This sandwich is the perfect simple and impressive brunch recipe. The Croque Madame takes a normal ham and cheese sandwich up a notch by including bechamel sauce and an over easy egg to top it all off.
Recipe Origins
Croque Madame is an absolute staple in cafes across France. It’s the sister to the popular Croque Monsieur sandwich, which is an identical dish but without the egg garnishment on top.
While visiting Paris, I had my fair share of Croque Madames and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved them every time! They are cheesy, decadent, filling, and so delicious.
A Croque Madame is a ham and cheese sandwich with bechamel sauce and topped with an egg.
The layers are as follows: Bread, Bechamel, Cheese, Ham, Bread, Bechamel, Cheese.
Why Make this Recipe
- Quick Brunch: When I really want to impress guests, I love making this Croque Madame sandwich. It never fails to impress!
- “Travel” to France: While visiting Paris, I had a few different Croque Madame sandwiches for both breakfast and brunch. If you want to experience what cafe life is like in France, this recipe is a great way to do so!
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Ingredients
- French Bread: Use a large loaf of French bread with slices about ½” thick. Do not use a baguette or something similar as the bread will be too small for a sandwich.
- Ham: I use deli-sliced, lunchmeat ham
- Gruyere Cheese: This recipe for 8 oz (typically one block) of cheese
- Spices: Salt, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Dijon Mustard
- Pantry Staples: Butter, All Purpose Flour, Whole Milk
Tools
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
- Cookie Sheet
- Frying Pan
- Spatula
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Make the Béchamel
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once butter is melted, add the flour into the pot and whisk until a paste forms.
Allow the paste to cook for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds or so.
After 2 minutes, pour the milk into the pot. Whisk until the milk thickens enough that you can see whisk marks left behind in the roux after your whisk moves through it.
Once thickened, remove from heat. Add the salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and dijon mustard into the bechamel and whisk to combine. Set aside. This is your bechamel sauce.
Step 2: Assemble the Croque Madames
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a cookie sheet, lay 4 pieces of bread. Spread about 2 tbsp of bechamel onto each piece of bread.
Add about 1 ounce of shredded cheese on top of the bechamel. Then place 2 pieces of ham on each sandwich and finally, another piece of bread on top.
On top of the top piece of bread, spread another 2 tbsp of bechamel sauce. On top of the bechamel, sprinkle another 1 oz of gruyere cheese.
Step 3: Cook the Sandwiches and Eggs
Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese melts completely.
While the sandwiches are in the oven, make 4 eggs over easy.
Once the cheese has melted on the sandwiches, remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Move the top rack of the oven up until it’s directly under the broiler, then turn the oven to a high broil. Put the cookie sheet of sandwiches back on the top rack and broil until the cheese is bubbly and starts to toast. Watch your sandwiches closely at this point, as broiling can cause them to burn easily.
When the cheese is toasted, remove the sandwiches from the oven. Top each sandwich with an egg over easy. Cut with a fork to eat. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- If you want a very quick brunch recipe, you can prep the bechamel ahead of time and simply assemble/bake the sandwich at the time of serving.
- The bechamel will continue to thicken after you remove it from the heat.
- If you’d prefer to serve the sandwich without the egg on top, you can do so! This version of the sandwich is called a Croque Monsieur
- In France, Croque Madame sandwiches are generally served with an arugula side salad!
Recipe FAQs
What is the Difference Between the Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame?
A Croque Madame is a Croque Monsieur with an egg on top.
If you would like to make a Croque Monsieur, simply make the recipe as the instructions state, but stop before adding the fried egg to the top of the sandwich.
How Do You Eat a Croque Madame?
The easiest way to eat a Croque Madame is with a fork and a knife. Though it’s a “sandwich” this recipe would be a little messy to eat with your hands!
How Did Croque Madame Get Its Name?
Rumor has it that a Croque Madame got its name because the egg on top looks like a women’s hat.
How Can I Adapt this Recipe?
There are quite a few variations of Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame sandwiches. Try these swaps for a unique twist!:
- Add produce like tomatoes, potatoes, or pineapple
- Use different kinds of cheese like gouda or bleu cheese
- Use different kinds of meat like chicken, salmon, or sausage
- Use different kinds of sauces like salsa or bolognese
Did you like this recipe for a Croque Madame Sandwich? If so, don’t forget to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
- Peameal Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
- Cuban Medianoche Sandwich Recipe
- Czech Open Faced Sandwiches
- Panzanella Sandwich
- Ham and Cheese Quiche Recipe from France
- Easy Ratatouille Recipe
Croque Madame Sandwich
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
- Cookie Sheet
- Frying Pan
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 3 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ cups whole Milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 8 slices of French bread, loaf, not baguette
- 8 slices of Ham
- 8 oz Shredded Gruyere cheese, about 3 cups, shredded
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once butter is melted, add the flour into the pot and whisk until a paste forms.
- Allow the paste to cook for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds or so.
- After 2 minutes, pour the milk into the pot. Whisk until the milk thickens enough that you can see whisk marks left behind in the roux after your whisk moves through it.
- Once thickened, remove from heat. Add the salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and dijon mustard into the bechamel and whisk to combine. Set aside. This is your bechamel sauce.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- On a cookie sheet, lay 4 pieces of bread. Spread about 2 tbsp of bechamel onto each piece of bread.
- Add about 1 ounce of shredded cheese on top of the bechamel. Then place 2 pieces of ham on each sandwich and finally, another piece of bread on top.
- On top of the top piece of bread, spread another 2 tbsp of bechamel sauce. On top of the bechamel, sprinkle another 1 oz of gruyere cheese.
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese melts completely.
- While the sandwiches are in the oven, make 4 eggs over easy.
- Once the cheese has melted on the sandwiches, remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Move the top rack of the oven up until it’s directly under the broiler, then turn the oven to a high broil. Put the cookie sheet of sandwiches back on the top rack and broil until the cheese is bubbly and starts to toast. Watch your sandwiches closely at this point, as broiling can cause them to burn easily.
- When the cheese is toasted, remove the sandwiches from the oven. Top each sandwich with an egg over easy. Cut with a fork to eat. Enjoy!
Notes
- French Bread: Use a large loaf of French bread with slices about ½” thick. Do not use a baguette or something similar as the bread will be too small for a sandwich.
- Ham: I use deli-sliced, lunchmeat ham
- Gruyere Cheese: This recipe for 8 oz (typically one block) of cheese
- If you want a very quick brunch recipe, you can prep the bechamel ahead of time and simply assemble/bake the sandwich at the time of serving.
- The béchamel will continue to thicken after you remove it from the heat.
- If you’d prefer to serve the sandwich without the egg on top, you can do so! This version of the sandwich is called a Croque Monsieur
- In France, Croque Madame sandwiches are generally served with an arugula side salad!
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