Croque Madame Sandwich Recipe from France

Gruyère cheese

🥗Healthier: low-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: Emmental cheese

Emmental is often less expensive and still melts well.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and adds a different flavor.

ham

🥗Healthier: turkey ham

💰Cheaper: bologna

Turkey ham is lower in fat, while bologna is often cheaper.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: soy milk

Almond milk is a lower-calorie alternative, while soy milk is often more affordable.

Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan.

Add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the melted butter and whisk together.

Cook the flour and butter mixture for about 2 minutes to make a white roux.

Gradually add 1.5 cups of whole milk while stirring to dissolve the flour.

Continue stirring for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens, watching for whisk marks to indicate thickness.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of cracked black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard to the thickened sauce and mix well before removing from heat.

Lay out 8 slices of large French bread on a cookie sheet.

Spread a generous amount of the béchamel sauce on each slice of bread.

Sprinkle about 1 ounce of shredded Gruyère cheese on each slice of bread.

Place 2 slices of ham on each sandwich, crinkling them to fit.

Press another slice of French bread on top of each sandwich.

Spread another layer of béchamel sauce on top of the second slice of bread.

Add another ounce of Gruyère cheese on top of each sandwich.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake the sandwiches for 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts.

While the sandwiches are baking, spray a pan with nonstick spray and crack 4 eggs into the pan to cook them over easy.

After 3-5 minutes, change the oven setting to high broil and move the rack to the top.

Broil the sandwiches for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

Remove the sandwiches from the oven and place a cooked egg on top of each sandwich before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens