FranceThe béchamel on top is not decoration. In a lot of home versions, people spread a thin smear on the outside and call it done — the result is a glorified grilled cheese. The correct amount of béchamel on top is generous to the point where it looks like too much: it should cover the bread completely and flow just over the edges. Under the grill, this thick layer sets into something between a soufflé and a gratinée, and the Gruyère browns into it. That top crust is the whole character of the dish.
Croque Monsieur is the same sandwich without the egg. It is the better weekday version: faster (no egg frying), easier to eat without making a mess, and arguably more elegant. The Madame gets all the attention but the Monsieur is what you want on a Tuesday morning. Make both at the same time if you are cooking for a mixed crowd — assemble all the sandwiches together, grill all of them, and add a fried egg to whichever ones are being served as Madame.
Croque Madame
By Sergei Martynov
A Croque Monsieur — ham, Gruyère, and béchamel on toasted white bread — with a fried egg on top. The name comes from the egg supposedly resembling a woman's hat. The sandwich itself has been on Parisian café menus since the early 1900s. What separates a good one from a mediocre one is the béchamel: not as a hidden layer inside, but also spread generously on top, where it bubbles and browns under the grill and becomes something closer to a savoury soufflé crust than a sauce. The egg yolk, broken at the table, does the rest.
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 4 slices
See recipes with pain de mie or thick-cut white sandwich breadpain de mie or thick-cut white sandwich bread
i - 150 g
See recipes with gruyère or comtéGruyère or Comté, finely grated
i - 100 g
See recipes with good-quality hamgood-quality ham, thinly sliced (Paris ham / jambon de Paris is traditional)
i - 2 tbsp
See recipes with dijon mustardDijon mustard
i - 2
See recipes with large eggslarge eggs
i - 30 g
See recipes with unsalted butterunsalted butter (for frying the bread and eggs)
i - 20 gSee recipes with unsalted butter
unsalted butter (for the béchamel)
i - 20 g
See recipes with plain flourplain flour
i - 250 ml
See recipes with whole milkwhole milk
i - 1 pinch
See recipes with freshly grated nutmegfreshly grated nutmeg
i - 1 pinch
See recipes with salt and white peppersalt and white pepper
i
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
Make the béchamel first. Melt 20 g of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour all at once and whisk constantly for 2 minutes — the roux should look like a smooth, slightly golden paste and smell faintly of cooked flour (this step cooks out the raw flour flavour). Remove from the heat and add the milk in one go, whisking hard to prevent lumps. Return to medium heat and whisk constantly until the sauce thickens — about 3 to 4 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon thickly. Season with a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Cover with cling film pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. Set aside.
- 2
Toast the bread in butter. Preheat the grill (broiler) on high. Meanwhile, melt 30 g of butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, toast both sides of all 4 bread slices in the butter until golden and slightly crisp — about 2 minutes per side. You are building the structural integrity of the sandwich here: untoasted bread goes soggy under the béchamel. Transfer the toasted bread to a baking sheet lined with foil.
- 3
Assemble the sandwiches. Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on one side of each slice of bread. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of béchamel over the mustard on 2 of the slices. Distribute the ham evenly over the béchamel, then scatter a third of the grated Gruyère over the ham. Place the remaining 2 slices on top, mustard-side down. Now spread a thick, generous layer of béchamel over the top of each sandwich — go to the edges. Scatter the remaining Gruyère over the béchamel top. Do not be stingy: the thick béchamel-cheese topping is the point.
- 4
Grill until bubbling and golden. Slide the baking sheet under the hot grill and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, watching constantly, until the Gruyère on top is melted, bubbling, and developing dark golden spots. The béchamel should puff slightly. Remove from the grill. Meanwhile, fry the eggs: melt a small knob of butter in the frying pan over medium-low heat, crack in the eggs, and cook until the whites are fully set but the yolks are still completely runny — baste with butter from the pan using a spoon if needed to set the whites without overcooking the yolks.
- 5
Place the eggs on top and serve immediately. Slide one fried egg on top of each grilled sandwich. The yolk must be runny — if it has set, the point of the dish is lost. Serve immediately on warmed plates with nothing else required, or alongside a lightly dressed green salad. This is a knife-and-fork sandwich. Cut into it first at the yolk: the yolk runs into the béchamel and becomes an additional sauce. That is the moment the whole thing comes together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Croque Madame and Croque Monsieur?
Exactly one thing: the egg. A Croque Monsieur is a ham and Gruyère sandwich with béchamel, toasted or grilled until the top is bubbling and golden. A Croque Madame is the same sandwich with a fried egg placed on top. The yolk, broken at the table, runs into the béchamel and creates an additional sauce. The Madame is richer and more substantial; the Monsieur is slightly cleaner to eat. Both have béchamel both inside and on top of the sandwich.
What bread is best for Croque Madame?
Pain de mie — the classic French white sandwich loaf — is traditional. It's soft, close-crumbed, slightly sweet, and holds up well to butter and béchamel without going soggy. Thick-cut white sandwich bread is the most practical substitute. Brioche works and produces a richer result. Sourdough can work but its open crumb absorbs the béchamel too fast. Avoid thin sliced bread: the sandwich compresses and the béchamel soaks through before you've finished cooking it.
What cheese can you use instead of Gruyère?
Emmental is the most natural substitute — milder but with the same melting quality. Comté is close to Gruyère in flavour and is excellent. Beaufort is richer and more intense. Raclette melts beautifully but the flavour is different. Mature cheddar is a reasonable workaround in a pinch but produces a sharper, less French-tasting result. Avoid soft cheeses (mozzarella, brie) — they don't brown under the grill in the same way and the flavour doesn't stand up to the béchamel.
Can you make Croque Madame without an oven or grill?
Yes, entirely on the stovetop. After assembling the sandwiches, cover them with a lid in the frying pan over low heat — the steam from the pan will melt the cheese on top. Or use a kitchen torch to brown the béchamel and cheese. The result isn't quite as dramatic as the grill version (the top won't puff and blister the same way) but the flavour is the same. You can also finish them in a covered frying pan: add a splash of water to the pan and cover — the steam melts the cheese in 60 to 90 seconds.
Can Croque Madame be made ahead?
Partially. The béchamel can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept refrigerated, covered with cling film pressed against the surface. Bring it back to room temperature or gently warm before using — cold béchamel is too thick to spread. The sandwiches can be assembled (without the egg) up to several hours ahead and kept covered in the fridge, then grilled just before serving. Add the fried egg at the last minute. Do not make and store the fully assembled, grilled Croque Madame — the egg will overcook when reheated.
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