Do you love raclette but can't find the right cheese? Fret not, here's a list of the best cheeses for raclette.
The delicious Raclette cheese has become famous for its meltability. You may have seen videos on social media of waiters melting a wheel of cheese by the table and pouring it over potatoes. Its creamy texture is only improved by its salty, nutty flavor.
Despite its popularity, Raclette can be quite difficult to access. You can spot raclette cheese in specialty food shops, but they’re not always easy to find. Not to worry! There are plenty of alternatives to Raclette cheese that are just as creamy and scrumptious.
This list covers the best cheese substitutes for your next Raclette party, whether it be at home or on the ski slopes. Another decadent cold weather dish that complements this type of meal is a tartiflette.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
What is Raclette Cheese?
Raclette comes from Switzerland, but you can find it in some areas of France. It’s made from cow’s milk and is a light yellow cheese. There are different flavors that spice up raclette like garlic, truffle, and peppercorns.
To get the famous melty goodness, the Raclette is heated at a high temperature until there is a layer of hot, melted cheese. It is then scraped off onto potatoes, vegetables, or even bread.
What does Raclette taste like?
A young Raclette will have a mellow and bright flavor that will grow stronger as it ages. The taste and melting capacity are what make it a famous cheese. To get the best restaurant-style raclette cheese flavor, use a young raclette.
Why is it so famous?
It’s an amazing melting cheese! Raclette is an unpasteurized milk based cheese, so it has the perfect creamy and smooth consistency we all can’t get enough of.
How is it used?
Raclette cheese is usually served melted, either in fondue or over food. There is a special grill for raclette, where you can melt some slices of cheese and add it to meats and vegetables. Some slices of baguette also pair delightfully with the melted cheese.
It is best to eat raclette cheese with an acidic drink like wine, beer, or tea. Raclette is delicious, but is quite fatty. A little bit of acid will cut through the fat and not overwhelm your palate.
What are the health benefits of Raclette cheese?
Eating Raclette cheese occasionally can be great for your health. It is high in protein, calcium, and Vitamin A. Try not to eat too much cheese though as it has a high fat content.
Is Raclette okay to eat if you’re lactose intolerant?
Yes, you can enjoy Raclette!
Its cooking and aging process release much of the lactose that is in the milk, making it an ideal cheese for sensitive stomachs.
Can I substitute Raclette Cheese with any cheese?
Unfortunately, not every cheese can replace Raclette cheese. Raclette has a mild, nutty taste and has great meltability. Many cheeses, especially aged cheese, have too strong of a flavor to be a good substitute.
There are also many delightful cheeses that do not melt well. You want to choose a cheese that melts well and has a milder taste. Younger cheeses are better for this.
If you find yourself looking for substitutes for Montery jack cheese, look no further than here!
8 Cheeses for Raclette
Do you love raclette but can't find the right cheese? Here's a list of the best cheeses for raclette that will make great substitutes.
Gruyère is probably one of the closest cheeses to having a Raclette cheese flavor. It has the same nutty flavor and it follows similar cheese making operations.
A young gruyere cheese is a soft cheese that melts beautifully like Raclette. It is commonly used in fondue, and enjoyed with meat and vegetables.
To get the same taste as Raclette cheese, use a young Gruyère cheese. As Gruyere ages, its taste becomes much stronger. So, it will not be as suitable as a substitute for Raclette cheese.
Use a 1:1 ratio to substitute Raclette cheese with a young Gruyere cheese in cheese dishes.
Produced in Norway, Jarlsberg is made with unpasteurized cow’s milk, giving it a subtly nutty flavor similar to Raclette. Jarlsberg is usually enjoyed melted thanks to its relatively soft texture.
It is well loved in fondues and grilled sandwiches. Its texture and taste make it a great cheese substitute for Raclette in dutch recipes. Better yet, Jarlsberg is easier to find in most grocery stores!
To use this Norwegian cheese substitute, it is best to use a younger cheese. The older the cheese is, the stronger its taste becomes and the less it tastes like Raclette.
Replacing Raclette with Jarlsberg is easy, as it is a 1:1 ratio. I do not recommend using an aged Jarlsberg, but if it is all you have on hand, then use about half of what the recipe suggests for Raclette.
If you haven’t heard of Emmental cheese, you have probably heard its other name - Swiss cheese! The hole-filled cheese is very similar to Raclette’s flavor as they’re both made from cow’s milk.
Swiss cheese is a soft cheese and a fondue cheese. Unlike Raclette, Emmental is a semi hard cheese which makes it more difficult to melt.
You can still achieve a nice melty texture from one of the harder Swiss cheeses, but it won’t be as soft and smooth as Raclette. Swiss cheese’s taste and accessibility make it a great substitute for Raclette. To switch out Raclette for Swiss, it is a 1:1 ratio.
Most of the raclette alternatives on this list have a milder taste, but Appenzeller has an overpowering taste. Made in Switzerland, Appenzeller has a complex flavor profile and semi-firm texture.
Though the taste of Appenzeller is richer than Raclette, it provides the same nutty and buttery notes. It can be enjoyed as is, or melted in a variety of dishes. Appenzeller’s meltability makes it a wonderful replacement for Raclette.
To use this semi hard nutty cheese as a cheese substitute, you can use either a 1:1 ratio, or about ¾ what the recipe asks for. The ratio depends on how strong you want the cheese flavor to be in your recipe.
We all know Gouda for its bright red, waxy exterior and yellowish color. But, Gouda is also a wonderful replacement for Raclette cheese! A young wheel of Gouda cheese has a mild and slightly sweet taste. Its soft texture makes it easy to melt over your favorite foods, or simply melted in a sandwich.
As it ages, Gouda’s taste takes on more buttery notes and has a more grainy texture. It is best to use young Gouda when using as a Raclette substitute.
Gouda is a lovely Raclette cheese substitute, and is easily accessible. To use Gouda in raclette cheese grill recipes, use a 1:1 ratio.
Fontina cheese is one of the few cheeses on this list that do not originate from Northern Europe. Coming from Aosta Valley, Italy, Fontina is a Valdostana cow’s milk cheese. Valdostana cow milk is famous for its buttery aroma.
Fontina flavor profile is incredibly similar to Raclette. The rich cheese is filled with sweet and nutty notes, but its texture is quite different. Fontina is much harder, and is eaten as a table cheese but can be melted. It’s a staple food in many pizza dishes.
As Fontina has a stronger taste than Raclette, it is best to use 1:2 ratio Fontina for Raclette cheese grill recipes.
Hailing from France, Brie cheese is a good cheese replacement. With a buttery note and meltability, Brie is often used when serving fondue. Its creamy consistency makes it a great option instead of Raclette, but it does not have the same nutty flavor.
The smell is much less pungent as well, so if you are looking for a milder melting cheese for a classic fondue, Brie is a great option.
Use a 2:1 ratio to replace Raclette with Brie.
If you are unable to find any of the cheeses listed, then your last cheese substitute resort is cheddar cheese. It’s incredibly accessible, but is a yellow medium hard cheese.
Its meltability makes it a good replacement for Raclette. However, it does not have the same nutty notes, or creamy texture of Raclette cheese.
White and yellow cheddar can be used, but try to stick with a mild cheddar cheese. Aged cheddars tend to be more pungent, and are more of a table cheese.
Since cheddar has about the same meltability as Raclette cheese, you can use a 1:1 ratio.
YesNoSpin
I love raclette! It's my favorite cheese dish. I've tried a lot of different cheeses for it, but my favorite is brie.