

Croque Madame

croque madame   delishcom
Parker Feierbach

Literally meaning "mister crunch," the croque monsieur is a treasure trove of textures; pop a fried egg on top of your sandwich to transform it into a croque madame. This sandwich stars layers of thinly sliced ham, soft, melty cheese, and an audible crunch as you bite down on the toasted bread. Hidden in plain sight is a traditional Mornay sauce: a béchamel sauce that's been upgraded with melted Gruyère. If you're not a fan of the pungent flavors of Gruyère, feel free to opt for milder Comté. 

This sandwich is a lot to handle, so pick a nice, sturdy thick piece of bread to hold everything together!

Can't get enough of sandwiches? We've got you covered.

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Yields: 2
Prep Time: 0 hours 10 mins
Total Time: 0 hours 30 mins
For the Mornay sauce
1 tbsp.


1 tbsp.

all-purpose flour

2/3 c.

whole milk

1/4 tsp.

Pinch kosher salt

1/4 tsp.

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c.

shredded Gruyère

For the Croque Monsieur

slices thick brioche or country bread

2 tbsp.

butter, softened

2 tsp.

whole grain Dijon mustard

1/2 c.

Mornay sauce


thin slices ham

1 c.

shredded Gruyère, divided

For the eggs
1 tbsp.



large eggs

Maldon, for sprinkling

Freshly ground black pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Make Mornay sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, and cook until sauce thickens, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Gruyère. Let cool 10 minutes.
  2. Assemble Croque Monsieurs: In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, toast bread on both sides until lightly golden. Spread half tablespoon butter on each slice, then flip over two slices and spread each with 1 teaspoon mustard and 1 tablespoon Mornay sauce. Top each mustard slice with 3 slices ham, ¼ cup Gruyère, and remaining bread slices. Evenly spread tops of each sandwich with 2 tablespoons sauce, and sprinkle with remaining Gruyère.
  3. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until cheese is melty and top is golden, 15 to 18 minutes.
  4. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Crack eggs into skillet and fry until whites are set, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top each sandwich with an egg.

Le Creuset

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