What Is A Croque Monsieur?
This French classic is basically a super fancy grilled ham and cheese sandwich that dates back to the early 1900s! But Croque Monsieur just like my Ham and Cheese Sliders is no ordinary hot ham and cheese. With the addition of velvety bechamel, a bit of Dijon, and dried herbs, it’s a unique and refined sandwich that is baked in the oven until it’s perfectly golden on top and oozing white sauce and cheese. Yet, while it may be fancy, Croque Monsieur is actually quite easy to make and only requires simple ingredients. It’s the kind of sandwich you can serve to impress your guests or treat yourself to something special without much effort. I like to serve it with a simple salad like a Caesar or a cup of soup like Roasted Tomato Soup or Potato Leek Soup.
Bechamel
Butter – Always use unsalted butter unless a recipe calls for salted. Doing so helps to control the level of sodium. If you don’t have any unsalted butter on hand, just use salted butter and omit the added salt in the sauce. Flour – Simple all-purpose flour is all you need to make a roux to thicken the sauce. Milk – Any type of milk will work, but I typically use whole milk or 2% milk when making bechamel. Nutmeg – A dash will add both warmth and spice to this simple white cream sauce. Salt – No savory recipe would be complete without a bit of salt to bring out all the flavors. White Pepper – Adds a layer of flavor while keeping the sauce a beautiful white color.
Sandwich
White Bread – Thick sliced bread works best for Croque Monsieur to maintain the structure of the sandwich. Dijon Mustard – This type of mustard has a bit of white wine in it which adds depth to the sandwich. Black Forest Ham – Thinly sliced black forest ham works best, but any type of sliced ham can be used. Gruyere Cheese – Adds a salty nutty flavor and when melted a beautiful creamy texture that goes perfectly with the bechamel. Emmental cheese or Swiss cheese are good substitutes if you can’t find Gruyere. Herbes de Provence – It’s typically a combination of dried thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf, and adds an aromatic layer of flavor to the Croque Monsieur. But if you don’t have any Herbes de Provence on hand you can use a combination of these spices to create your own.
This 2 part recipe is not as complicated to make as fancy as it may sound. The béchamel sauce is actually quite easy to make. It’s basically a simple milk-based sauce that is thickened with a roux, which is essentially just a combination of melted butter and flour. And once you’ve got your bechamel made, all you have to do is build the Croque Monsieur sandwich and pop it into the oven. Easy peasy!
Preheat
Make The Bechamel
Make The Sandwich
What Is A Croque Madame?
If you’ve heard of Croque Monsieur you’ve probably also heard of Croque Madame! Croque Madame is just a Croque Monsieur with a fried sunny side up egg on top. Another reason I love this sandwich so much, add a fried egg on it and you’ve got a completely different sandwich.
Can I Pan Fry Croque Monsieur?
Yes, you can, but you’ll need to adjust the steps a bit. Basically, you’ll assemble the sandwiches exactly the same except the bread does not need to be lightly toasted ahead of time and will be spread with butter on the outer sides. Also, the sandwiches will not be topped with bechamel, but the cheese will be added on top of the buttered side of the bread. Slices of cheese tend to work better in this case. Then the sandwiches will be grilled in a hot pan like grilled cheese at a low temperature until the cheese on the outer buttered side of the bread begins to melt and brown. Then once the sandwich is done being grilled and on its serving plate, it’s topped with more bechamel and Herbes de Provence to serve.
Can I Use Other Types Of Meat And Cheese?
Yes! Feel free to use turkey ham, turkey, chicken, or any meat you like. Also, Emmental cheese is the best substitution for Gruyere, but any type of cheese will work. This recipe for Croque Monsieur is the classic version, but you can be as creative as you like.
Leftovers
You can store leftover Croque Monsieur in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months! To reheat, put the sandwiches on a baking sheet and then put them in the oven at 350°F (176°C) for about 10 to 12 minutes. If frozen, they will need to bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Other Delicious Sandwich Recipes To Try
Club Sandwich Reuben Sandwich Philly Cheesesteak Italian Sub Sandwich French Dip Sandwiches Hawaiian Ham And Cheese Stromboli Steak Sandwich Monte Cristo Sandwich
