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Croque Madame
5 from 15 votes

Croque Madame

Croque Madame is a French toasted ham and cheese sandwich topped with a creamy Mornay sauce and a fried egg. The sandwich features toasted bread smeared with Dijon mustard, layered with sliced ham, and baked with Gruyere cheese and Mornay sauce. The finishing touch is a sunny-side-up egg, which adds richness and creates a distinctive topping.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 488 kcal
Course: Brunch
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

For the Mornay Sauce
  • 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk warmed, whole
  • ½ cup gruyere cheese shredded
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • black pepper Kosher salt
  • salt Kosher salt
For the Croque Madame
  • 4 lices bread white or sourdough
  • 4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ lb ham sliced
  • 1 cup Mornay sauce
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese grated
  • 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 4 egg large
  • black pepper Kosher salt
  • salt Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoon chives finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

Make the Mornay Sauce
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium-sized skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat.
  2. Whisk in the flour, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Slowly whisk in the warmed milk, and cook, whisking and stirring frequently, until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir the cheese and the Dijon mustard (1 tsp).
  5. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, set aside and let cool.
Make the Croque Madame Sandwiches
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bread slices in a single layer. Toast in the oven, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
  3. Spread the tops of the toasted bread with Dijon mustard.
  4. Add an equal amount of the sliced ham to 2 of the bread slices. Top the ham with ¼ cup of the Mornay sauce and then sprinkle on about a ¼ cup of the cheese.
  5. Top with the remaining bread slices, Dijon facing down.
  6. Spread the remaining sauce over the tops of the sandwiches, and sprinkle each with the remaining cheese.
  7. Return the sandwiches to the baking sheet and bake until the cheese is melty and starting to brown slightly in spots.
  8. While the sandwiches are in the oven, melt 2 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Crack and add the eggs to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the whites have just set, about 2 to 3 minutes for sunny-side-up eggs.
  9. Remove the sandwiches from the oven and use a spatula to plate each one. Top with the fried eggs, and garnish with chopped chives, if desired. Serve at once.

Notes

  • The Mornay sauce can be prepared up to 12 hours in advance and refrigerated; it will thicken but remain spreadable.
  • Sunny-side-up eggs can be substituted with poached eggs if preferred.
  • Watching the accompanying video can provide helpful visual guidance.

Nutrition Information

Calories 488kcal (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 488

% Daily Value*

Calories 488kcal 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.