Croque Monsieur Sandwich

Croque Monsieur Sandwich

This fancily French-named sandwich is, essentially, a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Ham. The Croque Monsieur Sandwich has a few unique differences from a typical grilled cheese which makes it unique. The main difference is the primary components of cheese in the dish is a Cheesy Bechamel Sauce instead of simply using sliced or grated cheese. The Cheesy Bechamel Sauce gives a Croque Monsieur a creamy and velvety texture that adds a sense of luxury and indulgence to the dish

The key to making a perfect Croque Monsieur Sandwich lies in the Cheesy Bechamel

It’s no surprise that the true star of this dish is the Cheese. As with any Grilled Cheese Sandwich, it’s all about the cheese. This is the kind of dish you enjoy when you are craving a big cheese fix. What’s so fun about making this Cheesy Bechamel Sauce is you can add a wide variety of different cheese so it, and it will still retain it’s wonderful creamy, velvety texture. This allows for a load of creativity in the kitchen. You can test all kinds of wonderful Cheese combinations in your own creations

To make the Cheesy Bechamel Sauce we start by melting equal parts Butter and Flour in a large pot. Cook it all down for a few minutes so that the Flour has cooked, and a smooth paste has formed. You want to keep mixing and stirring as you cook your Bechamel. This will help prevent lumps, ensuring the smoothest result

Then it’s time to add Milk. Use Whole Milk for this recipe for the best result, and ensure it is warm before adding to the sauce. You can simply pour the Milk into a separate Saucepan and gradually heat it over low heat. Avoid boiling it, however. Just get it warm

Add enough Milk to the Flour and Butter mixture so it turns into a smooth, light sauce. The consistency you are looking for is one that will coat the back of the spoon, and have just a little bit of resistance as you’re stirring it with a spoon or spatula in the pot

Croque Monsieur with Bechamel
The key ingredient in this sandwich is that silky-smooth Cheesy Bechamel Sauce

Now the fun part, it’s time to add the Cheese!

There’s nothing quite like adding Cheese into a Sauce is there? It’s such an indulgent step in cooking, as you transform something simple into a decadently rich sauce with amazing flavor and texture. For our recipe we use a combination of Cheddar Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, and Parmesan Cheese

I find this flavor combination of Cheese is perfect for a Grilled Cheese, as you hit all the right notes of flavor and texture. The Parmesan and Cheddar will be the prominent flavors, with that wonderful sharp Cheddar flavors pairing perfectly with the nuttiness of the Parmesan

Mozzarella is added mainly for texture. It has a much milder flavor than the other two cheese, but what it does add is that beautiful stringy quality. You want an epic cheese pull when picking up a Grilled Cheese, so Mozzarella works perfectly to achieve this

Unlike a typical Cheese Sauce that you may use in a Classic Lasagna, we add way more Cheese to our Croque Monsieur Sandwich. We want a denser texture, so the Cheese holds its own in / on the sandwich. Also, we want the prominent flavor in this Sandwich to be unmistakably Cheese. So feel free to load it up!

No need to be super-fussy when it comes to the Bread

Some Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are only successful when a certain type of bread is used. This isn’t the case with our Croque Monsieur Sandwich. The only requirement we have is that you use bread that is sliced thick enough to hold the Cheese without breaking apart. We used thick-cut regular old White Bread from the grocery store, and it turned out great!

You can absolutely make this a super-fancy sandwich if you prefer and head to your bakery for some Artisan Sourdough Slices if you like. It doesn’t matter all that much. The key to a great Grilled Cheese Sandwich is using Bread that you enjoy eating. That’s it!

Assembling the Croque Monsieur Sandwich so it’s ready to cook

Unlike a regular Grilled Cheese, a Croque Monsieur is built and cooked a little differently. Place a piece of Bread on the frying pan. Either on a cold pan, or a pan that has just been placed over a low heat. Add a few slices of Ham then apply a generous amount of Cheesy Bechamel. This will form the filling of the Sandwich

For extra indulgence you can add a slice or two of American Cheese to the filling as well. I find that in addition to the flavor and texture it adds, you’ll also have a layer of Sticky Cheese at the bottom of the sandwich that helps to keep the whole Sandwich together

Then, place the top layer of the Bread on the Sandwich and grill it for about 5 minutes over a low heat. Carefully flip the Sandwich to grill the other side for a couple of minutes. This is probably the most difficult part, as you want to avoid any of that filling (which has partially melted at this point) from spilling out into the pan

Croque Monsieur Sandwich with Ham
Don’t forget the Ham! It will complete a classic Croque Monsieur Sandwich

The final step – adding more Cheese!

We’re not done adding Cheese, however! The final step is to then apply another layer of Cheesy Bechamel Sauce to the top of the Sandwich! Then, place the Sandwich directly under the Broiler to grill the top layer of Cheese

Once the Cheese has melted and started to turn golden-brown, the sandwich is done and ready for eating! Simply remove it from the broiler, cut it down the middle (diagonal cuts always recommended!) and then serve warm

Our advice: Prepare the Cheese Sauce in advance

You can make a big batch of Bechamel if you like, and it will refrigerate well. So, any Sauce you don’t use for the Sandwiches can be used for all kinds of delicious dishes. The added benefit of preparing the Bechamel in advance is that it will turn into a thick paste-like texture when refrigerated. This makes building the Croque Monsieur Sandwich so much easier

You can simply add chunks of the Cheesy Bechamel Sauce directly onto the Sandwich. It’ll melt quickly once cooked but makes for a much easier process when building the Sandwich. The Sauce will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, so you can always make a big batch and whip up a few Croque Monsieur Sandwiches whenever you get hungry!

Recipe Details

Servings

4 people

Prep time

10 minutes

Cooking time

15 minutes

Total time

25 minutes

Croque Monsieur Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 thick-cut slices of Bread
  • 25g Butter
  • 25g All Purpose Flour
  • ¾ cup Whole Milk (warm)
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • ½ cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • ¼ cup Mozzarella Cheese
  • 4 slices of American Cheese
  • 8 slices of Ham
  • ½ tsp. Salt

Instructions

  1. Melt the Butter in a saucepan over medium low heat then add the Flour. Cook for 4 minutes while stirring constantly until smooth and slightly darkened
  2. Slowly add the Milk while stirring until a smooth sauce that has a slight resistance when stirring. Remove from heat and add the Cheese. Mix well and season with Salt. Set aside to cool
  3. Place Bread on a frying pan. Add a slice of American Cheese, then 2 slices of Ham and top with a generous amount of Cheesy Bechamel. Top with a slice of Bread
  4. Cook over a low heat on the frying pan until golden-brown (about 5 minutes). Carefully flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes
  5. Transfer Sandwich to a sheet pan and then add more Cheesy Bechamel to the top of the Sandwich. Place under the broiler until melted and golden-brown. Slice and serve immediately

Recipe Notes

  • Optional: You can butter the outside of the Bread before placing on the frying pan. This is a typical method for making Grilled Cheese, but not necessarily required for a Croque Monsieur
  • You can prepare the Bechamel Sauce in advance and refrigerate. The Sauce will turn into a thick paste, making the Sandwiches easier to construct

We are sure you’re going to love the rich indulgent flavors of our Classic Croque Monsieur Sandwich recipe. The Cheese Sauce is so rich and velvety, and when paired with Ham and crispy bread makes for the perfect sandwich

For more delicious dishes that are perfect for a hearty lunch, check out some of our favorites:

Happy Cooking!

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