Croque Madame

Croque Madame

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A Croque Madame is a tasty French sandwich made with bรฉchamel sauce, melty cheese, ham, and a sunny-side-up egg on top. You should definitely give it a try if youโ€™re looking for a new delicious brunch recipe!

Looking for more tasty sandwiches to make for lunch? Try a homemade monte cristo, Cuban sandwich, or pork tenderloin sandwich!

2 halves of a croque madame stacked on top of each other.

Croque Madame Recipe

A Croque Madame is a ham and cheese sandwich with a twist. Itโ€™s got layers of ham and gruyere between crispy sourdough bread, but what makes it special is the creamy bรฉchamel sauce poured on top, and a fried egg crowning it all. Doesnโ€™t that sound like the best combination?

If youโ€™re looking for a tasty lunch thatโ€™s a bit fancy but totally worth it, you should definitely try a Croque Madame. Itโ€™s seriously SO delicious, with that crispy bread, yummy ham and cheese, creamy sauce, and a delicious fried egg on top. Itโ€™s a French classic for a reason, and once you taste it, youโ€™ll know why!

Croque Madame vs Monsieur

So, whatโ€™s the difference between a Croque Madame and a Croque Monsieur? The two are super similar, and a Croque Madame is essentially a monsieur sandwich with an egg added on top!

Ingredients Youโ€™ll Need

Ever wanted a fancy upgrade to your usual ham and cheese sandwich? Thatโ€™s what a Croque Madame is all about. Letโ€™s talk about the ingredients that make it so great.

  • Unsalted Butter: Adds a rich, creamy taste and helps in browning and flavoring the sauce and bread.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the sauce, giving it a smooth and creamy texture.
  • Milk: So the bรฉchamel sauce is nice and creamy! It also enhances its flavor and thickness.
  • Salt and Black Pepper: To season your croque madame to taste!
  • Pinch of Nutmeg: Enhances the bรฉchamel sauce with a subtle, warm, and slightly sweet flavor.
  • Good Quality Bread: Forms the main structure of the sandwich. I used sourdough bread, but French bread, brioche bread, or any other type of thick, crusty bread will work great.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds a tangy and slightly spicy flavor. The perfect complement to the creamy cheese and salty ham! If you donโ€™t have any Dijon on hand, you can also use regular mustard. The flavor will just be a little different.
  • Gruyere Cheese: Provides a milky, nutty flavor that complements the ham and balances the creaminess of the sauce.
  • Deli Ham: For some meaty, savory goodness!
  • Eggs: Not only add protein, but since theyโ€™re cooked sunny side up, add some moisture with that tasty runny center.

How to Make a Croque Madame

I know it looks like a lot of instructions for a sandwich, but trust me, itโ€™s so worth it! Once you take a bite of your Croque Madame, youโ€™ll be a believer! (And also want it all the time.)

Bechamel Sauce

  1. Butter and Flour Mixture: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes, until thick and bubbly and just starting to lightly brown.
  2. Whisk in Milk: Slowly add the milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Increase the heat to medium and continue to whisk for 3-4 minutes until thickened and nearly boiling.
  3. Add Seasonings: Add salt and pepper to taste as well as 1 pinch of nutmeg. Continue to whisk and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
  4. Set Aside: Remove from the heat and set aside.

Sandwich Assembly

  1. Preheat Oven: Set the oven to broil on high. Then heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
  2. Toast Bread: Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of the butter evenly across each piece of bread, just one one side. Brown each piece of bread on the skillet on the buttered side, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add Mustard: Place two pieces of your browned bread, toasted side down into a baking dish. Spread the Dijon mustard on the un toasted side of each piece.
  4. Layer With Cheese: Add about ยผ cup of the shredded gruyรจre cheese onto each of the slices of bread. Pour some of the bechamel sauce onto the grated cheese, about 3 tablespoons on each.
  5. Layer With Ham: Add 5 slices of the ham onto the sauce covered cheese, you can add more to each if you want more meat.
  6. Top With Bread: Spread another 2 tablespoons of bechamel sauce onto the ham and top with the remaining 2 slices of bread, with the toasted side out.
  7. Add More Cheese and Sauce: Spread the remaining shredded gruyere cheese on both sandwiches and top with another 2 tablespoons of bechamel sauce.
  8. Broil: Place your Croque Madame sandwiches into the oven, on the center rack. Broil for about 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and has become browned and bubbly on top. Donโ€™t over broil the sandwiches.
  9. Fry Your Eggs: While the sandwiches are in the oven, heat the remaining butter in the skillet and fry the eggs, sunny side up. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Serve: When the croque madame sandwiches have come out of the oven, top them with the fried eggs, plate the sandwiches and serve with additional bechamel sauce.

Not a Fan of Runny Eggs?

No problem! You can cook your fried eggs over medium or over hard, depending on the consistency of the yolk you want. This usually takes about 4 minutes, whereas it takes about 2 minutes to cook them over easy. See more about frying eggs here.

6-photo collage of the sandwiches being layered with meat, cheese, and sauce.

Tips and Variations

So your Croque Madame tastes like it came from a French bistro, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Toast Your Bread: This is one step you donโ€™t want to skip! Toast the bread just right โ€“ golden and crispy, so it holds up against the sauce without turning soggy.
  • Be Generous With the Sauce: Donโ€™t hold back on the bechamel sauce โ€“ itโ€™s the heart of the Croque Madame. A good drizzle on top and inside layers adds to the creamy goodness.
  • Using Different Cheese: If you donโ€™t have gruyere cheese you can also use shredded swiss!
  • Broil With Care: Keep an eye on the oven while broiling to prevent burning. Your Croque Madame will cook fast! You only want to broil enough to melt the cheese and get a beautiful golden crust on top.

Top-down view of 2 sandwiches topped with fried eggs.

Storing Leftovers

I recommend enjoying your Croque Madame fresh but if you want to store leftovers, put them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the sandwich may become more soggy as it sits.

Closeup of croque madame sandwich.

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Bechamel Sauce

  • Melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes, until thick and bubbly and just starting to lightly brown.

  • Slowly add the milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Increase the heat to medium and continue to whisk for 3-4 minutes until thickened and nearly boiling.

  • Add salt and pepper to taste as well as 1 pinch of nutmeg. Continue to whisk and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

  • Remove from the heat and set aside.

Sandwich Assembly

  • Set the oven to broil on high. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

  • Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of the butter evenly across each piece of bread, just one one side. Brown each piece of bread on the skillet on the buttered side, about 2-3 minutes.

  • Place two pieces of your browned bread, toasted side down into a baking dish. Spread the dijon mustard on the un toasted side of each piece.

  • Add about ยผ cup of the shredded gruyere cheese onto each of the slices of bread. Pour some of the bechamel sauce onto the grated cheese, about 3 tablespoons on each.

  • Add 5 slices of the ham onto the sauce covered cheese, you can add more to each if you want more meat.

  • Spread another 2 tablespoons of bechamel sauce onto the ham and top with the remaining 2 slices of bread, with the toasted side out.

  • Spread the remaining shredded gruyere cheese on both sandwiches and top with another 2 tablespoons of bechamel sauce.

  • Place the cheese covered sandwiches into the oven, on the center rack. Broil for about 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and has become browned and bubbly on top. Donโ€™t over broil the sandwiches.

  • While the sandwiches are in the oven, heat the remaining butter in the skillet and fry the eggs, sunny side up. Add salt and pepper to taste.

  • When the sandwiches have come out of the oven, top them with the fried eggs, plate the sandwiches and serve with additional bechamel sauce.

Calories: 1332kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 68gFat: 105gSaturated Fat: 57gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 482mgSodium: 2592mgPotassium: 1016mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 2781IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 1098mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.