Free recipe French

Croque Madame

Name: Croque Madame
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for the sauce; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed; pinch ground nutmeg; 8 oz gruyere cheese, coarsely grated, divided; 8 slices pain de mie or sturdy white sandwich bread, about 1/2 inch thick; 2 tbsp dijon mustard; 8 oz thinly sliced cooked ham; 1 tbsp unsalted butter, for the eggs; 4 large eggs; kosher salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 1 tbsp chives, chopped

The Parisian cafe classic: ham and Gruyere sandwiches blanketed in creamy Mornay sauce, broiled until bubbling and crowned with a fried egg.

By Theo Brandt, Test Kitchen Lead & Cheese Specialist Published January 31, 2026

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Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Level: Medium

The croque madame is a grilled ham and cheese that went to Paris and came back very well dressed. Toasted bread is layered with Dijon, ham and nutty Gruyere, then spread with a cheesy bechamel and broiled until the top is bubbling and browned in spots.

The fried egg on top is what makes it a madame rather than a monsieur, and a runny yolk becomes a second sauce. Toasting the bread first keeps the sandwiches from turning soggy under all that richness.

Serve with a sharp green salad dressed in a mustardy vinaigrette to cut through the cheese. It is a knife-and-fork sandwich and a perfect centerpiece for a leisurely brunch.

Bubbling Gruyere Mornay top
Runny fried egg crown
Parisian cafe classic

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until bubbling but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the warm milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 2 oz of the Gruyere, the nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange the bread on the baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly golden, about 3 minutes per side.
Spread 4 of the toasted slices thinly with Dijon mustard. Top each with ham and a small handful of Gruyere, using about 3 oz cheese in total.
Close the sandwiches with the remaining toast. Spread the sauce thickly over the tops, all the way to the edges, and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere.
Bake until the cheese melts and the sandwiches are hot through, 8 to 10 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and broil until bubbling and browned in spots, 1 to 3 minutes, watching closely.
Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Crack in the eggs, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.
Set a fried egg on top of each sandwich, sprinkle with chives and black pepper, and serve immediately with a knife and fork.

Test-kitchen tips

Make the sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate with plastic pressed on the surface. Rewarm gently with a splash of milk before spreading.
Toasting the bread first is the key to a sandwich that stays crisp underneath the sauce, so do not skip it.
Leave off the egg for a croque monsieur, or swap the ham for sliced roast turkey and the Gruyere for Comte or Emmental.