Croque Monsieur Sandwich
The Croque Monsieur Sandwich is a French classic made with ham and cheese, topped with a cheese sauce, then baked before a final broiling.
This upscale French Grilled Cheese Recipe got the picky hubby’s attention. He wasn’t sure how to pronounce the French name, but he definitely won’t forget it! If you’re looking for a lunch recipe to impress, this croque monsieur is the answer!
Why You’ll Love a Croque Monsieur Sandwich
The croque or crispy mister, as it translates from French, is basically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a smear of mustard. Gruyere is the cheese of choice and the recipe I selected from Ina Garten included a topping of bechamel with even more Gruyere. Baked then broiled, it is an unpretentious, yet extraordinary treat.
I first made these in 2013, after a trip to France. I cooked only one to photograph, but after the guys took care of my leftovers, they requested more! The chicken parmesan I made for dinner went into the fridge for another night! Gooey and obviously irresistible, you’ll have to give these croque monsieur sandwiches a try. It’s an out-of-the-ordinary, memorable grilled cheese recipe!
The family on Omaha Beach in Normandy
What is a Croque Monsieur?
This “gentleman’s sandwich” was first documented on Parisian menus in 1910. The croque monsieur started out as pub fare or a quick snack. Either baked or fried, this crispy grilled cheese originally contained boiled ham and cheese. Later versions were topped with bechamel and cheese and broiled to make an even tastier grilled cheese recipe!
Here are some of the variations of the Croque-Monsieur sandwich via Wikipedia:
- Croque madame or croque-à-cheval (topped with a fried or poached egg)
- Croque provençal (with tomato)
- Croque auvergnat (with bleu d”Auvergne cheese)
- Croque gagnet (with Gouda and andouille)
- Croque norvégien (with smoked salmon instead of ham)
- Croque tartiflette (with sliced potatoes and Reblochon cheese)
- Croque bolognese / Croque Boum-Boum (with Bolognese sauce)
- Croque señor (with tomato salsa)
- Croque Hawaiian (with a slice of pineapple)
- “Croque McDo” sandwich at found at French McDonald’s
Our First Tastes of This French Grilled Cheese Recipe
Here’s the story of our first tastes of a croque monsieur. It was a Sunday evening, after a long day of touring the picturesque abbey of Mt. Saint Michel and the Normandy beaches. We ended up on the quiet main drag of Saint-Lô looking for a bite to eat.
We walked by restaurant after restaurant, reading menus, ruling out one spot after the next, as our stomachs growled with hunger, till we finally landed at a pub…where only 3 regulars sat at the bar. Some menus were dusted off…and despite a major language barrier, we all ordered a Croque-Monsieur, a French classic.
As we waited patiently for our meal, I surmised that these French ham and cheese sandwiches were being retrieved from deep inside a freezer, taken from a frost-covered box. Underwhelmed, but starving, we all cleaned our plates. Surely, that was not typical of this famous snack which started appearing in Parisian cafes in 1910. I vowed to make my own when we returned stateside. And now you can, too!
More Sandwiches You’ll Love:
- Southwestern Grilled Cheese from Yummy, Healthy, Easy
- Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches
- Brie BLT
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
- Cubano Sandwich
- Roast Chicken Brie and Bacon Sandwich
- Chicken Pesto Grilled Cheese
- Open-Face Salmon Sandwich
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Caprese Grilled Cheese
- More Entree Recipes
This post was originally shared in April 2013. The text and photos were updated in 2019.
Croque-Monsieur Sandwich
A French ham and cheese sandwich topped with a luscious cheese sauce!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour (I use Wondra brand to prevent lumps)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A few grates of fresh nutmeg
- 12 ounces Gruyere (grated)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 16 slices bread (I used Brioche)
- Dijon mustard
- 2-3 slices very thin Prosciutto per sandwich (thicker sliced Virginia ham may be substituted)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour (I use Wondra brand to prevent lumps)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A few grates of fresh nutmeg
- 12 ounces Gruyere (grated)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 16 slices bread (I used Brioche)
- Dijon mustard
- 2-3 slices very thin Prosciutto per sandwich (thicker sliced Virginia ham may be substituted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º.
- Melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for a couple minutes. Slowly pour the milk into the mixture and cook while whisking constantly till the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
- Toast your bread in a toaster, remove, then spread half the slices with with mustard, followed by 2-3 slices of Prosciutto on each. and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top each with another piece of toasted bread. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet. Cover the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Adapted from Ina Garten.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 sandwichAmount Per Serving: Calories: 463Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1189mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 24g
70 Comments on “Croque Monsieur Sandwich”
Looks like one can drive on that beach! Nice photos of your family and I enjoyed the foodie tales. I can just imagine you enjoying Nutella crepes with your boys and that lovely view. Too bad about the French classic let down. You made up for it later though and the family was appreciative – so it makes for a good story. 🙂
I have never made one of these kinds of sandwiches… now I’m wondering why? It looks fabulous. 🙂
This was such a fun Sunday Supper topic this week. 🙂 Ina Garten’s bechamel version reminds me a little of a Louisiana hot brown. Either way, you can’t go wrong with more creamy, cheesy goodness.
Oh liz, I sure want to try this sandwich. I’ve seen the one from Ina, and somehow I missed the scene in Meryl and Steve’s movie. But yours here has me fixated, no wonder your sons asked for more. I know earlier I mentioned the 4 food groups on the plate, but I got to tell you, I’d forego the two groups on the sides for more…sandwich!
Before I read the post I immediately thought of “It’s Complicated”. It’s one of the movies that keep me company while I’m baking. Ever since that movie I’ve wanted to try the cripsy mister, thanks for sharing the recipe and family pics. I would have very high hopes for dining in France also.
There are a lot of terrible croque monsieurs out there, but yours looks to die for! I love Meryl Streep but haven’t seen It’s Complicated yet – I must do soon!
Liz, you need to go back to France immediately and re-train them how to make this French classic. I had one delicious Croque Monsieur on my very first visit as a teen. Since then, however, my experience has been the cheapest of cheap bread, plastic cheese, plastic ham. It is such a shame when it can be so fantastic when it is done properly – as you demonstrate so well.
One of my favorite movies! I LOVE Meryl Streep! These sandwiches look amazing too!! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, OK it means “crispy mister”. I used to think of it as Mr’s Croque, whatever croque meant. Sounds like a very delish sandwich 🙂 I guess it would do no harm if I used cheddar, right?
Mmmm so many people love Croque Monsieur and after reading your recipe, I see why 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Dear Liz, Delicious looking. I enjoyed the movie Its Complicated too. Thank you for sharing those great pictures of the family. It is always fun to see pictures.
Blessings dear. Catherine xo
I’m so glad you made these because I have been wanting to try them! You gotta love all that cheese!
Your crispy mister looks so good that I want to rush to the kitchen and make myself a large portion immediately!
I haven’t seen It’s Complicated yet! I’m going to have a good little chuckle when I get to the scene you mentioned. Of course, I will be thinking of your croque monsieur! 🙂
I have a discriminating daughter when it comes to travel menus too!
We loved Normandy and MSM. I had very low expectations of our food at the abbey, but we actually had a decent meal on the way up. (Not great, but decent.) A well-made croque monsieur is worth waiting for.
I’ve been to that area of France and saw the abbey of Mt. Saint Michel. It’s always disappointing when the food is not as good as you have dreamed of. I actually remember the food on that street up to the abbey being disastrously disgusting – all fast food and we ate very badly there. On the other hand, we had some lovely food in St Malo when we left the main tourist drag. I haven’t heard of these sandwiches but all that cheesy white sauce sounds like you have a winner there.
I love croque-monsieur, but when I was a kid my brother told me it had crocodile in it! Suffice to say that I didn’t try one until I was a bit older!
I love croque monsieur! Nothing can beat a sandwich covered in bechamel and cheese!
Definitely thought of “It’s Complicated” before I got to the end of your post!
I love that movie and anytime I see anyone eating a croque monsieur I think of that scene! Good choice