Recipes Main Dishes Sandwich Recipes Grilled Cheese Classic Croque Monsieur 4.6 (7) 6 Reviews 4 Photos Think of this classic French bistro sandwich as a ham and cheese sandwich, sent over the top with a Bechamel sauce. Rich, cheesy, and warm, you might just need a knife and fork! I like to make the Bechamel first, and have all the cheese grated, so the assembly goes quickly. Garnish with cornichons, if you like, and serve with a vegetable salad or simple soup. Submitted by Bibi Published on May 12, 2021 Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 4 4 Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 4 croque monsieur sandwiches Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings Bechamel: 1 ½ cups milk ½ cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour ⅛ teaspoon salt, or to taste ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste 1 pinch ground nutmeg Sandwiches: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 8 slices rustic bread 8 slices deli ham 2 ½ cups grated Gruyere cheese, divided ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine milk and cream in a microwave-safe container and microwave on high power, about 90 seconds. The liquid should be warm to the touch. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and keep stirring until all the flour is coated in butter, and the flour and butter begin to bubble, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in warmed milk and cream and cook until sauce begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Continue stirring, until the sauce is thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown 4 pieces of bread on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Place browned bread on the prepared baking sheet, browned side down. Spread each piece of bread with Bechamel sauce, from edge to edge. Place two slices of deli ham on the Bechamel and top with 1/2 cup of grated Gruyere cheese. Place remaining bread slices on top of each sandwich and spread the top with Bechamel, from edge to edge. Sprinkle the top of each sandwich with 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn on the oven's broiler. Move baking sheet about 6 inches from the heat source and broil sandwiches until the top is bubbly and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Watch carefully, to avoid scorching the parchment paper and burning the cheese. Allow the sandwiches to cool slightly, cut in half, and serve warm. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 879 Calories 61g Fat 39g Carbs 45g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 879 % Daily Value * Total Fat 61g 78% Saturated Fat 34g 170% Cholesterol 193mg 64% Sodium 1616mg 70% Total Carbohydrate 39g 14% Dietary Fiber 1g 5% Total Sugars 6g Protein 45g 89% Vitamin C 20mg 23% Calcium 951mg 73% Iron 3mg 16% Potassium 478mg 10% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.