Description
A classic French sandwich, the Croque Monsieur is made with ham, Gruyere cheese, and a creamy béchamel sauce, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour (use brown rice flour for gluten-free)
- 2 cups hot milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
- 16 slices of bread
- 8 ounces of ham, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on one side of each slice of bread.
- On half of the bread slices, layer the ham and half of the grated Gruyere cheese. Top with the remaining bread slices, mustard side down, to form sandwiches.
- Place the sandwiches on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the béchamel sauce over the top of each sandwich, then sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
For a gluten-free version, use brown rice flour and gluten-free bread. You can substitute Gruyere with Emmental or Swiss cheese if preferred. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven for best results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 1050
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 75