Description
A French bistro classic, the Croque Monsieur is a golden, cheesy ham sandwich topped with creamy béchamel and broiled to perfection. Rich, comforting, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- 4 slices cooked ham
- 4 slices white sandwich or country bread
Instructions
- Preheat your oven broiler and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually add milk, whisking constantly until thickened, about 3–5 minutes.
- Stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg, Dijon mustard, and half the shredded cheese. Remove from heat.
- Butter one side of each bread slice with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Place buttered sides down.
- Spread béchamel sauce on two slices. Add ham and a bit more cheese. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
- Spread more béchamel on top of the sandwiches and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Toast the sandwiches in a skillet until the bottoms are golden. Transfer to the baking tray.
- Broil for 3–5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
- Let rest briefly before slicing. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use Gruyère for the best melt and flavor.
- Toast the bread lightly before assembling to avoid sogginess.
- Add a fried egg on top for a Croque Madame variation.
- Let béchamel cool slightly for easier assembly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg