Croque Madame
The griddled bread turns buttery and crisp around warm ham, melted Gruyère, and béchamel. Break the fried egg on top and its yolk runs into every rich bite.
Recipe link
Prep time10 min
Cook time20 min
Total time30 MINUTES
- Course
- Breakfast, Sandwiches
- Cuisine
- French, American
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Est. calories / serving
- 685
Ingredients
- 1 cup Béchamel Sauce (warmed)
Sandwiches
- 8 slices white sandwich bread, pain de mie, brioche, or sourdough
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened, divided)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 6 ounces gruyère cheese (grated)
- 8 thin slices smoked ham
Eggs
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- kosher salt (to taste)
- black pepper (coarse, freshly ground, to taste)
Garnish
- parsley (chopped)
- chives (thinly sliced, optional)
- black pepper (coarse, freshly ground)
- dijon mustard (optional, for serving)
Instructions
Instructions
- Warm the Béchamel: Add the Béchamel Sauce to a small saucepan and warm gently over low heat, stirring often, until smooth and spoonable.1 cup Béchamel Sauce
- Prepare the Bread: Lay the bread slices on a work surface. Butter one side of each slice. Turn 4 slices over and spread the unbuttered side lightly with Dijon mustard.8 slices bread, 4 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- Build the Sandwiches: Place the Dijon bread slices buttered-side down. Spread each with a spoonful of warm béchamel, then add Gruyère and 2 slices of ham. Close with the remaining bread slices, buttered-side up.warm béchamel, 6 oz gruyère, 8 slices ham
- Griddle the Sandwiches: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook the sandwiches for 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese is melted.prepared sandwiches
- Fry the Eggs: In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft, about 2–3 minutes.1 tbsp butter, 4 eggs, kosher salt, black pepper
- Sauce the Sandwiches: Transfer each sandwich to a plate. Spoon a little more warm béchamel over the top.griddled sandwiches, warm béchamel
- Garnish and Serve: Top each sandwich with a fried egg. Garnish with parsley, chives if desired, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.fried eggs, parsley, chives, black pepper
Notes
- Bread Choice: Use bread that can handle the sauce and cheese without collapsing. Pain de mie, brioche, sourdough, or thick-cut white sandwich bread all work well.
- Béchamel: The sauce should be warm and spoonable, not stiff. If it thickens too much, whisk in a splash of warm milk.
- Cheese: Gruyère is classic because it melts beautifully and has a nutty flavor. Swiss can work in a pinch, but Gruyère gives the sandwich its best texture.
- Egg Texture: A soft yolk is ideal because it runs into the béchamel and turns the whole sandwich into a sauce situation.
- Broiled Finish: For a more classic café-style version, spoon béchamel and a little extra Gruyère over the griddled sandwiches, broil for 1–2 minutes until bubbling, then add the fried egg.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with crispy roasted potatoes, a simple green salad, fresh fruit, cornichons, or extra Dijon mustard on the side.
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
4 sandwiches — Serving size: 1 Croque Madame
- Calories
- 685
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Protein
- 34 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Saturated Fat
- 23 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Cholesterol
- 315 mg
- Sodium
- 1185 mg
- Potassium
- 385 mg
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Total Sugars
- 6 g
- Vitamin A
- 1285 IU
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Calcium
- 485 mg
- Iron
- 4 mg
Equipment
- Large skillet or griddle
- Small saucepan
- Small skillet
- Spatula
- Butter knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cheese grater