Breakfast and Brunch

Croque Monsieur

The Croque Monsieur is the French version of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich that includes a creamy cheese sauce and tangy Dijon mustard. Perfect to serve at your next brunch.

A staple sandwich in my house is the grilled cheese.

It is delicious on its own, a great breakfast/brunch option, and can be paired with tomato soup for a comforting dinner. I absolutely love that it can be whipped up in minutes with two slices of bread, cheese, and butter. If you want to add a little more to it, then throw in a some thinly sliced ham next to the cheese before cooking. And then you will have yourself something:

Hot.

Crispy.

Buttery.

Cheesy.

Comforting.

Everything that a good grilled ham and cheese sandwich should be. However, if you want to make it fancy and impress your family and friends, then try making a Croque Monsieur.

This is the French version, which includes a simple cheesy white sauce, or béchamel, and some Dijon mustard for a bit of tanginess. The white sauce is spread on the toasted bread slices prior to assembling the ham and cheese sandwich. And if that isn’t enough, after the sandwich is assembled then it is topped with another layer of white sauce, more cheese, and placed under the broiler until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

This sandwich can be made in minutes and is perfect to serve at your next brunch. Your friends and family are sure to enjoy it. Plus you didn’t have to travel to a Parisian café to try it. Be sure to add this recipe to your kitchen toolkit, so that you can have it for those times when you need something simple, delicious, and in a hurry. Also if you would like a similar sandwich recipe, then be sure to give the Croque Madame a try which includes a fried egg.

Croque Monsieur

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated and divided
8 slices white sandwich bread, crust cut off
4 ounces thinly sliced ham, Virginia or black forest
Dijon mustard

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, add the milk and allow it to heat to a simmer.

In a separate medium saucepan on low heat, add the butter and once melted add the flour.

Stir the butter mixture continuously until doughy and cooked thoroughly, for about 2 minutes.

Slowly and carefully whisk the hot milk into the butter mixture.

Whisk continuously until thick and smooth. Add the Parmesan and 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese until melted.

Line the bread slices on the prepared baking sheet and place into the oven to toast. Bake for 5 minutes before turning to bake for an additional 2 minutes.

Lightly brush half of the slices of toast with Dijon mustard, top the mustard with a slice of ham, followed by half of the remaining Gruyere cheese.

Top each with the remaining slices of toast and generously spread a layer of the white sauce on top of each sandwich followed by the remaining Gruyere cheese.

Turn the oven broiler on low and place the baking sheet bake into the oven until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Remove from the oven and serve while hot.