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5.0 from 1,161 votes

Croque Monsieur

Croque Monsieur is a delicious French ham and cheese sandwich, made with gruyere, parmesan, ham and a simple béchamel sauce, toasted in the oven.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 658 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Béchamel sauce:
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups whole milk
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Dash of ground nutmeg
Sandwich:
  • 8 thin slices white sandwich breads
  • 5 ounces good quality ham about 8 slices
  • 6 ounces gruyere cheese ,or Emmental cheese, grated (about 2½ cups)
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Béchamel sauce:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring well until the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened. 
  2. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and nutmeg. Set aside while you make the sandwiches, or make the sauce up to 1 week in advance.
Assemble sandwiches:
  1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking tray with parchement paper and set aside.
  2. Spread each bread slice with a layer of béchamel, spreading it all the way to the edges. Place 4 slices of bread, béchamel side up, on prepared baking sheet. 
  3. Top each with a piece of ham, a handful of gruyere, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Place remaining slices of bread on top, béchamel side up, then top with remaining gruyere and parmesan cheese.
  4. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted, and then turn the oven to broil and broil until the cheese on top is lightly golden, 2-4 minutes.

Notes

  • Cheese:  Emmental cheese is often used for croque monsieur, but I found that hard to find, and I do know Gruyere is commonly used as well, so either will work.
  • Béchamel: Save on prep time by making the white sauce ahead of time. Make it as instructed, allow it to cool, place plastic wrap directly onto surface, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  • Croque Madame: To make this into a Croque Madame sandwich, make the recipe as instructed, then fry eggs (one for each sandwich, sunny-side up) in a separate skillet while the sandwiches toast in the oven. Place an egg on top each sandwiches. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 658kcal (33%) Carbohydrates 13g (4%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 34g (52%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Cholesterol 104mg (35%) Sodium 657mg (27%) Potassium 254mg (7%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 905IU (18%) Calcium 520mg (52%) Iron 0.9mg (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 658

% Daily Value*

Calories 658kcal 33%
Carbohydrates 13g 4%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 34g 52%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Cholesterol 104mg 35%
Sodium 657mg 27%
Potassium 254mg 5%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 905IU 18%
Calcium 520mg 52%
Iron 0.9mg 5%

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