French

Serving

French Kid-friendly Quick & easy

Croque Monsieur

Name: Croque Monsieur
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 slices thick brioche or pain de mie; 4 slices high-quality ham (Jambon de Paris); 1.5 cups Gruyère cheese (grated); 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp flour; 1.5 cups milk; pinch of nutmeg

France's ultimate toasted sandwich: ham and melted cheese smothered in velvety béchamel, baked until golden and gloriously bubbling.

30 minutes

Serves 4

Sandwich

14 min prep

23 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy mustard Wheat

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Make the béchamel sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
2
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet.
3
Spread a thin layer of béchamel on two slices of bread. Top each with a slice of ham and a generous handful of grated Gruyère.
4
Place the remaining bread slices on top to close the sandwiches.
5
Spread a thick, even layer of béchamel over the top of each sandwich and sprinkle heavily with the remaining grated Gruyère.
6
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the sandwiches are hot and the cheese topping is bubbling, melted, and beautifully browned.

Croque Monsieur — plated and served — Serving moment. How Croque Monsieur looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

75/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 70

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 96

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 56

Pantry-friendly 53

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

290

Calories

14 g

Protein

8 g

Carbs

23 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Croque Monsieur first appeared on Paris cafe menus in the early 1900s and became one of the defining sandwiches of French brasserie culture. The name translates roughly to 'mister crunch,' a reference to the crispy, toasted exterior that distinguishes it from a plain ham and cheese sandwich. The addition of bechamel sauce is what separates a true Croque Monsieur from a simple grilled cheese; top it with a fried or poached egg and it becomes a Croque Madame. For over a century it has been the default quick lunch of Parisian cafes, ordered alongside a glass of wine at midday.

Listahan note

This version builds the bechamel with enough Gruyere folded in to make it almost obscenely rich, because a timid sauce produces a timid sandwich and that is simply not the point.

Technique cues

Cook the bechamel until it is thick enough to hold its shape when spooned onto the bread — a thin sauce will slide off the sides and burn on the pan before the cheese on top browns.
Use bread that is slightly stale or toasted first before assembling; fresh soft bread cannot hold the weight of ham, sauce, and melted cheese without collapsing.
Broil rather than bake in the final stage: you want the cheese on top to bubble and blister with brown spots in 2 to 3 minutes, not slowly melt into a pale, uniform layer.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Make the bechamel and grate all the cheese before you start assembling; the actual sandwich assembly takes only 5 minutes once components are ready.
Make-ahead: The bechamel can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Leftover move: A leftover Croque Monsieur reheats well in a 350-degree oven for 8 minutes; avoid the microwave, which makes the bread soggy.
Cleanup rhythm: Use a small saucepan for the bechamel and a sheet pan for broiling; both clean up quickly with hot water while the sandwiches are cooling slightly before serving.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

good white sandwich bread or pain de mie

structural base

Purpose: A tightly crumbed white bread holds the weight of bechamel and ham without turning soggy under the sauce.

Handling: Toast the bread lightly before assembling so it has structural integrity from the start.

Adaptation: Brioche slices make a richer sandwich; sourdough adds a pleasant tang that plays well against the bechamel.

thinly sliced ham

savory filling

Purpose: Ham provides the salty, meaty layer that the bechamel coats and the Gruyere amplifies into something greater than the sum of its parts.

Handling: Layer 2 to 3 thin slices per sandwich; thin slices meld into the sandwich more gracefully than a thick single slice.

Adaptation: Jambon de Paris is the traditional choice; Black Forest ham or any good deli ham without sweetened glaze works well.

Gruyere cheese

melting flavor backbone

Purpose: Gruyere melts without releasing water, has a nutty, complex flavor, and browns beautifully under the broiler without turning greasy.

Handling: Grate finely for both the bechamel and the topping so it melts and browns evenly.

Adaptation: Emmental or Comte are traditional alternatives; a mix of Swiss and sharp cheddar is more accessible with a similar flavor profile.

whole milk

bechamel base

Purpose: Milk cooked with butter and flour creates the bechamel that makes this sandwich fundamentally different from any other grilled cheese.

Handling: Warm the milk before adding it to the roux to prevent lumps and speed the thickening process.

Adaptation: Whole milk is essential for a properly thick bechamel; lower-fat milk produces a thinner sauce that won't hold on the bread.

Dijon mustard

sharp counterpoint

Purpose: A thin smear of Dijon on the bread before layering cuts through the richness of the bechamel and cheese with its sharp acidity.

Handling: Spread a thin layer on the interior side of both bread slices before adding ham.

Adaptation: Whole-grain mustard adds a milder heat with visible seeds; omit entirely for a classic version without the mustard note.

Technique notes

The bechamel should be seasoned assertively with salt, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg — it will need to carry flavor through the bread and ham, so what tastes slightly salty on its own will taste right in the finished sandwich.
Pressing the assembled sandwich lightly with a spatula during the initial pan-toasting helps the bread make full contact with the pan and produces a more even golden crust.
For a Croque Madame, top each finished broiled sandwich with a fried egg; the runny yolk cuts the richness of the bechamel in a way that makes it taste lighter even though it technically is not.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: Use certified gluten-free bread and thicken the bechamel with rice flour or cornstarch instead of all-purpose flour; all other components are naturally gluten-free.
Lighter direction: Replace the bechamel with a thin layer of good ricotta mixed with grated Gruyere; the sandwich will be less rich but still substantial and melty.
Vegetarian direction: Omit the ham and substitute thinly sliced roasted mushrooms seasoned with thyme; the bechamel and cheese provide enough richness to make the sandwich satisfying without meat.

Serve alongside

Frisee salad with sherry vinaigrette
Cornichons
Simple tomato soup
French lager or Kronenbourg 1664
Sparkling water with lemon

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Assembled Croque Monsieur is best eaten immediately; store any leftover bechamel separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat leftover assembled sandwiches in a 350-degree oven on a sheet pan for 8 to 10 minutes until warmed through and the cheese re-melts.

Equipment

Small heavy saucepan for the bechamel
Sheet pan for broiling
Broiler-safe baking tray or cast-iron skillet

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