Have you ever tried a Croque-Madame? It’s a beloved French ham and cheese grilled sandwich, finished with a fried egg on top! Ideal for a speedy lunch or supper.
Photography Credit: Sheryl Julian
If you visit France and don’t pick up any French, at least come back knowing the two most iconic café sandwiches: Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame.
Both are toasted sandwiches featuring ham and cheese—“croque” roughly means “crunch” or “crispy.” The key difference? The Madame comes topped with a fried egg. Legend has it that the yolk surrounded by the white resembles a woman’s hat!
Traditionally, these sandwiches are finished with béchamel sauce and then the fried egg, but I’ve stopped using béchamel. Making a roux-based cheese sauce feels overly complicated for such a simple sandwich, and I’ve discovered that an extra slice of cheese does the trick nicely.
Gruyere is the classic cheese here; grab it if you can. Otherwise, choose another cheese that melts easily, such as Swiss, Emmental, Comté, or Jarlsberg. Also, opt for a tasty ham like Black Forest.
I prefer thick slices of white sandwich bread—they hold up well in the skillet. I like to spread the inside of the sandwiches with Dijon mustard and the outside with mayonnaise. The mayo adds extra richness and helps the sandwich get wonderfully crispy when fried.
Top it all with a sunny-side up egg, and lunch is ready! This sandwich is best enjoyed with a fork.
Tips for Success
- Spread the outside of the sandwich with mayo for added flavor and crunch.
- A bacon press, grill press, or panini press (all the same thing) is handy if you have one. It helps the sandwich cook evenly and develop a nice crust. No press? Just press down a few times with the flat of your spatula while cooking.
- Serve this sandwich hot and eat it with a fork! A runny egg on top creates a delicious sauce for every bite.
Simple Croque-Madame Recipe – Ham, Cheese & Fried Egg Sandwich
Double—or triple!—this recipe for more servings.
Ingredients
- 2 slices sandwich bread, any favorite variety
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 thin slices Gruyere, or other firm, melting cheese (like Comté, Emmental, Jarlsberg), or enough cheese to cover the bread slices
- 2 thin slices deli ham, like Black Forest
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large egg
- Pinch teaspoon salt
- Pinch teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or parsley
Method
1 Assemble the sandwich: Spread both bread slices with mayonnaise. Flip them over and spread the other side with mustard. On one slice, layer a piece of cheese, the ham, and the other piece of cheese. Top with the second slice of bread, mustard-side down. (The mayonnaise sides should face outward.)
2 Cook the sandwich: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the sandwich. If you have a bacon press, grill press, or panini press, place it on top to weigh the sandwich down (otherwise, press a few times with the flat of your spatula during cooking). Cook for 3 minutes, until the bottom slice is golden.
Carefully flip the sandwich in the skillet. Set the press back on top (or press with your spatula), and cook another 3 minutes until the underside is golden. Transfer to a plate.
3 Fry the egg sunny-side up: Wipe out the skillet. Heat the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers and flows easily. Add the egg and cook for exactly 1 minute. Cover the skillet and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, until all the whites are set. (A runny yolk is ideal for this sandwich, but cook the egg longer if you prefer a firmer yolk.)
4 Serve: Slide the egg onto the top of the sandwich. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme or parsley. Serve immediately.
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Sheryl Julian
Sheryl Julian is an award-winning writer, editor, and food stylist. She is the former food editor of The Boston Globe, co-author of The Way We Cook, and editor of The New Boston Globe Cookbook. Her food sections won Best Newspaper Food Coverage from the Association of Food Journalists in 2015.
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