The Croque Monsieur is a French bistro classic made with ham, Gruyère cheese, and a velvety sauce, baked until golden and bubbling. It is rich, satisfying, and every bit as traditional as it is delicious.
The Croque Monsieur is a true French bistro classic. It’s essentially a hot ham and cheese sandwich elevated with creamy béchamel sauce and loads of melted Gruyère. It appears on café menus all over France, and once you’ve made it at home, you’ll understand why it has kept its appeal through time.
A word of warning: this is not a dainty sandwich. It’s hearty, rich, and deeply satisfying. Thick slices of bread are toasted, layered with ham and cheese, topped with a silky sauce, and baked until the whole thing is golden and bubbling. It’s best served hot from the oven with something very fresh and very simple on the side.
I’ve made this sandwich many times over the years, and I always appreciate how it feels a little bit elegant without being complicated. One of these is plenty for anyone, regardless of their appetite, especially when paired with a crisp green salad and a glass of wine.
Want to save this?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
How to Make Croque Monsieur
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.
Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat, add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, ½ cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.
To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.
Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard,
add a slice of ham to each,
and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere.
Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather 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. Serve hot.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Croque Monsieur
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups hot milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- pinch of nutmeg
- 12 ounces Gruyere cheese grated
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 16 slices white sandwich bread crusts removed
- Dijon mustard
- 8 ounces baked Virginia ham sliced but not paper thin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened.2 cups hot milk
- Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, ½ cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.1/2 cup grated Gruyere1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, pinch of nutmeg, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.16 slices white sandwich bread
- Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread.1/2 remaining GruyereDijon mustard, 8 ounces baked Virginia ham
- Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes.1/2 remaining Gruyere
- Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Wow, look at all that melty cheese! I also thought the portion size was way too big for the richness of the dish.
Ohhhh I think I remember seeing this show! Fabulous job on the recipe – it looks amazing.
Perfect for a summer (or spring) lunch.
jenn
This is just one of life’s great pleasures! Thanks for the reminder. Best from Santa Barbara, s
Good job with this post. It was a great recipe.