Croque Madame
Savor the elegance of a classic French bistro with this irresistible **Croque Madame** recipe! This elevated ham-and-cheese sandwich features slices of white bread layered with Dijon mustard, thinly sliced cooked ham, and Gruyère cheese—all crowned with a velvety homemade béchamel sauce. After a quick toast in the skillet and a bubbly finish in the oven, the pièce de résistance is a perfectly fried egg with a luxuriously runny yolk perched atop each sandwich. Rich, indulgent, and surprisingly simple to make, this Croque Madame is the ultimate comfort food for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner. Enjoy a delightful balance of creamy, savory, and crispy textures in every bite of this French-inspired masterpiece!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups Whole milk
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 White bread slices
- 4 slices Cooked ham, thinly sliced
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes to form a roux.
Gradually whisk in the milk, continuing to whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and season with salt and nutmeg.
Stir in half of the grated Gruyère cheese until melted and fully incorporated. Set the béchamel sauce aside.
Lightly toast the bread slices in a toaster or under the broiler until they are just golden brown.
Spread 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard on one side of each slice of toast.
Place a slice of ham on two of the slices, then sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Gruyère over each.
Top with the remaining slices of toast, mustard-side down, to form two sandwiches.
In a large ovenproof skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Spoon the béchamel sauce evenly over the top of the sandwiches, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese, and transfer the skillet to the oven.
Bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
While the sandwiches are baking, in a separate nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat.
Gently crack the eggs into the skillet and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove the sandwiches from the oven. Carefully place a fried egg on top of each sandwich.
Season the eggs with a sprinkle of salt and a dash of black pepper. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1801 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 130.8 g | 168% | |
| Saturated Fat | 63.1 g | 316% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 672 mg | 224% | |
| Sodium | 3986 mg | 173% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 83.1 g | 30% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.1 g | 11% | |
| Total Sugars | 25.2 g | ||
| Protein | 78.0 g | 156% | |
| Vitamin D | 6.2 mcg | 31% | |
| Calcium | 1808 mg | 139% | |
| Iron | 7.6 mg | 42% | |
| Potassium | 1037 mg | 22% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
