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Simple Recipes for Every Day

Croque Monsieur

a homemade croque monsieur sandwich on a plate served with pickles and stone ground mustard
  • Serves:  4
  • Prep Time:  5 min
  • Cook Time:  30 min

Ingredients

For the Béchamel sauce

  • 3 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the for the sandwiches

  • 8 tablespoons salted butter, softened
  • 8 thick slices white sandwich bread
  • 12 slices deli ham
  • 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

For serving

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives, optional
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.

  2. Make the béchamel sauce. Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk until melted. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture is combined and the butter begins to bubble, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the thyme and cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes more. Whisk in the mustard, salt, and nutmeg, then remove from heat and discard thyme stems.

  3. Make the sandwiches. Spread 1 tablespoon butter onto one side of each of the bread slices. Place four of the bread slices butter-sides down on a sheet pan. Place three folded slices of ham on each, and top each with 1/4 cup grated cheese. Top with the remaining slices of bread, butter-sides up.

  4. Bake until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip, and repeat on the other side. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and turn on the broiler.

  5. Evenly pour the béchamel sauce over the sandwiches, then top with the remaining cheese (about ¼ cup per sandwich). Broil until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

  6. Sprinkle the sandwiches with chives, fresh thyme, and black pepper, if desired. Serve warm.