Croque Monsieur (Béchamel Ham and Cheese Melt)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 30 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Croque monsieur is a Parisian café classic built on a smooth béchamel sauce made from a butter-flour roux whisked with warm milk.
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One slice of white bread is spread with Dijon mustard before being layered with sliced ham and grated Gruyère cheese. The second slice tops the sandwich, which then gets a generous coat of béchamel and more cheese on the upper surface. Baking at 200 degrees Celsius for ten minutes melts the interior filling, and a brief three-minute broil creates a golden, bubbling crust on top. The mustard's pungent sharpness balances the salty richness of ham and cheese, keeping the overall flavor clean.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and make sure the broiler setting is ready for finishing.
Grate or loosen the 80 g Gruyere so it can be divided between the filling and the top.
- 2Control
Melt the 30 g butter in a small pan over medium-low heat, then stir in 1 teaspoon flour for about 1 minute.
Lower the heat before the roux darkens, so the sauce stays pale and smooth.
- 3Heat
Pour in the 150 ml milk a little at a time, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
Cook until the béchamel thickens enough that a spatula trail briefly holds, then remove it from the heat.
- 4Prep
Spread the 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard thinly over 2 of the 4 bread slices.
Layer the 100 g ham and half of the cheese on top, keeping the edges slightly clear so the filling does not spill.
- 5Control
Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices and spread a thick layer of béchamel over the top.
Scatter the remaining cheese evenly, covering bare spots so the surface browns in a uniform layer.
- 6Heat
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, until the cheese inside is hot and melted.
Broil for about 3 more minutes, watching closely, and remove when the top is golden, bubbling, and lightly crisp.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Thick béchamel and nutty Gruyère cheese bake into a bubbling golden crust on white bread.
- Finish cue
- Broil for about 3 more minutes, watching closely, and remove when the top is golden, bubbling, and lightly crisp.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
30min, 7 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 168 recipes
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