Everyday meals · France

Croque Monsieur

Name: Croque Monsieur
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 12 g (1 tablespoon) butter; 12 g (1 tablespoon) flour; 125 ml (½ cup) milk; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 pinch of ground nutmeg (optional); Salt to taste; Pepper to taste; 2 slices of crusty bread; 2 slices of ham; 2 slices of cheese, such as gruyère; 1 egg (for croque madame)

A croque-monsieur is a French sandwich made of ham, Gruyère cheese, French bread, and Dijon mustard. Croquer means "to crunch" in French, so the name literally translates to "crunch-mister."

Published October 16, 2026

EST. TOTAL TIME40 min

DIFFICULTYEasy

SERVES1

Time and difficulty are editorial estimates; allow extra time for your equipment and experience.

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What you’ll need

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Let’s make it

Step 1
Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
Step 2
Add the flour and stir over a medium heat until blended.
Step 3
Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously into a smooth sauce.
Step 4
Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Step 5
Mix in the mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Step 6
Preheat a grill to high. Lightly toast the bread on both sides under the grill.
Step 7
Arrange slices of ham and cheese on each slice of bread, then top with béchamel sauce.
Step 8
Place back under the grill to brown the béchamel and melt the cheese until golden brown and delicious.

Croque Monsieur

What you’ll need

Let’s make it

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