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Home / Collections / 59 Mins or Less

Croque Madame

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Author: Imma Published:2/14/2019Updated:8/28/2021
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Croque Madame – a very comforting popular French cafe meal- grill ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce, Gruyere cheese and fried egg. An ultimate breakfast meal!

Croque Madame

Don’t describe this Croque Madame as just another grill ham and cheese sandwich. No, it is far from it. This bad boy is topped with Béchamel sauce, Gruyere cheese and fried egg. Making it an easy yet decadent sandwich that would bring back all French Café memories, if you have ever been to France. The cheesy goodness from this sandwich embodies comfort food. You will devour this sandwich in less than no time. Trust me.

What is Croque Madame? 

Croque Madame or “Miss Crunch” in English, is a variant of Croque Monsieur (French for “Mister Crunch”  which is a baked or fried boiled ham and cheese sandwich. It was first recorded on a cafe menu in Paris in 1910. Moreover, many would believe that the egg topped on a Croque Madame resembles to that of a woman’s old fashioned hat.

Croque Madame

So recently, I have been mildly craving Croque Madame- just not enough time to make the stop at one of my favorite French restaurant at the farmers market here in Los Angeles.

This blog, I’m telling you, is keeping me busy –  not a lot of time to eat out like I usually do. Now, it is reserved for special occasion or when I take my son out. I am not complaining… love, love  what I am doing.

Hence, I decided to make a homemade version so I can ‘truly enjoy like I do for years.

Croque Madame

This recipe is one that I got from watching Alex Guarnaschelli– from the Food Network channel. I like the fact that she omits the mustard and use the cheese sauce inside of the sandwich. This method is actually better. It soaks up the bread making it tender and crunchy at the same time!

Croque Madame

As with most sandwiches, this one comes together quickly- even with the béchamel sauce. You will devour this sandwich in less than no time. Trust me. Words to the wise – eat in moderation.

Happy happy Valentine’s Day!]

 

Tips and Notes:

  1. In choosing a bread to use for this recipe, go with a good quality white sandwich loaf or anything that is strong enough to hold the weight of the melted cheese.
  2. You may use grill pan to brown the bread.

 

This post was first published on April 2014 and has been updated with new photos and content.

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Croque Madame
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Croque Madame

Croque Madame - a very comforting popular French cafe meal- grill ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce, Gruyere cheese and fried egg. An ultimate breakfast meal!
5 from 1 vote
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
French
Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Bechamel Sauce

  • 6 ounces unsalted butter , divided
  • 2 tablespoons grated onion
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a dash of thyme , optional
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan /Gruyere cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For the Bread

  • 8 thick slices French loaf bread
  • 8 to 12 slices good quality ham about 3/4 pound
  • 12 ounces Gruyere cheese grated, divided
  • Nonstick spray

For the Egg

  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Bechamel Sauce

  • In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat; add onions stir for about a minute or until foaming. Add flour, continue cooking, stirring frequently for about 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbling. Remove saucepan from heat. Then gently add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth, add bay leaf and thyme. Return saucepan to heat. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan, salt and nutmeg. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

For the Bread

  • Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan until hot, oil with half of the butter then place bread on it and brown each side for about 2 minutes
  • Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining slices of bread sandwiches using the remaining butter.
  • Top each sandwich with 2 to 3 slices of ham. Combine half of the Gruyere cheese with the béchamel sauce. Adjust for seasoning. Spread a small amount of the Gruyere sauce on top of the ham and top each with another slice of bread.
  • Spread the remaining béchamel on top of the sandwiches and top with the other half of the Gruyere cheese.
  • Broil until cheese sauce is bubbling and evenly browned, about 3–4 minutes.

For the Egg

  • Meanwhile, if using a nonstick skillet wipe any crumbs from the pan, then add oil. Heat on medium, add eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook until whites are cooked but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. 
  • If you prefer a more cooked egg cook a little bit longer till desired consistency has been reached. Place an egg on top of each sandwich, and serve hot.

Tips & Notes:

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 768kcal (38%)| Carbohydrates: 33g (11%)| Protein: 28g (56%)| Fat: 57g (88%)| Saturated Fat: 33g (206%)| Cholesterol: 312mg (104%)| Sodium: 1208mg (53%)| Potassium: 287mg (8%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 7g (8%)| Vitamin A: 1850IU (37%)| Vitamin C: 0.3mg| Calcium: 685mg (69%)| Iron: 3mg (17%)
Author: Imma
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: French
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Nutrition Facts
Croque Madame
Amount Per Serving
Calories 768 Calories from Fat 513
% Daily Value*
Fat 57g88%
Saturated Fat 33g206%
Cholesterol 312mg104%
Sodium 1208mg53%
Potassium 287mg8%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 28g56%
Vitamin A 1850IU37%
Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
Calcium 685mg69%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

How to Make Croque Madame

 

Croque MadameIn a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat; add onions stir for about a minute or until foaming. Add flour, continue cooking, stirring frequently for about 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbling. Remove saucepan from heat. 

Croque Madame.2Then gently add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth, add bay leaf and thyme. Return saucepan to heat. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.

Croque Madame.3

Stir in Parmesan, salt and nutmeg. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

Croque MadameHeat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan until hot, oil with half of the butter then place bread on it and brown each side for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining slices of bread sandwiches using the remaining butter. Top each sandwich with 2 to 3 slices of ham.

Croque MadameCombine half of the Gruyere cheese with the béchamel sauce. Adjust for seasoning. Spread a small amount of the Gruyere sauce on top of the ham and top each with another slice of bread. 

Croque Madame.6Spread the remaining béchamel on top of the sandwiches and top with the other half of the Gruyere cheese. Broil until cheese sauce is bubbling and evenly browned, about 3–4 minutes. Meanwhile, if using a nonstick skillet wipe any crumbs from the pan, then add oil. Heat on medium, add eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook until whites are cooked but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. If you prefer a more cooked egg cook a little bit longer till desired consistency has been reached. Place an egg on top of each sandwich, and serve hot.

Croque Madame
Croque Madame
Croque Madame

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Comments & Reviews
  1. Wendy Yembe says

    Posted on 2/22 at 3:57PM

    5 stars
    I’m loving every bit of your website… keep blessing others through your good works. God bless

    Reply
    • imma africanbites says

      Posted on 2/24 at 12:19PM

      Thank you so much. God bless you, too! Happy Sunday.

      Reply

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