This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.
Croque Monsieur sandwich made the easy way. No need to make time consuming béchamel sauce to enjoy this French classic. Follow my simple recipe for the same delicious taste with far less fuss!
If you a French cuisine aficionado, give my Chicken Casserole a la Normande a try!
Croque Monsieur? Ooh-la-la! Have you ever had one?
I will be honest with you, I heard the famous French sandwich being mentioned well before I had a chance to taste it. It always sounded so posh and unattainable, which instantly made me want it even more!
Not that I spent sleepless nights longing for it but every time I heard the name in a movie or read it in a book it peaked my curiosity.
So when I was on my first visit to Paris and spotted it on the menu – luckily for me in the cheap section – I ordered it right off the bat. Did it live up to the hype? Mais oui!
What is Classic Croque Monsieur?
When I ordered it I didn’t really know what the sandwich was about but with my first bite it all became clear. Croque Monsieur was a richer, more distinguished cousin of the beloved, thrifty and comfortable grilled cheese sandwich/cheese toastie.
Croque Monsieur first appeared on a Parisian cafe menu in 1910 and since then has been quite popular. There was a low period as the sandwich became associated with an embarrassing fast food served to tourists, but fortunately has since had a renaissance.
The name combines the words croque – which means ‘to bite’ – and monsieur – or mister. Together it is something like a ‘man’s sandwich’ or, more elegantly, a gentleman’s sandwich. Although I prefer ‘Mister Crunch’ as a translation!
Traditionally it is made with bread, ham and Emmental or Gruyère cheese but I didn’t have any of those, so I used aged white Cheddar, which I suspect isn’t something you’d find in Paris!
Croque monsieur vs madame
Croque monsieur isn’t the only rich, creamy sandwich created by the French. If this is the sort of thing that appeals to you, you have to go the next step and try Croque Madame!
It’s mostly the same, but with one distinguishing difference. When it comes to a Croque Madame, you pop a fried egg on top of it.
It might not sound like a bit change, but to me it takes the sandwich from a lunch to a brunch option. It definitely is more hearty!
Ingredients
If you know how to make a simple grilled cheese sandwich, you will master its cousin from France.
There are a lot of cheeses you can use for this sandwich, although Kraft singles should go no where near it. Each cheese you choose will bring a different flavour to the sandwich, so it’s easy to play around with the recipe.
Gruyere cheese might be traditional, but it can also be a bit expensive so I suggest mixing it with shredded cheddar. Mature or aged cheddar will give the most flavour. I’ve also tried a bit of comté cheese and loved every minute of it.
Many recipes for Croque Monsieur call for a laborious béchamel sauce to be included in the cheese mix. That alone would discourage me from ever making this delicious sandwich.
So my solution is to add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream to loosen the grated cheese. This creates the same oozy cheesy blanket over the top of the bread as in the traditional sandwich.
How do I make it?
Now let’s make it!
Grate the cheese and combine it with a bit of cream and a dash of This is an affiliate link.nutmeg. I can tell you are getting excited already!
Then slice your bread thickly. I used sourdough bread and loved it!
Put your slice on a buttered This is an affiliate link.baking dish and top with half of the cheese mixture.
Pop a slice of ham on top. More cheese….
Pop it in the oven at 400F/200C and bake for 10-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Quality ham and cheese make all the difference here. If you can, go for a thicker slice of ham, which may mean a trip to the deli counter. Thin slices of ham will not stand out between the thick slices of bread.
- Traditionally, mild and nutty Gruyere is used, but cheddar is a worthy substitute while also packing a bit more of a punch. But I love a combo of the two!
- Béchamel sauce is classically included in Croque Monsieur. If you’re willing to put in the effort, make your own with my recipe found in my Best Lasagne. You’ll only need a quarter of the sauce in that recipe for each sandwich.
- A sprinkle of black pepper can be added to the béchamel sauce, although I tend to leave it out.
- We are used to using butter or oil when making a hot sandwich so the bread becomes crisp. Leave it out of this sandwich, though, as there is plenty of fat from the cheese and béchamel sauce to more than compensate for its absence. You will want to add some to the bottom of the baking dish.
- Slice your bread good and thick so it can better absorb the oozy filling.
- Don’t rush the time the sandwich spends in the oven. 10-12 minutes will melt the cheese in the middle and give you crispy edges. If you feel it needs a bit more crispiness but the cheese is already melted, leave it for a very short time under the broiler to finish the job.
Serving suggestions
Croque Monsieur may sound snooty but it’s quite simple, hearty and tastes divine!!! With the help of this little “aristocrat” and a small green salad you can always pull off a fancy lunch when in-laws come unannounced. A little dijon mustard can be served as a condiment.
Cut in half and enjoy with your best friend…or eat it all yourself and I won’t judge! Promise. Don’t forget to set the mood with some French tunes!
More favourite French recipes to try
- Coq au Vin Blanc
- Spinach Apple Salad with Bacon, Walnuts and Blue Cheese
- Chicken Chasseur Recipe
- Rosemary Potatoes au Gratin
- Plum Tarte Tatin with Lavender Cream
Classic Croque Monsieur
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Ceramic baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp whipping cream/double cream
- 50g/1/4cup aged cheddar or gruyere
- 1/8 tsp This is an affiliate link.whole nutmeg, grated
- 2 slices sourdough bread, cut thickly
- 1 slice ham, cut thickly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- Grate the cheese and mix it with cream and grated nutmeg. Slice the bread and top each slice with half of the cheese mixture. Transfer to a buttered baking dish.
- Top one of the bread slices with ham and a bit more cheese and sandwich the bread together finishing with the cheese side up.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe! So easy to put together. I made it in the Airfryer and it was done super fast and got perfectly crispy. I will definitely make it again!
So glad you loved it, Jane!
Man, oh, man! This is the best glorified grilled cheese sandwich ever! haha 😉
It’s def going to be in our fave sandwich recipe rotation! Thanks!
My pleasure, Pauline! It’s definitely our favourite hot sandwich!
I made it with rye bread because I didn’t have thick crusty bread. Delicious!
Rye bread sounds amazing in this sandwich, Bernie. I am sure it added so much more flavour!
Yummeee! Thanks for another great recipe, Julia!
My pleasure!!
I have to try this soon. Looks so good.