Ready for another summer grilling recipe? You’re going to love this Raclette Cheeseburger with Bacon, Horseradish Aioli, and Pickled Shallots. It’s juicy, flavorful, and will be the star of your next barbecue. This post is a paid collaboration with Emmi USA. It highlights raclette, an incredible melting cheese that takes cheeseburgers to a whole new level.
Ok, are you sitting there wondering what the heck a Raclette cheeseburger is? No worries! I’m here to help.
Working with Emmi USA this year has been an incredible experience, because it has introduced me to so many wonderful new cheeses. How many of us are guilty of not stepping out of our cheesy comfort zone? I’ve certainly fallen into this pattern many times.
What is Raclette Cheese?
Raclette is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese that’s commonly used for melting. In Switzerland, it’s also the name of a dish based around a melted wheel of the same cheese. It’s similar to fondue; the raclette is heated, often using a gadget similar to an electric griddle, then scraped onto diners’ plates and served along with a variety of accompaniments.
What does Raclette Taste Like?
Raclette has an aromatic smell and a creamy texture that’s similar to Gruyere. The flavor can be mild or sharp, depending on the age of the wheel.
Raclette pairs well with a variety of ingredients including white wines such as Riesling (dry or sweet), American or Belgian Ales, pickled ingredients (especially cornichons), potatoes, and prosciutto.
Now! Onto the raclette cheeseburgers. I decided to use a variation of the quick pickling recipe from my Ramp Pesto Pasta with Quick Pickled Onions to use on the burgers, since the raclette pairs so well with pickles. I loved how the mild flavor of the shallots worked here, but feel free to substitute red onions if you prefer.
The horseradish aioli comes together quickly and adds tons of flavor to the burgers as well. You get just the right amount of bite from the horseradish and garlic without them overpowering the other components.
You can use Emmi USA’s Where to Buy store locator to see if raclette is available near you!
What Are Shallots?
This recipe uses one of my favorite ingredients: shallots! Learn more about shallots and when to use them in recipes with my ingredient overview: What Are Shallots?
Looking For More Cheese Recipes?
Check out my Warm Zucchini Salad and Classic Cheese Fondue!
Raclette Cheeseburger with Bacon, Horseradish Aioli, and Pickled Shallots
Ingredients
For The Horseradish Aioli:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
For The Pickled Shallots:
- 1 medium shallot, sliced into thin half moons
- 3/4 cup white wine vinegar (rice vinegar may be substituted)
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For The Burgers:
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 (6-ounce) ground chuck patties
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 10 ounces Emmi USA Raclette Cheese
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted
- Optional toppings: lettuce and tomato
Instructions
Prepare the Aioli:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, horseradish, garlic, salt and pepper.
Prepare the Shallots:
- Using a medium saucepan or kettle, boil 3 cups of water. Place the shallots in a colander. Once the water is boiling, pour evenly over the shallots and drain.
- Place the vinegar, salt and sugar in a jar with a tight fitting lid, stirring to dissolve. Add the shallots, cover, and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the Burgers:
- Preheat the grill to high. Cover a grill pan with foil, and top with the bacon. Cook for around 15 minutes, or until the bacon is golden and crisp, flipping after about 10 minutes. Use heat-resistant tongs to remove the bacon, and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Cut the bacon in half crosswise.
- Lower the heat to medium-high. Season both sides of the burgers lightly with salt and pepper, and use your thumb to make a small indentation in the center of each (this will prevent the burger from puffing up).
- Use a heat-resistant brush to oil the grill grates with vegetable or canola oil. Grill the burgers on one side for 5 minutes, closing the grill lid. Flip the burgers (don’t press down on them or you’ll release juices!) and cook for around 4-5 additional minutes for medium doneness. In the last minute of cooking, top each burger with around 2 1/2 ounces Raclette, then cover the grill to help melt the cheese.
- Serve cheeseburgers on toasted buns, topped with 3 half slices of bacon, aioli, pickled shallots, and any optional toppings you like.
Notes
Pickled shallots will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, so I recommend making these ahead to save time!
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)
I’m so intrigued by that cheese, can’t wait to try this!
Would definitely be the star of our next BBQ Jennifer! I’ve got to try that cheese! Love the aioli and those pickled shallots too!
Such a fun date night meal! Love the flavors and the cheese!
Oh the cheese!
OMG does this ever look incredible!! Have to try it this weekend!
Sooo melty. Sooo delicious.
Okay this burger is an explosion of flavors! I absolutely love the idea of horseradish aioli!
This is like restaurant food at home. Such an amazing burger.
I love raclette, but never thought of using it on a burger! All the toppings are fabulous!
Love the horseradish aioli on there! I am down for a good burger any day of the week!
It looks and sounds amazing! Would love to give it a try!
That looks like one really delicious burger combo (with the Raclette, horseradish aioli and pickled shallots). Thank you very much for sharing that. I will post this tomorrow on my Reddit Web page about food at:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskRedditFood/
Wow raclette is one of my favourite things, have it every time I go to Switzerland and am glad to see it’s taking over the world!!!