Croque Monsieur
A satisfying pork built around crusty bread, gruyere cheese and cooked ham — roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Mustard
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to form a pale roux.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and smooth, then stir in the nutmeg, half of the grated gruyere, salt and pepper to make a bechamel.
- Preheat the grill or broiler and lightly toast the slices of crusty bread.
- Spread one side of each slice with dijon mustard, then layer the cooked ham over four of the slices and top with the remaining four slices to form sandwiches.
- Spread a generous spoonful of the cheese sauce over the top of each sandwich and scatter over the remaining grated gruyere.
- Place under the hot grill for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese sauce is bubbling and golden brown.
- Serve immediately while hot and melting, with a knife and fork.
You'll use: Grill / broiler · Saucepan · Pan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Croque Monsieur take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Croque Monsieur is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Cambodian Croque Monsieur.jpg by Photogoddle, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.