Say bonjour to the ultimate spring brunch recipe: the Croque Madame. This classic French triple-decker sandwich is stacked with ham, mustard, melty cheese, creamy Mornay sauce, and finished with a sunny-side-up egg on top. Serve it with a crisp green salad for a festive spring gathering that’s sure to impress.
This recipe made with local ingredients and developed in collaboration with Langley Farm Market.
The Elements of an Authentic Croque Madame
Just like Paris, a Croque Madame sandwich is always a good idea. This classic French sandwich is a popular dish that is typically eaten as a hearty brunch or lunch in France. An authentic Croque Madame may be hard to come by if you are not in France, but I have made it easy to make it at home. Here is how I make the most authentic version of this famous sandwich:
- A real Croque Madame sandwich has at least three slices of bread, making it a hearty triple-decker sandwich.
- The classic cheese that is used in this sandwich is gruyère cheese which has a pungent flavour and scent. If you can’t find this type of cheese or want to make it milder, substitute with a nutty Swiss cheese.
- A Mornay sauce (aka a French cheese sauce) makes this sandwich extra creamy and delicious— and it’s very similar to a bechamel sauce.
- A Croque Madame is topped with a fried sunny-side-up egg. If served without an egg, it’s a Croque Monsieur.
The Layering Order
Apart from the flavourful ingredients used in this recipe, the order in which the ingredients are layered contributes to the enjoyable texture and overall integrity of the sandwich. You will want to follow this structure to ensure that your sandwiches hold up, but to also get the best flavour!
Here is how I build my sandwich from the bottom to the top:
- Begin with a buttered slice of lightly toasted bread as the base— buttered side down
- Spread on tangy Dijon mustard (bonus points if it is from France!)
- Place a folded piece of ham on top— either Black Forest or Parisian ham if you can find it
- Sprinkle gruyère cheese on top— this holds the ham in place
- Add a few generous spoonfuls of Mornay sauce
- Top with an unbuttered piece of toast— this is the middle layer
- Then repeat…ending with the final buttered piece of toast butter side up
Once the sandwich is baked in the oven to meld all of these ingredients together, it is finished off under the broiler. Before broiling, follow these steps in the final layering process:
- Add multiple generous scoops of Mornay sauce— make sure to completely cover the top of the sandwich
- Sprinkle over one final layer of gruyère cheese— this will brown and bubble in the oven
- Add a fried egg on top once it is out of the broiler
What to Serve with a Croque Madame
There are many great sides to serve with this hearty sandwich. I like to keep it on the lighter side with a simple green salad topped with a tangy vinaigrette. This freshness from local greens and the acidic vinaigrette really helps to offset the savouriness of the sandwich.
Other great sides include cornichons (French pickles), a bowl of vegetable soup, or a simple fruit salad to make this a full meal!
You can pick up everything you need to make this delicious recipe at Langley Farm Market. From the farm-fresh eggs to the bread, you’re supporting local every step of the way while treating yourself or your family to something truly special.
Get the Recipe: Croque Madame Sandwich
Croque Madame Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Mornay Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups 2% milk
- 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of ground black pepper
For the Sandwich:
- 6 slices white sandwich bread
- 4 teaspoons salted butter
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 slices Black Forest ham
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 teaspoon olive oil for frying the eggs
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chives finely chopped
Instructions
- Begin by making the Mornay sauce. Heat a small pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the butter. Once melted and bubbling, add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to cook the flour.
- Gradually add the milk and continue to stir until the sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the gruyère cheese, dijon, nutmeg, and black pepper. Whick to combine and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly toast 6 slices of bread in a toaster. Butter 4 slices of the toasted bread, using 1 teaspoon per piece of toast. Set aside.
- Lay two slices of bread butter side down on a baking tray. Spread 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard across each piece of toast. Top with a slice of ham, a heaping two tablespoons of the Mornay sauce, and sprinkling of gruyère cheese.
- Place the two unbuttered piece of toast on top of the gruyère cheese and continue the layering process, finishing with the final piece of toast butter-side up.
- Place in the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler to the high setting. Press each sandwich down using a spatula to press all the layers together. Top each sandwich with more Mornay sauce and the rest of the gruyère cheese. Place back in the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- To cook the eggs, add the olive oil to a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and fry them sunny-side up. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place each sandwich on a plate and top with the warm fried egg and a garnish of chopped chives. Serve immediately with a side salad and enjoy!