Raclette cheese: which one to choose and how much per person

Swiss or Savoie, plain or flavoured, slices or half wheel: here is how to choose your raclette cheese and the right quantity per person, just as we advise every winter at the counter in Ixelles.

For a raclette evening, allow 200 to 250 g of cheese per person as a main course, 150 g if the raclette follows a hearty starter. Add 60 to 80 g of charcuterie and 250 to 300 g of potatoes per guest. Then you just need to choose the cheese: a Swiss mountain raclette matured for 3 months, full-flavoured and beautifully melting, or a raclette de Savoie, milder, plain or flavoured. Here is how we advise our customers at the counter in Ixelles, and what you need to know before ordering.

How much raclette cheese per person?

The rule we apply in the shop is simple: 200 g per person as a main course, 250 g for big eaters or evenings that go on, and 150 g when a starter or a large salad comes before the raclette. One kilo of cheese therefore serves 4 to 5 people. It is better to allow a little extra: leftover raclette keeps very well vacuum-packed and ends up in a gratin or on toast.

For variety without piling up leftovers, take half the weight in plain raclette and the other half in one or two flavoured versions. For six, for example: 800 g of raclette de Savoie and two 300 g packs of flavoured raclette. For children, allow 120 to 150 g instead.

Swiss raclette or raclette de Savoie?

It is the question we are asked most often, and there is no wrong answer: both melt well, and they go together very well on the same table. They simply do not have the same character.

Swiss mountain raclette, the original

Raclette was born in Switzerland, in Valais, where half a wheel was held up to the fire before the melted cheese was scraped onto the plate. Our Swiss mountain raclette is made in Switzerland from mountain cow's milk: washed rind, ivory paste, matured for at least 3 months. The result is a rich, supple cheese with a full flavour and a milky, slightly fruity aroma. Under the grill, the cheese coats the potato without stringing or releasing oil. It is the raclette we recommend to those who want flavour. Note that the name "Raclette du Valais" is a Swiss PDO reserved for cheeses from the canton of Valais; ours is a Swiss mountain raclette, outside that designation, chosen for its melt and its maturing.

Raclette de Savoie, mild and honest

On the French side, raclette de Savoie is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese, typical of the Alps. Its paste is smooth and velvety, its flavour mild, aromatic and clean. It is less matured and less strong than the Swiss one, milkier, and that is precisely what appeals to children and to those who prefer an understated cheese under the charcuterie and potatoes. It is also the base of all our flavoured raclettes. Since 2017 there has been a "Raclette de Savoie" PGI governing the name; our product pages state the origin of each cheese (Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Isère or Hautes-Alpes depending on the variety). You will find it alongside Beaufort, Reblochon and Abondance in our collection of cheeses from Savoie.

In short: Swiss for a more matured, richer, fuller-flavoured cheese that melts very smoothly; Savoie for mildness and a variety of flavours. Many of our customers take both, and that is probably the best advice we can give.

Plain or flavoured: which to choose

A flavoured raclette is chosen alongside a plain one, never on its own: 300 g is enough for everyone to have a taste. All are made with cow's milk, except the goat's milk one.

• Smoked raclette: a raclette from Haute-Savoie with a mild, smoky flavour, the most popular of the flavoured ones, which goes very well with smoked rocaïon.
• Pepper raclette: the same smooth paste spiked with pepper, to liven up a plate of potatoes.
• White wine raclette: a raclette from Isère with a mild, aromatic flavour, which keeps the roundness of the plain version with a note of wine.
• Wild garlic raclette: a raclette de Savoie flavoured with wild garlic, green and herbaceous, the perfect partner for gherkins and pickled onions.
• Chilli raclette: a raclette de Savoie with chilli, punchy without being fiery, for those who like a little heat.
• Truffle raclette: a raclette from the Hautes-Alpes with a subtle truffle flavour, best kept for the end of the meal, when palates are ready.
• Mustard raclette: a raclette de Savoie with a mustard flavour, a natural match for cured ham.
• Goat's milk raclette: a semi-hard goat's milk cheese from the French Alps, mild and aromatic, for goat's cheese lovers and those who digest cow's milk less well.

All our raclettes are in the raclette and fondue cheeses collection, along with the fondue cheeses and the vacherin.

Slices or block, quarter and half wheel

Each raclette is available in 200 g, 300 g, 500 g and 1 kg, as a block or in slices. The Swiss mountain raclette, the raclette de Savoie and its smoked, pepper, white wine, wild garlic, chilli and truffle versions are also available as a quarter wheel (1.5 kg) and a half wheel (3 kg). The mustard raclette and the goat's milk raclette stop at one kilo.

Slices, for the raclette machine

This is the format for most evenings. We slice the cheese to order, in 3 to 4 mm slices that fit in a raclette pan and melt evenly. The slices are then vacuum-packed, which protects them during chilled transport and extends their keeping time in the fridge. Online, choose the "slices" option; in the shop, tell us how many guests you are expecting.

Block, quarter and half wheel

The block suits those who prefer to slice at home, or who want to keep part of the cheese for cooking. The quarter wheel and half wheel are for large gatherings: a 1.5 kg quarter feeds 6 to 7 people, a 3 kg half wheel serves 12 to 15. The half wheel is also the format of traditional raclette, placed under a grill or in front of a half-wheel machine and scraped straight onto the plate. It is the original gesture, and it makes quite a show at a party.

Charcuterie and accompaniments

Allow 60 to 80 g of charcuterie per person, shared between two or three kinds. Our charcuterie is sliced to order, like the cheese, and available as a block or in slices from 200 g to 1 kg.

• Viande des Grisons: the air-dried beef of the Swiss Alps, lean and scented with mountain herbs, the classic accompaniment to raclette in Switzerland.
• Jambon cru de Savoie: a dry-cured ham air-dried in the mountains, generous and slightly woody, the one you set next to the raclette.
• Noix de jambon: the heart of the ham, trimmed of fat, the lean charcuterie par excellence.
• Coppa de Savoie: pork neck matured for 12 weeks, melt-in-the-mouth, with a fine balance of fat and lean.
• Smoked rocaïon: a pork fillet dried and then smoked over beech wood, the smoked charcuterie of a Savoyard raclette.
• Speck: the smoked cured ham of the Italian Alps, spiced with juniper and bay.

The whole selection is in our charcuterie. For the rest of the table: waxy potatoes cooked in their skins, gherkins, small pickled onions, a sharply dressed green salad to cut through the richness, and a dry white wine. If you are entertaining over several days, ring the changes with a reblochon tartiflette or a baked Mont d'Or, and finish with a small cheese platter for those who are still hungry.

Storing and serving

In the fridge, raclette keeps for 2 to 3 weeks vacuum-packed or in its paper. Once the pack is opened, eat the slices within the week, well wrapped. Take the cheese out 30 minutes before sitting down to eat: at room temperature, it melts faster and more evenly, and its flavour comes through better.

For delivery, we ship vacuum-packed by chilled transport, in 1 to 3 days on average in Belgium, France and Luxembourg. Collection is free at our two shops in Ixelles, chaussée de Boondael 430 and place du Châtelain 9. For a large gathering or a half wheel, order a few days in advance.

Frequently asked questions