Croque Monsieur Recipe (2024)

Published May 6, 2020.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This delicious French classic for a Croque Monsieur Recipe is a pan-cooked sandwich stacked high with ham, bechamel, and shredded cheese!

I don’t know about you, but I grew up eating sandwiches. It doesn’t matter if it was a grilled cheese or a steak sandwich, chances are that was my lunch most of my youth and it’s still going down today.

Croque Monsieur

This classic French sandwich started to pop up on menus at cafés all across Paris in the early 20^th century. It’s known as the gentleman’s sandwich loaded up with toasted bread, cheese, bechamel, and ham, and you can still find it today on menus all across Europe and the United States.

Ingredients and Substitutions

These are the simple ingredients needed to make a Croque monsieur.

• Bechamel – One of the 5 mother sauces, this delicious creamy sauce really makes this sandwich.
• Bread – I prefer to use an artisan-style loaf as it adds more texture and flavor to the recipe but you can also use 2 slices of wonder bread, although I don’t recommend that.
• Cheese – Traditionally shredded comet cheese is used but you can also use gruyere, swiss, or parmesan.
• Ham – Black forest ham works really well for this recipe but also any country style roasted ham is fantastic as well.

How to Make It

Follow these quick instructions to make a Croque monsieur:

Toast two slices of bread in a large pan or on a griddle with melted unsalted butter over medium-low heat or until toasted and then flip them over to toast the other side.

On one slice of the toasted bread, spread the Dijon mustard all over the top.

Add several slices of the ham over the top of the mustard. Feel free to use as much as you’d like, I prefer 4-6 pieces.

Spread on a few tablespoons of bechamel onto the ham.

Sprinkle on some of the shredded cheese onto the bechamel.

Place the other toasted bread on top, spread on some more bechamel, and then generously sprinkle on some more cheese.

Cook under the broiler for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Croque Madame Vs Croque Monsieur

While both of these sandwiches have a different name, they are incredibly similar to one another. The only difference is that the Croque madame has a fried or poached egg on top of the Croque monsieur, that’s it.

How to Eat It

If the sandwich is right out of the broiler, it’s pretty hot so it’s best to use a knife and a fork. Once it cools down a touch it’s good to simply eat it with your hands.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This sandwich is meant to be eaten as soon as it comes out of the broiler, but it can be reheated very easily.

How to Reheat: Place the sandwich on a cookie sheet tray and bake in the oven at 350° for 5-7 minutes or until hot and the cheese is melted.

How to Store: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will not freeze well.

More French Recipes

• Silk Pie
• Gougéres
• Boule
• Onion Soup
• Boeuf Bourguignon

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