Description
A classic French Croque Monsieur featuring layers of ham and Gruyere cheese on crusty sourdough bread, topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and baked to golden perfection for a rich, cheesy, and indulgent sandwich experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Béchamel Sauce
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Sandwich
- 8 slices 1/2-inch thick country-style sourdough bread or pan de mie
- 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
- 6 ounces ham slices, preferably black forest
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Topping
- 3 ounces (¾ cup) Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet (21×15 inches) with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Make roux: Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add 1/4 cup flour, and cook while whisking constantly for 2 minutes to form the roux.
- Add milk: Remove from heat and whisk in about a quarter of the milk until smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk a few tablespoons at a time, whisking thoroughly between additions. Stir in salt, nutmeg, white pepper, and optional cayenne.
- Thicken béchamel: Return saucepan to medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly for a few minutes until the sauce thickens to the consistency of spreadable butter or pudding. Remove from heat.
- Slather béchamel: Arrange 8 slices of bread on the baking sheet and spread half of the béchamel thickly over all slices as if buttering toast.
- Assemble sandwiches: On four béchamel-coated bread slices, layer half the Gruyere slices, then all ham slices folded to fit, spread a thick layer of Dijon mustard over the ham, followed by the remaining Gruyere slices. Close sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, béchamel side down.
- Pan fry sandwiches: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter to melt. Cook sandwiches in batches for about 2 minutes per side, pressing occasionally until deeply golden brown but cheese is not fully melted. Transfer sandwiches back to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add topping: Spread remaining béchamel on top slice of each sandwich (reheat and whisk with splash of milk if thickened). Sprinkle shredded Gruyere and grated Parmesan evenly over béchamel.
- Bake and broil: Bake sandwiches for 10-12 minutes until cheese melts, then broil for 2-3 minutes until topping is golden and bubbly.
- Serve: Serve sandwiches immediately with fork and knife to enjoy the rich, gooey, and cheesy filling.
Notes
- Gruyere Swiss Cheese is essential for authentic flavor; use 6 ounces sliced inside and 3 ounces shredded on top for perfect melt and crust.
- Use country-style sourdough or pan de mie bread sliced about 1/2 inch thick for best texture.
- If béchamel thickens before spreading, gently reheat with a splash of milk to restore spreadable consistency.
- Press sandwiches with spatula while pan-frying for even browning and melting.
- Serve hot as sandwiches are very rich and messy, best eaten with utensils.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
