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Croque Monsieur (French hot ham and cheese sandwich)
5 from 60 votes

Croque Monsieur (French hot ham and cheese sandwich)

Croque Monsieur is a classic French hot sandwich featuring smoked ham and melted Swiss-style cheese layered between sourdough bread slices spread with creamy béchamel sauce. The béchamel, seasoned with nutmeg and white pepper, adds a rich, velvety texture that complements the smoky ham and melted Gruyere or Swiss cheese. Toasted under the broiler, the sandwich develops a golden, slightly crisp crust topped with more cheese and Parmesan.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 2
Calories: 1440 kcal
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Bechamel:
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup cream (pure or heavy / thickened)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp / 25g butter unsalted
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour , plain / all-purpose
  • 1/4 tsp salt , kosher/cooking salt
  • 1 pinch white pepper
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg , preferably freshly ground
Sandwich:
  • 4 lices sourdough bread , 1.5cm / ⅗" thick (Note 1)
  • 8 lices swiss cheese 165g / 6 oz, enough for 2 layers a sandwich) (Note 2, or gruyere cheese
  • 120g / 4 oz ham preferably smoked, sliced
  • 4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 30g / 2 tbsp butter unsalted
Topping:
  • 1/2 cup gruyere cheese , shredded (packed cup, Note 2)
  • 3 tbsp parmesan , finely shredded (Note 2)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
Béchamel sauce:
  1. Heat milk and cream: Place milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until steaming, but don't let it boil. Set aside.
  2. Make roux: Melt butter in a separate small saucepan over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low. Add flour and cook, stirring almost constantly, for 3 minutes. Don't let it brown.
  3. Add hot milk: While stirring, add half the milk. Once incorporated into the roux, mix in remaining milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  4. Thicken: Mix for 30 seconds to a minute or until it thickens into a spreadable and soft butter-like consistency (ie. not runny). If you have lumps, whisk until gone. Remove from heat (it is OK if it cools).
Assemble for pan frying:
  1. Spread with Bechamel: Spread half the béchamel over the 4 slices of bread, as though you are buttering them to make normal sandwiches! (Reserve half the béchamel for topping)
  2. Cheese + Dijon: Top two pieces of bread with 2 slices of gruyere or Swiss cheese each (fold as needed to make them fit). Then spread the cheese with half the Dijon Mustard (this might sound weird, but see in post for why we do this!).
  3. Ham + Dijon: Top with ham, then spread ham with remaining Dijon mustard.
  4. Top each of the two slices with 2 more slices of cheese (again, folding as needed), then close sandwiches with the other slices.
Pan fry:
  1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes, pressing down lightly with an egg flip or spatula, until a deep golden brown.
  2. Turn and cook the other side until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray.
Bake then broil:
  1. Topping: Slather remaining béchamel thickly on the upper pieces of bread. Sprinkle with Gruyere, then parmesan.
  2. Bake and broil: Bake 15 minutes, then switch to the grill/broiler for 3 minutes and grill until the top is golden and bubbling.
Serve:
  1. Immediately transfer to warmed serving plates, with knives and fork for serving (it's too messy to eat with hands.) For a traditional French bistro experience, add a side of fries and leafy greens lightly dressed in French Dressing or a basic vinaigrette. Devour and weep with joy! (Over the sandwich that is, not the salad!)

Notes

  • Choose bread with good structure, like sourdough or ciabatta, to hold the sandwich fillings without getting soggy.
  • If only soft bread is available, toast it before assembling or double slices with cheese between to improve stability.
  • Gruyere or Swiss cheese are ideal for flavor and meltability; avoid mozzarella as it can be bland for this dish.
  • Croque Monsieur sandwiches can be assembled ahead, wrapped tightly, and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before baking as directed.
  • Nutrition per sandwich is calorie-dense; suitable as an occasional indulgence.

Nutrition Information

Calories 1440cal (72%) Carbohydrates 83g (28%) Protein 67g (134%) Fat 94g (145%) Saturated Fat 54g (270%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 302mg (101%) Sodium 2392mg (100%) Potassium 590mg (13%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 2692IU (54%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 1302mg (130%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1440

% Daily Value*

Calories 1440cal 72%
Carbohydrates 83g 28%
Protein 67g 134%
Fat 94g 145%
Saturated Fat 54g 270%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 302mg 101%
Sodium 2392mg 100%
Potassium 590mg 13%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 2692IU 54%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 1302mg 130%
Iron 6mg 33%

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