Croque Monsieur Sandwich

Have you ever heard of a Croque Monsieur? It’s a classic french twist on a ham and cheese sandwich, and it’s surprisingly easy to make! You can throw these beauties together in about 30 minutes. The béchamel sauce and quality cheeses help give this sandwich a rich flavor and sophisticated feel. Make this creamy, melty delight for a Mother’s Day Brunch, a girls night, or anytime you want to treat yourself to an elevated grilled cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

Béchamel Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 1/4 cup flour

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk

  • 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

  • dash of nutmeg

  • salt and pepper to taste

Sandwich:

  • 8 slices of white bread

  • 6 oz shredded white cheddar*

  • 6 oz smoked ham

  • 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 425° F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and then start making your béchamel. This is a creamy white sauce that makes this sandwich perfection.

  1. Melt 1/4 c. butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 c. flour and stir constantly for 3 minutes.

  2. With the burner on medium-low heat, gradually add in 1 1/2 cups whole milk. Add the milk very slowly and keep stirring continually until the sauce is smooth and thick.

  3. Remove from the heat and stir add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and dijon mustard. (The nutmeg is so good! It adds the perfect sweet nuttiness to the sauce. Yum!)

Now it’s time to assemble your sandwiches!

  1. Place 4 slices of bread on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spread a thick layer of béchamel on each slice. (The béchamel should be facing up!)

  2. Add ham, about half of the shredded white cheddar, and a sprinkle of grated parmesan.

  3. Top the sandwiches with a second piece of bread.

  4. Spread the top of the sandwich with another layer of béchamel, and then cover with the remaining white cheddar and parmesan.

  5. Bake at 425° F for 5-6 minutes, and then broil for 2-4 minutes or until the cheese is nice and bubbly on top.

Top with fresh or dried rosemary, parsley or chives for a touch of color, and revel in your fanciness! I mean…enjoy your sandwich. ;)

NOTES:

* Cheese choice: The traditional recipe calls for gruyere or emmental cheeses. Either of these would be delicious, but they are relatively expensive and hard to find. We made our version with white cheddar and it still turned out amazing. Mozzarella would be another good option!

*Bread choice: The cheddar we used has a sharper flavor, so we chose a slightly sweet brioche bread that complimented it well. Try it with any white bread or sourdough bread that you like!

*Make it a “Croque Madame” by adding a fried egg on top!

Trisha Zemp