not take long to heat up
    • Difficult to break
    • Some surfaces are challenging to clean.
  • Advantage of a stone grill raclette
    • Made of natural material
    • Stores heat for longer
    • Distributes heat more evenly
    • No artificial coating
• You can buy raclette grills with colour coded pans, so your guests don't mix up their pans if that is something that is important to you.
• Some raclette grills have controls so that you can regulate the temperature according to your preferences. The cheaper ones just have an off and on-button.

I have been using my Tefal Raclette for years. It has a metal grill and a simple on and off button. We only use it 3-5 times a year, but it has been a reliable companion over the years.  

Raclette Equipment Checklist

1. A raclette grill with pans and wooden spatulas. At least one per guest.
2. An extension lead, if your raclette cable does not reach your closest plug socket.

Can you eat the rind of raclette cheese?

Traditionally you eat the rind of traditional swiss raclette cheese. It is free from artificial substances. However, if you use any other cheese it is best to check with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Raclette ideas for alternative cheese?

• Mozzarella (mild and melts very well)
• Cheddar
• Butter Cheese or Gouda (especially popular with children)
• Brie
• Gorgonzola (or any other blue cheese)
• Feta

There is no limit to the possible cheese you can use. If you are not sure, why not put together a combination of a few.

How much raclette cheese per person?

Plan between 200 and 250 gr (7-9oz) of raclette cheese per person. Store it in the fridge. Remove it an hour before serving for the cheese to acclimatise and the aroma to release. If you buy one solid chunk of raclette cheese, slice it before your guests arrive.  

What to serve with the cheese? Some raclette menu ideas

Now all the little raclette side ingredients make this dish so fun. This is not a set of instructions, but I just want to give you some raclette ideas that you can use as inspiration. This raclette menu has a German twist ~ but I cannot emphasise enough to just use your imagination. The most important thing about your raclette dinner party is that you have fun.

When choosing the ingredients for your raclette menu make sure that you consider your guests tastes. Make sure you have a large enough variety to please everyone.

Also, consider a good mix between filling raclette ingredients (such as potatoes, bread, noodles, etc) and light ingredients (such as mushrooms, onions, fruit etc)

Raclette vegetable suggestions (have a good selection)

• Tomatoes
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Sweetcorn
• Aubergines
• Cauliflower
• Onions
• Olives
• Cornichons
• Broccoli
• Potatoes (about 150 gr (6 oz) per person
• Sweet Potatoes
• Courgettes
• Jalapenos
• Avocado

Fruit suggestions for raclette (add a few to your vegetable offerings)

Some us like it sweet and it really compliments the strong taste of the cheese. You can choose a mixture between canned and fresh fruit:

• Pineapple
• Pears  
• Peach
• Mango
• Grapes
• Fig

Which meat for Raclette (about 150-200 g per person (6-7 oz))

• Uncooked meat: steaks, cut up chicken breast, pork filets, or even make little uncooked German meatballs or hamburgers. (make them quite thin as otherwise, the meat takes too long to cook.)
• Cooked and cured meat: Ham, roast beef, bacon lardons, chorizo, frikadellen, salami or turkey slices
• Sausages: Nürenberger sausages, bratwurst bites, frankfurters or smoked sausages such as Krakauer, salami or cabanossi.

(Remember that the raclette will just melt the cheese over the meat in the pans. So if the meat is uncooked make sure to grill it on the plate before using in pans)

Raclette ideas for serving seafood

Seafood works well with your raclette menu. It does not take long too cook, but make sure that it is cooked through before eating. It is up to you, but I would choose ingredients that are not too smelly when cooking.

• Scallops
• Prawns
• Smoked Salmon
• Crab

Side dishes for Raclette (plan about 200 gr per person)

• Bread (we normally use baguette but any crusty bread will work)
• Cooked pasta
• Cooked spätzle
• Crisps such as nachos also tastes good with melted cheese.

Salads and Dips for Raclette

Serve at least one green salad with the raclette. Not only is it a light side dish for a heavy meal but it  also helps to bridge the gap for those who cannot wait for their cheese to bubble.

In addition, it is useful to add some dips and condiments to the table. Guests can choose how to use them, and there is also the possibility to dip the vegetables into them

• Quark Dips
• Caramelised Onion Chutney
• Tsatsiki
• Hummus
• Mustard (affiliate link)
• Mayonnaise (affiliate link)
• Ketchup (for the sausages)

Your Pre-Party Raclette Checklist: Foolproof Steps for Effortless Hosting

Plan at least an hour to prepare all of your raclette menu items. The guests should not need to do any chopping. Also some time to precook some ingredients, as the raclette only melts the cheese on top ingredients. It will not cook a potato.

• Cut all meat and vegetables into bite-size portions (they need to fit into the little raclette pans)
• Season the uncooked meat
• Boil potatoes, pasta and spätzle
• Make salad and salad dressing ahead
• Place all the side dishes around the raclette grill. If you need space, add a little side table.
• Just remember, you do not want to be running back to the kitchen all evening.

The Sweet Finish: Wrapping Up Your Raclette Evening

• Check if you can place your raclette pans in the dishwasher. If not, soak them in water overnight. Oven cleaner can help against persistent residue.
• The smell of raclette cheese can linger for days. Make sure to air the room after the meal and maybe leave a plate with coffee powder to neutralise the small.

Zero Waste, Maximum Flavor: Creative Uses for Leftover Raclette Ingredients

It is inventible that there will be some leftovers after raclette. However, this does not mean it has to go to waste. Make sure you cook all leftover food when storing it. The leftover vegetables can be used the next day in a stir fry or salad. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They should stay good up to three days.

Unused raclette cheese can be frozen and stays good up to three months.