Sandwiches

Serving

Croque Madame

Name: Croque Madame
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Sandwiches
Ingredients: 3 oz thinly sliced ham; 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese; 2 thick slices sourdough bread; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup homemade béchamel sauce; 1 large egg; 1/2 tbsp butter

A Croque Monsieur topped with a perfectly fried sunny-side-up egg.

30 minutes

Serves 1

Breakfast

11 min prep

17 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg 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
Assemble and bake the base: Build the sandwich with Dijon, ham, and half the Gruyère between the toasted sourdough slices. Top with the béchamel sauce and the remaining Gruyère.
2
Broil the sandwich on a baking sheet for 3-5 minutes until the topping is bubbly and golden brown.
3
While the sandwich is under the broiler, heat a small non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Melt the butter until it starts to foam gently.
4
Crack the egg into the skillet and cook slowly for 3-4 minutes. You want the whites completely set and opaque, but the yolk must remain runny. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
5
Carefully remove the hot, bubbling Croque Monsieur from the oven and transfer it to a warm plate.
6
Using a delicate spatula, gently slide the sunny-side-up egg directly onto the top of the melted cheese sauce. Serve immediately, allowing the yolk to act as a rich sauce when broken.

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

Listahan Family Score™

63/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 64

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 65

Pantry-friendly 44

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

1005

Calories

61 g

Protein

46 g

Carbs

63 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

The croque madame is simply a croque monsieur crowned with a fried egg, and the name is said to come from the egg resembling a woman's hat. It is a fixture of French cafe lunch service, where the runny yolk is meant to break and run down into the bechamel and cheese as a second sauce. North American cooks know the croque monsieur more widely, but the egg is what turns this into a full plate.

Listahan note

This version times the sunny-side-up egg to finish exactly as the broiled sandwich comes out, so the yolk lands hot and runny on the bubbling cheese instead of setting while it waits.

Technique cues

Frying the egg over medium-low for 3 to 4 minutes sets the white fully while keeping the yolk liquid, which is essential since the yolk is functioning as a sauce here.
The egg is cooked in a separate skillet at the same time the sandwich is under the broiler, so both elements peak together rather than one waiting and cooling.
Sliding the egg onto the melted cheese with a delicate spatula keeps the yolk intact until the diner breaks it, preserving the moment it runs into the bechamel.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Start the egg in its own skillet the moment the sandwich goes under the broiler so both finish together.
Make-ahead: Make the bechamel a day ahead, but assemble, broil, and fry the egg only at serving time.
Leftover move: Leftovers lose the runny yolk; reheat the sandwich base in the oven and top with a freshly fried egg.
Cleanup rhythm: Soak the egg skillet right away so set whites lift off easily instead of crusting on.

Ingredient brief

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

1 large egg

Crowning sauce

Purpose: The runny yolk is the defining feature, breaking into the bechamel to enrich every bite.

Handling: Cook sunny-side-up over medium-low so the white sets opaque while the yolk stays fluid.

Adaptation: A poached egg works and is even softer; a fully cooked egg loses the sauce effect entirely.

1/2 cup homemade bechamel sauce

Gratin topping

Purpose: The bechamel and cheese broil into the browned crust that the egg yolk later melds into.

Handling: Keep it warm and spreadable; if it stiffens, loosen with a spoon of milk before topping.

Adaptation: A quick mornay using the same base plus extra Gruyere intensifies the topping; thinned creme fraiche is a shortcut that tastes tangier.

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Melting and browning cheese

Purpose: Gruyere binds the interior and forms the bubbling, nutty crown under the broiler.

Handling: Split it between the inside of the sandwich and the top so both layers melt evenly.

Adaptation: Comte is interchangeable; Emmental is milder and browns less.

3 oz thinly sliced ham

Savory filling

Purpose: The salty ham anchors the sandwich against the rich egg, bechamel, and cheese.

Handling: Ruffle the slices for height so the ham is felt under all that sauce.

Adaptation: Smoked ham adds depth; thinly sliced turkey is a lighter, milder stand-in.

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Sharp accent

Purpose: Dijon's bite balances the richness layered above it.

Handling: Spread thinly on the interior bread, not on top, so it stays out of the broiler's direct heat.

Adaptation: Whole-grain mustard adds texture; omit if avoiding mustard for a rounder, richer flavor.

Technique notes

Pull the egg the instant the white turns fully opaque to guarantee a runny yolk on the plate.
Transfer the sandwich to a warm plate before adding the egg so the cheese stays molten under it.
Slide rather than flip the egg onto the cheese, keeping the yolk membrane whole for the dramatic break at the table.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: Use gluten-free bread and a cornstarch-thickened bechamel; the egg and cheese steps are unchanged.
Egg-allergy direction: Without the egg it becomes a croque monsieur; lean on an extra spoon of bechamel on top to keep it lush.
Lower-sodium direction: Pick reduced-sodium ham and salt the bechamel lightly; the Gruyere and yolk still carry plenty of flavor.

Serve alongside

Lightly dressed arugula salad
Shoestring fries
Cornichons and radishes
Tomato salad with shallot
Dry rose
Cafe au lait
Fresh orange juice

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

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the sandwich base, without the egg, for up to 2 days.
Reheat in a 375 degree oven until hot, then top with a fresh fried egg.
Freezing is not recommended; the bechamel and egg do not survive thawing.

Equipment

Small nonstick skillet for the egg
Saucepan and whisk for the bechamel
Sheet pan for the broiler
Thin offset spatula

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