Croque Madame is a French grilled sandwich made with toast, ham, cheese and a poached or fried egg on top. A variation of Croque Madame is Croque Monsieur, which is the same as perviously mentioned but minus the egg. Traditionally the sandwich is made using Gruyere or Emmental cheese and ham, though many other variations also exist. These quick sandwiches first appeared on Parisian menus in 1910 yet nobody seems to know why and how they got the name. Nowadays Croque Madame, Croque Monsieur and their variations can be found across France in cafes and bars.
We like to have croque for dinner. They are perfect for busy nights or when you want a lighter dinner. I usually don’t stick to the traditional cheeses or pain de mie that is so common with croques. Depending on the type of bread and cheese in the kitchen my Croque Madame take on different looks. This one I made using Gouda and a country flax seed bread. Improvise and adjust to your taste. 
French Ham, Cheese and Egg Sandwich
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This Croque Madame is a classic French sandwich featuring layers of ham and melted cheese between slices of buttery toasted bread, topped with a perfectly runny sunny side up egg.
Ingredients
- 4 slices country bread, or your favorite bread
- 4 slices Gouda cheese, or traditionally Gruyere or Emmental
- 4 slices ham
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat a grill or large pan over medium heat.
- Spread butter on one side of each bread slice.
- Place two slices of bread, buttered side down, in the pan.
- Add a slice of cheese and two slices of ham on top of each bread slice in the pan.
- Top with another slice of cheese and then place the remaining bread slices on top, buttered side up.
- Cook until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip the sandwiches and cook the other side until golden brown and the cheese is melted, another 3-4 minutes.
- In a separate pan, melt a small amount of butter and fry the eggs sunny side up until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 3-4 minutes.
- Place a fried egg on top of each sandwich and serve immediately.
Notes
For a traditional touch, use Gruyere or Emmental cheese. The choice of bread can vary; a country bread or pain de mie works well. Ensure the egg yolk is runny for the best flavor. This sandwich is perfect for a quick dinner or a light meal. Experiment with different cheeses and breads to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 28 grams
- Carbohydrates: 30 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 25 grams
- Cholesterol: 220 mg
The sunnyside up egg, or poached, is a must. The runny, buttery yolk flows down the sandwich and gives you an extra burst of flavor. If you use a hard egg you’ll really miss out on the full Croque Madame experience. Now doesn’t that just look like a delicious mess?
Was amazing!!
Not what I said, even though it was.
What did your original comment say Kynos? I can see if it was mixed up with another comment!
First tried this at a café in Paris with my mom — now I’ve finally made it for her birthday breakfast! Such a fun memory.
Used Gruyere instead of generic Swiss and it really made each bite special. It melted beautifully between the ham layers. Will stick with it.
I’m personally in favor of the Monsieur, but this seems pretty dang good too!
Yum!! Thanks for the step by step. I had this sandwich from a french food truck in Dallas, and it was delicious but it was $11.00. Thanks for the recipe, now I can make this at home for under 3$ with natural ingredients :)
According to some historians, this sandwich is called a Croque Madame because the fried egg on top is reminiscent of a ladies hat.