Transport your kitchen to the heart of Paris with our Essential Croque Monsieur, a decadent masterpiece of melted Gruyère and silky Béchamel sauce. For the full experience, serve this golden-toasted sandwich alongside a crisp French bistro salad with a sharp vinaigrette to perfectly balance the rich, savory flavors. It’s the sophisticated “Mister” to our beloved Croque Madame and every bit as delicious!
Jump to:
- 🧀 The Ingredients
- 📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- 📌 Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Croque Monsieur
- 👩🏼🍳 How to Make a Classic Béchamel Sauce
- 👨🍳 How to Make the Essential Croque Monsieur
- 🍽️ How to Serve
- 🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
- 🇫🇷 More Classic French Bistro Recipes
- The Essential Croque Monsieur: A Parisian Bistro Classic
🧀 The Ingredients
This authentic recipe relies on high-quality French staples—from the nutty, bubbling cheese to the silky, nutmeg-infused sauce—to create a sandwich that is truly more than the sum of its parts. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- The Bread: For the most authentic experience, use a high-quality Pain de Mie or a sturdy Sourdough. You want a bread that is sliced thick enough to hold the Béchamel without becoming soggy, but soft enough to provide that classic “bistro” bite. If you’re in a pinch, a thick-cut brioche works beautifully, though it will be much richer.
- The Cheese: Gruyère is the gold standard here because of its nutty flavor and superior melting capabilities. If you can’t find it, Emmental or Comté are excellent traditional substitutes. In a pinch, a high-quality Swiss cheese will work, but we always recommend grating it yourself from a block to avoid the anti-clumping agents found in pre-shredded bags.
- The Ham: Look for Jambon de Paris or a high-quality, thinly sliced deli ham. Avoid “honey-glazed” or heavily sweetened hams, as they can clash with the savory Béchamel. You want something salty and savory to balance the richness of the cheese.
- The Béchamel: This “mother sauce” is what makes the sandwich. Don’t skip the pinch of nutmeg—it’s the secret ingredient that provides that unmistakable French flavor profile. For an extra layer of depth, don’t forget to add Dijon mustard directly into the sauce.
📌 Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Croque Monsieur
- The Secret to Silky Béchamel: To avoid a lumpy sauce, always use warm milk and add it to your roux incrementally. Start by whisking in just a splash of milk until a smooth paste forms, then gradually add the rest. This prevents “temperature shock” and ensures a velvety, professional-grade sauce every single time.
- Don’t Skip the Pre-Toast: Toasting your bread slices in the oven for a few minutes before assembling the sandwich is a game-changer. This creates a light “crust” that prevents the Béchamel from soaking into the bread, ensuring your sandwich stays sturdy and crisp rather than soggy.
- Grate Your Own Cheese: While pre-shredded cheese is convenient, it’s often coated in potato starch to prevent clumping, which can lead to a grainy melt. For that iconic, gooey “cheese pull,” buy a block of Gruyère and grate it yourself just before using.
- Watch the Broiler: The difference between a “good” Croque Monsieur and a “great” one is the leopard spots. When you put the sandwiches under the broiler, stay close! You want the cheese to be bubbling with deep golden-brown spots. This adds a toasted, nutty flavor that is essential to the dish.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make a Classic Béchamel Sauce
- Step 1: Make a roux by whisking the flour into the melted butter for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat.
- Step 2: Warm the milk, and then gradually add it to the roux, whisking constantly. You should have a smooth and silky bechamel.
- Step 3: Stir the sauce until thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 4: Remove from heat, and stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Dijon. Stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly (it will thicken as it cools).
👨🍳 How to Make the Essential Croque Monsieur
- Step 1: Meanwhile, toast the bread slices in a 450°Foven until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes (flipping them over after about 7 minutes).
- Step 2: Spread a liberal layer of the bechamel onto half of the toasted bread (you’ll top the sandwiches with the other slices).
- Step 3: Add a layer of shredded Gruyere and then a pile of the sliced ham.
- Step 4: Top with the remaining toasted bread slices and then add a layer of Béchamel sauce over each top layer of bread, and then sprinkle more Gruyère on top.
- Step 5: Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Turn on the broiler and cook until a few brown spots appear (keep an eye on them!).
- Step 6: Serve at once, garnished with snipped chives.
🍞 Expert Tip: The Perfect Sourdough Slice
For a Croque Monsieur that is both sturdy and easy to eat, slice your sourdough loaf into consistent ½ to ¾-inch slices. This thickness is the “Goldilocks” zone—it’s substantial enough to hold the weight of the Béchamel and ham without collapsing, yet thin enough to toast through to a perfect crunch. For the best results, use a sharp serrated bread knife and a gentle sawing motion to avoid squashing the airy, open crumb of the sourdough.
🍽️ How to Serve
- The Classic Bistro Pairing: Serve with a crisp French bistro salad tossed in a sharp mustard vinaigrette. The acidity is essential for balancing the rich Béchamel and melted Gruyère.
- Add a Traditional Crunch: Include a side of tart cornichons. These tiny French pickles provide a vinegary pop that cleanses the palate between savory, cheesy bites.
- Make it a “Madame”: For the ultimate upgrade, top the sandwich with a sunny-side-up egg. The runny yolk turns this into our famous Croque Madame.
- The Perfect Sip: Pair with a strong Café au Lait for brunch, or a crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc for a sophisticated lunch or light dinner.
- Serve Immediately: This sandwich is best enjoyed piping hot. Let it rest for just one minute so the sauce sets, then slice diagonally and serve while the cheese is still bubbling and gooey.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
It is a classic French grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich that is elevated with a rich Béchamel sauce and baked until bubbling and golden. While it originated in Parisian bistros in the early 1900s, it has become one of the most famous comfort foods in the world.
The distinction is simple: the “Madame” version is topped with a sunny-side-up fried egg, which is said to resemble a woman’s hat. Both recipes use the same base of ham, Gruyère, and creamy white sauce.
Gruyère is the traditional choice because of its nutty flavor and excellent melting properties. If you can’t find it, Emmental or Comté are also fantastic, authentic alternatives that provide that signature gooey texture.
You can prepare the Béchamel sauce up to two days in advance and even assemble the sandwiches a few hours before baking. Just keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to pop them into the oven.
To maintain the crispness of the sourdough and the creaminess of the sauce, it is best to use a 350°F oven or an air fryer for a few minutes. Avoid the microwave, as it will make the bread rubbery and the sauce oily.
While some quick versions skip it, this creamy white sauce is what truly defines the dish. It provides the luxurious, velvety texture that separates this French classic from a standard grilled cheese sandwich.
🇫🇷 More Classic French Bistro Recipes
Ready to make the best grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich this side of Paris? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
The Essential Croque Monsieur: A Parisian Bistro Classic
Video
Equipment
- 1 Medium saucepan
- 1 baking pan
Ingredients
For the Toasted Bread and Classic Béchamel Sauce
- 8 slices sourdough bread see NOTES
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk warmed
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
For the Sandwich
- 12 oz Gruyere cheese shredded
- 12 oz deli ham thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon chives snipped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. You'll want to flip the slices over after about 6 to 7 minutes. Set aside.8 slices sourdough bread
- Lower the oven temperature to 400°F.
- Make the Béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes.3 tablespoon unsalted butter, 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Slowly, add the warmed milk in increments, whisking constantly to remove any lumps. Continue whisking and stirring until thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the Dijon, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Let cool slightly (the sauce will thicken more as it cools).2 cups whole milk, 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Assemble the Sandwiches
- Spread a generous layer of the Béchamel on four of the toasted bread slices. Top with a generous layer of grated Gruyère, then fold the ham to fit perfectly over the cheese.12 oz Gruyere cheese, 12 oz deli ham
- Place the remaining four slices of bread on top of each sandwich. Spread ahick layer of Béchamel sauce over the top slice of each sandwich. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyère cheese over the Béchamel sauce.
- Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Turn the broiler on HIGH and broil until a few dark spots appear on the cheese (Keep an eye on them, don't let them burn!). This usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and plate the sandwiches. Sprinkle the snipped chives over the top and serve at once.2 tablespoon chives
Notes
- The Sourdough Slices: For the best structure and crunch, slice your sourdough loaf into consistent ¾-inch thick slices. This “Goldilocks” thickness is substantial enough to hold the weight of the Béchamel and ham without becoming soggy, yet thin enough to toast through to a perfect, golden crisp.
- Shredding the Gruyère: We highly recommend grating your Gruyère fresh from a block. Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated in anti-clumping starches that can prevent a smooth melt and result in a grainy texture. Grating it yourself ensures that iconic, gooey “cheese pull” every time.
- Lump-Free Béchamel: To ensure a velvety sauce, use warm milk and add it to your roux incrementally. Start with just a splash, whisking until a smooth paste forms, then gradually whisk in the rest. This prevents “temperature shock” and keeps the sauce perfectly silky.
- The “Leopard Spots”: Don’t be afraid of a little color! When broiling the sandwiches, look for those deep golden-brown “leopard spots” on the cheese. This caramelization provides a nutty, toasted flavor that is essential to an authentic Parisian bistro experience.
- Make it a Madame: To easily swap this recipe, simply top the finished sandwich with a sunny-side-up fried egg. You’ve just turned your Monsieur into our famous Croque Madame!
Wesley says
This is amazing! The béchamel and Gruyère is match made in heaven. Love, love, love this!!