Today I'm sharing one of my all-time favorite brunch foods - the croque madame sandwich. This French classic is basically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with creamy homemade béchamel sauce and a runny fried egg on top of the finished sandwich. It's the ideal rich and savory weekend treat and it's only made in 20 minutes!
We love brunch around here, even Greyson loves it.
We cherish sitting together on Saturday mornings and enjoying a big plate of steak and eggs, or chicken and waffles served family style on across the table. I remember a time we didn't even have a dining table to eat at, so these times are just special to me.
I'm going to warn you, friend: once you take a bite of this classic French sandwich, you will not be able to put it down.
Croque mesdames and messieurs are two of the top sandwiches we are obsessed with. The bread is crisp from pan frying it in butter as a ham and cheese hot sandwich, then pouring on an easy mornay sauce (that's just a bechamel with gruyere cheese and parmesan), broiling until bubbly and browned. Boom, a croque monsieur recipe!
But of course, you know I love a runny egg. So I'm breaking down how to perfectly fry an egg for ultimate runny, saucy, sandwich goodness to turn it into a croque madame.
Buckle up, and bring your good sweatpants, honey.
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What is a croque madame sandwich?
Croque monsieur and croque madame sandwiches (literally means "Mister Crunch and Missus Crunch". Isn't that so freaking cute?) are the french version of ham and cheese sandwiches, they're mainstays in bistros in France!
The traditional recipe starts with thick slices of white bread, piled high with french ham and melted cheese, then covered in a decadent cheesy white sauce, broiled in the oven, and topped with a lovely sunny side up egg.
It's like a ham and cheese sandwich and a grilled cheese sandwich got married, won the lottery, took a trip to Paris, had a baby, and that baby grew up in the most French way possible and put on a woman's hat.
Croque Monsieur vs. Madame
The only difference between a croque monsieur and a croque madame is the fried egg on top.
Legend has it, some construction workers in France had placed their Jambon Beurre sandwich lunches on a radiator and forgot about them until lunchtime and all the cheese had melted all over the sandwich...and the croque monsieur was born!
And it was delicious. An accidental innovation; that happens a lot in the culinary world so experiment and explore, people!
Don't leave anything on radiators, though. I'm sure that's really dangerous.
Equipment
small saucepan - this is where we make the mornay sauce.
nonstick skillet - use a nonstick for your fried egg! It will be your best friend. Make sure it comes with a lid.
Cast iron skillet - The best thing to use to get perfect, crispy, toasted bread for your sandwich.
Baking Sheet - optional, but I used it to put the sandwiches under the broiler. You could just use the cast iron skillet they're grilled in.
Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Mornay Sauce
A mornay sauce is simply a cheesy bechamel sauce, or that white sauce made with butter, flour, and milk often used in mac and cheese.
- Whole Milk - the fat in the whole milk make for a smooth and creamy bechamel sauce.
- All Purpose Flour.
- Unsalted Butter - you can use salted in this recipe, but I like to control the amount of salt in my recipes.
- Dijon Mustard - this doesn't give your sauce a 'mustard!' flavor, but it does add brightness and flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese - this cheese gives our mornay a richer, nuttier flavor. We're also using it on top of our sandwich before it goes under the broiler.
- Kosher Salt, Black Pepper.
- Fresh Thyme - not a traditional ingredient, but i absolutely love thyme in this mornay. Its lemony-herbal flavor plays so well with everything here!
Le Sandwich
- Sturdy Bread - we want a good, strong loaf of bread to cut thick slices that will stand up to all that bechamel sauce and gruyere cheese.
- Thin slices of ham - use your favorite type of ham. Bonus points for French ham.
- Cheese - An alpine cheese is a must here. Emmental, Swiss or young gruyère cheese work best here.
- Butter - salted or unsalted, this is going crust-to-crust on our bread to toast them up just like a classic grilled cheese. It's also used to fry the egg!
- Large Egg - this is what makes the difference between the monsieur and the madame. A beautiful fried egg perched right on top.
How to Make a Croque Madame Sandwich
Step 1 | Melt butter and whisk in flour in a saucepan over medium-low heat for make your roux for the mornay sauce.
Step 2 | Make the bechamel sauce by whisking in the milk. Whisk in salt, pepper, and dijon mustard.
Step 3 | Turn off the heat and add the shredded gruyere cheese and parmesan to your mornay sauce. Whisk until the cheese melts completely.
Step 4 | Heat up a cast iron skillet over medium heat, spread softened butter onto the bread slices, and place one slice of bread onto the hot skillet. Pile on the ham and cheese, then top with the other slice of bread. Once the toasted bread is golden brown, flip it and cook until the other slice is golden brown as well. It's okay if the cheese isn't melted, it'll melt in the oven.
Step 5 | Place a heap of bechamel sauce and a pile of gruyere on the top of each sandwich. Heat up the broiler and either place the sandwiches onto a baking sheet or keep them in the cast iron skillet and transfer the skillet into your oven broiler for up to 4 minutes.
Step 6 | While the sandwiches are broiling, fry your eggs in a nonstick skillet. You want your egg yolks to stay really runny, so no longer than 3-4 minutes with a lid on.
Step 7 | Pull the sandwiches out of the oven and top each with a fried egg.
Step 8 | Garnish with fresh chives (and chive blossoms if you can find them!) and serve your croque madame sandwiches hot.
Variations and Substitutions
- Croque Monsieur: Skip the fried egg and enjoy this classic French ham and cheese sandwich without it.
- Croque Salmon: Use smoked salmon instead of ham, and garnish with capers and fresh dill for a delicious twist on the classic.
- Croque Veggie: Replace the ham with roasted or grilled vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers, and use a vegetarian cheese.
- Croque Burger: Use a burger patty instead of ham, and top with cheese and a fried egg for a decadent brunch burger.
- Croque Madame Benedict: Replace the bread with an English muffin and top with ham, melted Gruyere cheese, a poached egg, and drizzle with hollandaise sauce for a brunch classic.
- Croque Cuban: Replace the ham with sliced roast pork, and add pickles and a smear of stone-ground mustard for a deliciously savory Cuban-inspired sandwich.
Serving Suggestions
- Top with a sprinkle of chopped chives or scallions for a pop of color and flavor.
- Pair with a glass of red wine or a light beer to balance out the richness of the sandwich.
- Serve with a side of fresh fruit or berries for a refreshing and light contrast to the savory sandwich.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Croque Madame Sandwich
- Use a high-quality bread for the sandwich such as a rich and beautiful brioche or flavorful and study sourdough, don't use white sandwich bread it won't hold up to all the cheese sauce! I used a buttery croissant bread which was just *chef's kiss*!
- Choose a high-quality cheese like Gruyere or Emmental for your mornay sauce, they melt easily.
- For a crispy and evenly toasted sandwich, grill the sandwich on both sides before baking it in the oven.
- If you're short on time, you can make a croque madame without baking it in the oven. Simply grill the sandwich until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy, pour the mornay on, then top with a fried egg.
Storage
This sandwich is best eaten the day of.
The bechamel can be made a day ahead but you will need to rearm it on the stove with a hearty splash of milk over low heat to get it back to consistency.
More Delicious Brunch Recipes
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Croque Madame Sandwiches
Ingredients
Mornay Sauce
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup 58 g gruyere cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Sandwiches
- 4 thick slices sturdy bread
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Deli-sliced ham, as much as you'd like
- ½ cup 58 g gruyere cheese, freshly grated
Fried Eggs
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
Mornay sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add flour. Whisk constantly for about a minute. After about 2 minutes or when the mixture becomes bubbly, slowly add in milk.
- Keep whisking until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and can remain separated when you run a finger down it.
- Season with salt, pepper, and whisk in dijon mustard.
- Take off the heat, then add ½ cup of gruyere cheese and ¼ cup grated parmesan, whisking until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is thick and creamy. If the sauce gets a little too thick, add a splash or two of milk and whisk to thin to the correct consistency. Set aside.
Sandwiches
- Preheat broiler on low.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat spread butter onto one side of each slice of the bread, then layer on the ham and shredded cheese and sandwich between the bread slices. Brown the sandwich on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
- Generously cover the sandwiches with more mornay sauce and all the rest of the gruyere.
- Place the baking sheet with sandwiches under the broiler. Leave to cook for about 3 minutes or until the bechamel sauce is browned. Keep an eye on it, DO NOT LET IT BURN.
Fried Eggs
- While the sandwiches are broiling, melt butter in a nonstick skillet. Crack two eggs into two separate small bowls and add them into the pan one by one.
- Cook for 3 minutes with a lid. Whites should be just set completely and the yolks should be runny, bonus points for no brown edges. Season with salt and pepper.
- Carefully take the sandwiches out of the broiler and plate, topping each sandwich with a fried egg. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips for the Perfect Croque Madame Sandwich
- Use a high-quality bread for the sandwich such as a rich and beautiful brioche or flavorful and study sourdough, don't use white sandwich bread it won't hold up to all the cheese sauce! I used a buttery croissant bread which was just *chef's kiss*!
- Choose a high-quality cheese like Gruyere or Emmental for your mornay sauce, they melt easily.
- For a crispy and evenly toasted sandwich, grill the sandwich on both sides before baking it in the oven.
- If you're short on time, you can make a croque madame without baking it in the oven. Simply grill the sandwich until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy, pour the mornay on, then top with a fried egg.
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