Name: Croque Monsieur
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 15 g butter (plus extra for toasting); 1 tbsp plain flour; 150 ml whole milk; 1 pinch nutmeg; 4 slices pain de mie or sandwich bread; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 4 slices good ham; 100 g Gruyère (grated)

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The Parisian café classic: ham and Gruyère sandwich topped with béchamel and grilled until bubbling.

About this French recipe

The croque monsieur appeared in Paris cafés in the early twentieth century. Add a fried egg on top and it becomes a croque madame.

Ingredients you will need

The main ingredients are butter, plain flour, whole milk, nutmeg, pain de mie or sandwich bread, dijon mustard. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.

How long it takes

Allow 25 min in total: 10 min of preparation, 15 min of cooking. The recipe serves 2.

Croque Monsieur

The Parisian café classic: ham and Gruyère sandwich topped with béchamel and grilled until bubbling.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Calories: 690

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

15 g butter plus extra for toasting
1 tbsp plain flour
150 ml whole milk
1 pinch nutmeg
4 slices pain de mie or sandwich bread
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 slices good ham
100 g Gruyère grated

Method

Melt the butter, stir in the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and cook until thick. Season with nutmeg and salt.
Spread two slices of bread with mustard. Top with ham and half the Gruyère, then the remaining bread.
Toast the sandwiches in a buttered pan for 2 minutes per side.
Heat the grill. Spread the béchamel over the tops and scatter with the remaining cheese.
Grill for 3–4 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Notes

Make it a croque madame by topping each sandwich with a fried egg.