Croque Monsieur — French Ham & Cheese Toastie
The deluxe French café toastie: ham between buttery bread, blanketed in a nutmeg-scented béchamel and grated Gruyère, then baked until bubbling and golden. Far more than a ham-and-cheese sandwich — the creamy sauce and grilled cheese crust make it a Parisian brasserie classic. Top it with a fried egg and it becomes a croque madame.
Make a quick béchamel: melt butter, stir in flour, whisk in milk until thick, and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, then stir in a little Gruyère. Butter slices of good bread, fill with ham and Gruyère, and close. Spread béchamel over the top, scatter with more Gruyère, and bake (or grill) until bubbling and deep golden. Serve hot.
- The béchamel on top is what sets a croque monsieur apart from a plain ham-and-cheese — don't skip it.
- Use a good melting cheese (Gruyère or Comté) and a sturdy bread that won't go soggy.
- Finish under the grill/broiler for a bubbling, golden, slightly crisp cheese top.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Baking tray
सामग्री
Béchamel
- 20 g butter
- 20 g plain flour
- 250 ml milk
- Grated nutmeg, salt, pepper
- 30 g Gruyère, grated, for the sauce
Sandwiches
- 4 slices good white or sourdough bread
- Soft butter, for the bread
- 4 slices good cooked ham
- 80 g Gruyère (or Comté/Emmental), grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard, optional
विधि
- स्टेप01
Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, then whisk in the milk gradually until thick and smooth. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, and stir in the 30 g Gruyère until melted.
- स्टेप02
Lightly butter the bread (spread a little Dijon too, if you like). Make two sandwiches with the ham and most of the grated Gruyère inside, and close them.
- स्टेप03
Set the sandwiches on a baking tray. Spread the béchamel generously over the tops and scatter with the remaining Gruyère.
- स्टेप04
Bake at 200°C/400°F (or under a grill) until the cheese is bubbling, deep golden and a little crisp at the edges, 10–12 minutes.
- स्टेप05
Serve hot, with a simple green salad. For a croque madame, top each with a fried egg.
Make ahead
Make the béchamel ahead and grate the cheese; assemble and bake to serve. It's quick enough that last-minute assembly is easy — the béchamel is the only component worth prepping in advance.
Storage
Best eaten hot and fresh, while the béchamel is creamy and the top crisp. The béchamel can be made ahead and refrigerated 2 days (loosen with a little milk). Assembled croques are best baked to order rather than reheated.
Variations
Croque madame
Top the baked sandwich with a fried egg — the most popular variation.
Extra mustard
Spread Dijon inside for a sharper, more savoury croque.
Pan-fried
No oven? Assemble, pan-fry both sides in butter, then add the cheese-béchamel top and finish under a grill.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले
What makes a croque monsieur different from a ham-and-cheese sandwich?
The béchamel. A croque monsieur is a ham-and-cheese sandwich topped (and sometimes layered) with a creamy, nutmeg-scented béchamel and extra grated cheese, then baked or grilled until bubbling and golden. That sauce and the grilled cheese crust make it richer and more indulgent than a plain toastie.
What's the difference between a croque monsieur and a croque madame?
A croque madame is a croque monsieur topped with a fried (or poached) egg — the egg is said to resemble a woman's hat, hence the name. Otherwise they're identical. Add an egg and you've upgraded monsieur to madame.
What cheese is best?
A good melting Alpine-style cheese — Gruyère is classic, with Comté or Emmental also excellent. You want something that melts smoothly and has flavour, both grated inside the sandwich and into the béchamel and on top.
What bread should I use?
A sturdy white sandwich loaf (pain de mie) is traditional, but a good white or sourdough works — anything firm enough to hold the ham, cheese and béchamel without going soggy. Slightly stale bread toasts up especially well.
Can I make it without an oven?
Yes — pan-fry the buttered, filled sandwich on both sides until golden and the cheese inside melts, then spread the béchamel and extra cheese on top and finish it under a grill/broiler until bubbling. The grill step gives that signature golden, crisp top.
Cooked this? Rate it.
Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.