A French croque monsieur sandwich is an easy recipe made with simple ingredients, it's just ham, cheese, bread, flour and Dijon mustard. Learn how to make this crispy, melty, tangy, cheesy concoction at home, in about 30 minutes!
Is this the perfect sandwich? Possibly. Creamy, melted Gruyère made even more indulgent with the addition of béchamel, the crisp crunch of toasted bread, and tangy Dijon mustard to cut through the richness with an acidic bite.
My recipe replaces the bottom layer of béchamel with Dijon mustard in order to keep that essential crispiness of the bread. But I can assure you, it's still satisfyingly cheesy and gooey, just like you want it to be!
Croque monsieur sandwiches are a classic French recipe for brunch, (or maybe take things to the next level and make a croque monsieur breakfast casserole.) But they can also be a quick and easy weeknight dinner, especially if you've made the béchamel sauce in advance.
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Croque monsieur ingredients
- Crusty bread: Any type of white sandwich bread with a nice crust will work, try sourdough or a French boule, Italian white, etc.
- Gruyère cheese: The classic choice because it melts so well. Other cheeses that work are in the French/Swiss vein, like Comté or Emmenthal.
- Ham: Avoid overly smoky ham, and don't use cheap lunch meat. Get something nice that is real ham, like off the bone ham sliced thin from the deli, nothing pressed.
- Dijon mustard: The tang of Dijon mustard breaks through the richness of the cheese and sauce.
- Béchamel sauce: This simple mixture of flour, milk and butter will make the cheese cheesier and turn it into a delicious, melted, gooey situation.
*Ingredients with measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to make croque monsieur sandwiches
Step 1: Make the béchamel sauce
Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat, add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes, whisking almost constantly. Cook until it's reduced by about ⅓, and coats the back of a spoon enough to draw a line through it with your finger.
Step 2: Layer the sandwich fillings
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Place 4 slices of bread on the pan, then layer in this order:
- Spread Dijon mustard edge to edge on each slice of bread.
- Top each with 2-3 slices of ham.
- Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of béchamel sauce over the ham.
- Divide ยฝ cup of grated cheese into four equal portions, add it on top of the sauce.
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Layer in this order to keep the bread crisp
I tested béchamel sauce and cheese on the bottom layer of bread and Dijon on the top and vice versa. The layering order with the Dijon on the bottom, then béchamel and cheese on top of the ham keeps the bottom of the sandwich crisp, and maximizes the cheesiness of the top layer.
Step 3: Add the topping
Put the top slice of bread onto each sandwich and spread with a generous layer of béchamel sauce. Then divide the remaining ยฝ cup of cheese evenly on top of the four sandwiches.
Step 4: Bake!
Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 8 minutes until the cheese begins to melt. Switch to broil, cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
Expert tips
- Don't go crazy with too much cheese: The beauty of a croque monsieur is the balance of all the flavors and textures. Croque means crunch in French, the crisp, toasted bread is part of the magic. I tested it with more cheese and and béchamel and it was just too much, it overwhelmed the bread and made it soggy.
- Keep an eye on the broiler: Never walk away when broiling. Your dinner can go from bubbling to burnt in mere seconds. Keep the oven door slightly ajar and check it every minute or two.
- Make the béchamel ahead: You can make it up to a week ahead, reheat gently in a sauce pan on low. You might need to add a splash or two of milk to get back to the right consistency.
- You'll have more béchamel than you need: Transfer to an airtight container, press a layer of plastic wrap to the surface to keep a skin from forming. Seal the container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. (And then you can make more sandwiches, or use to thicken sauces, etc.!)
More sandwich recipes
Debra's Details: Croque monsieur sandwiches are crispy, cheesy, simple and quick!
- Perfect balance of flavors and textures: cheesy, crispy, creamy, and tangy.
- Made with simple ingredients you may already have on hand.
- Ready in 30 minutes.
- Easy weeknight dinner or indulgent weekend brunch.
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Recipe
French Croque Monsieur Sandwich Recipe
Equipment
- box grater (optional)
Ingredients
Béchamel Sauce
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Croque Monsieur Sandwiches
- 8 slices crusty white bread (such as sourdough, French boule, Italian white)
- 8 ounces ham
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese (or Comté or Emmenthal)
Instructions
Béchamel Sauce
- Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat, add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes, whisking almost constantly. Cook until it's reduced by about ⅓, and coats the back of a spoon enough to draw a line through it with your finger.
Croque Monsieur Sandwiches
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Place 4 slices of bread on the pan.
- Spread Dijon mustard edge to edge on each slice of bread. Top each slice of bread with 2-3 slices of ham. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of béchamel sauce over the ham. Divide ยฝ cup of grated cheese into four equal portions, add it on top of the sauce.
- Put the top slice of bread onto each sandwich and spread with a generous layer of béchamel sauce. Then divide the remaining ½ cup of cheese evenly on top of the four sandwiches, sprinkle it edge to edge.
- Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 8 minutes until the cheese begins to melt. Switch to broil, cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
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I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
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Notes
- Grate your own cheese: I prefer to grate my own cheese on a box grater. Pre-grated cheese can get dried out and it's coated in anti-caking agents that prohibit melting. If you have time, I highly recommend grating it yourself.
- Don't go crazy with too much cheese: The beauty of a croque monsieur is the balance of all the flavors and textures. I tested it with more cheese and it was just too much, that crisp, toasted bread just gets drowned in goo.
- Keep an eye on the broiler: Never walk away when broiling. Your dinner can go from bubbling to burnt in mere seconds. Keep the oven door slightly ajar and check it every minute or two.
- Make the béchamel ahead: You can make it up to a week ahead, reheat gently in a sauce pan on low. You might need to add a splash or two of milk to get to the right consistency.
- You'll have more béchamel than you need: Transfer to an airtight container, press a layer of plastic wrap to the surface to keep a skin from forming. Seal the container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. (And then you can make more sandwiches, or use to thicken sauces, etc.!)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
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