| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Prep: | 5 min |
| Cook: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 sandwiches |
Ingredients
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 8 slices thick sourdough bread
- 8 to 12 slices good quality ham (about 3/4 pound)
- 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated, divided
- Nonstick spray
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler.
- Make the bechamel sauce: In a small saucepan, melt 1 ounce butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until you smell the flour and butter cooking, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow it to brown. Add the milk and bay leaf and cook, stirring from time to time, until the mixture thickens like a soup, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the Parmesan. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Arrange 4 slices of the bread on a flat surface. Top each with 2 to 3 slices of ham. Mix together half of the Gruyere cheese and the bechamel sauce. Taste for seasoning. Spread a little of the sauce on top of the ham and top each with another slice of bread.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet and, when hot, add half of the remaining butter. Add 2 of the sandwiches and brown on one side, 2 minutes. Turn on the other side and brown 2 more minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. Spread the remaining bechamel on top of the sandwiches and top with the other half of the Gruyere cheese.
- Wipe any crumbs from the cast iron skillet and spray with nonstick spray. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet, leaving a little room between each. (Alternatively, fry 2 at a time). While the eggs are frying, place the sandwiches under the broiler and broil until the top becomes golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Season the eggs with salt and top each sandwich with a fried egg. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 22 servings |
| Calories | 309 |
| Total Fat | 15 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 74 mg |
| Sodium | 577 mg |
Reviews
This was a winner! The only thing I added was dijon mustard to the bread. 10/10
Super easy and delicious!!! The rest of the family loved and asked for again. Thanks so much!!
Made these for anniversary brunch. Turned out perfect, tasted great, I added Dijon mustard, spread a small amount in one side of the bread. Alex’s recipes are always spot on, well written and turn out great. Will make these again.
All I can said this Sandwich is so gooood!!!! Very delicious and rich.
Wonderful brunch sandwich
Amazing recipe! I tried other Croque Madame recipes and this is the best by far! Very filling while light at the same time! Loved it!
So yummy! Thank you Alex for sharing this recipe.
I have made two Croque Madame recipes from this site and this one is superior. I followed the directions exactly, except for changes to ingredients based on what I had on hand (Swiss cheese, sourdough bread, 2% milk). I did not use expensive ingredients and it was still delicious! Very filling, as others mentioned. Thank you!
Super easy and incredibly tasty!
This was AMAZING! Rich and delicious, just as you’d expect!