Croque Madame
Aug 06, 2025
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Introducing the queen of all sandwiches, the Croque Madame. This decadent French sandwich is rich, golden and oozing with flavour. It's layered with smoky ham, Gruyere cheese, a garlicky bechamel sauce and topped with a runny fried egg. It's the egg that turns this sandwich from a Croque Monsieur into a Croque Madame.
Now this is what I call a sandwich. In Australia, we are more accustomed to the humble ham and cheese toastie. But the Croque Madame takes it up a knotch... or two.
It's indulgent, comforting, and unapologetically rich. It starts with thick slices of good quality sourdough, toasted in butter until golden and then spread with dijon mustard, then layered with smoked ham and grated gruyère. The magic, though, is in the garlicky béchamel: creamy, cheesy and loaded with roasted garlic (because when do I not add garlic?).
Once everything is assembled, it’s baked until bubbling, then finished with a perfectly fried egg that drapes over the top like a pretty little crown. It’s buttery, melty, and just the kind of sandwich that deserves a moment of silence before you dig in.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It’s the ultimate comfort sandwich – golden, crispy, gooey and indulgent in all the right ways
- Garlicky béchamel takes it over the top – creamy, rich and full of flavour (you know I had to!)
- Perfect for an indulgent craving – when the indulgent craving calls, this will be your go-to recipe
- That runny fried egg on top? Iconic. – It adds richness, drama, and makes every bite even better
Ingredients for Croque Madame
When a recipe is this simple, quality really matters. I buy the best ham, bread and eggs that I can get my hands. It really does make a difference!
- White sandwich loaf – Choose a beautiful loaf of white sandwich loaf from a good quality bakery. I prefer using a sandwich loaf over a sourdough as it's a little softer and toasts beautifully.
- Ham – Go for quality ham off the bone. I always pop into my local deli to get freshly shaved ham.
- Gruyère or Comté – Nutty, melty and rich. These French cheeses are classic for a reason. Always buy a block and grate it yourself for the best melt
- Whole milk – Full cream milk gives the béchamel its creamy and luxurious texture
- Butter – Use good quality unsalted butter for richness and depth in the sauce. I have used Westgold butter!
A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.
All my Tips & Tricks
- Toast the bread after assembling – Lightly toasting your bread in butter first keeps it from going soggy and adds a beautiful golden crust.
- Infuse the béchamel with garlic – While this isn't traditional, it will add a beautiful depth and flavour to your béchamel.
- Grate the cheese yourself – Pre-grated cheese often has anti-caking agents that stop it from melting properly.
- Layer the cheese on both sides of the ham – This gives you that signature melty pull in every bite
- Don’t skip grilling it – After assembling, grill it for a few minutes to melt the cheese and let everything bubble together before topping with the egg
How To Make Croque Madame
While this may seem like a lot of effort for a sandwich, it's totally worth it!
Step 1: Make the bechamel sauce. Once the butter is melting, add the garlic confit and flour and whisk together until a roux forms. One third at a time, pour in the milk and whisk through until the roux is incorporated, lump free and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Continue to whisk for 2 – 3 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir through the cheese.
Step 2: Spread a layer of Dijon mustard over one slice bread. Spread one tablespoon of the bechamel sauce to evenly cover the bread. Layer the ham on top, grate one quarter of the cheese and follow with another layer of ham. Spread the Dijon mustard on the other side of the bread and top onto the sandwich.
Step 3: In a large fry pan on medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is foaming, add the sandwich to the pan and cook for 2 – 3 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Remove the sandwich from the pan and place onto a baking tray.
Step 4: Spread 1 tablespoon of bechamel on the top of the sandwich and grate over more Gruyere cheese.
Step 5: Place the sandwich under the grill for 3 – 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Step 6: Remove the sandwich from the grill and place the egg on top. Finish off with a sprinkling of fresh chives.
FAQ's
A Croque Monsieur is a classic French ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce and grilled until golden. A Croque Madame takes it one step further by adding a fried egg on top... giving it that iconic, rich finish.
Gruyère or Comté are traditional and give the sandwich a nutty, melty richness. If you can’t find them, a good quality Swiss cheese or even cheddar will still work beautifully.
Yes, the béchamel is what sets this sandwich apart. It adds creaminess and richness that makes every bite melt-in-your-mouth delicious, especially when infused with garlic like mine!
Absolutely. While white sandwich loaf is classic for a soft and buttery base, you can also use sourdough or brioche, just make sure the slices are thick enough to hold the filling.
How To Serve
This Croque Madame is rich and indulgent, so I love serving it on it's own or with something fresh and light on the side to balance it out. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette or my creamy cucumber salad works perfectly. You could also add some lightly dressed rocket, pickled onions or cornichons to cut through the richness. And if you're feeling extra French, serve it with a glass of chilled white wine or a crisp sparkling cider.
How To Store
You really can't store this sandwich as it's best served fresh! You could make the bechamel ahead and store that in a Tupperware for several days in the fridge.
More Sandwiches To Love
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Crispy Eggplant & Roasted Capsicum Focaccia Sandwich
Bread, Pizza, Sandwiches
Ultimate Deluxe Steak Sandwich
If you make this Croque Madame with garlicky béchamel and a perfectly runny egg 🥪🧄🍳 please tag me on Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest — I’d love to see your golden, cheesy creations! ✨🧑🍳 Got any questions or want to leave a review? Pop them in here 📝 I always love chatting all things food and hearing your thoughts! 💬🤍
Croque Madame
Ingredients
Garlic confit
- 12 garlic cloves
- 1 cup olive oil
Bechamel
- 4 tablespoon Westgold butter
- 12 garlic confit cloves, or 1 raw garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups milk, full cream
- ½ cup Gruyere cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
- salt and pepper
Croque Madame
- 4 tablespoon Westgold butter
- 4 slices white bread
- 4 tablespoon bechamel sauce
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 lb ham, shaved or finely sliced
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese
- 1 tablespoon chives, finely sliced
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Garlic confit
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to120°C / 250°F
- Peel garlic: Peel the garlic by breaking the cloves away and placing them into a heatproof bowl. Submerge in boiling hot water for 5 minutes and drain. The skin will become loose and easy to peel away.
- Bake: Place the garlic cloves into an ovenproof dish and fully submerge in olive oil. It's important the garlic is fully submerged in the olive oil so it does not burn.Bake for 1 - 2 hours or until the garlic has become golden and is soft to touch.
Bechamel
- Make roux: In a large frypan on a medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is foaming, add the garlic confit and flour and whisk together until a roux or thick paste forms.
- Add milk: One third at a time, pour in the milk and whisk through until the roux is incorporated, lump free and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Continue to whisk for 2 – 3 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Season: Season the bechamel with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the Gruyere cheese and whisk through until fully incorporated.
Croque Madame
- Assemble one sandwich: Spread a layer of Dijon mustard over one slice bread. Spread one tablespoon of the bechamel sauce to evenly cover the bread. Layer the ham on top, grate one quarter of the cheese and follow with another layer of ham. Spread the Dijon mustard on the other side of the bread and top onto the sandwich.
- Toast: In a large fry pan on medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is foaming, add the sandwich to the pan and cook for 2 – 3 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Remove the sandwich from the pan and place onto a baking tray. Spread 1 tablespoon of bechamel on the top of the sandwich and grate over more Gruyere cheese.
- Fry egg: In the same pan, crack the egg into the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Broil / grill: Place the sandwich under the grill for 3 – 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve: Remove the sandwich from the grill and place the egg on top. Finish off with a sprinkling of fresh chives.
Notes
- Toast the bread after assembling – Lightly toasting your bread in butter first keeps it from going soggy and adds a beautiful golden crust.
- Infuse the béchamel with garlic – While this isn't traditional, it will add a beautiful depth and flavour to your béchamel.
- Grate the cheese yourself – Pre-grated cheese often has anti-caking agents that stop it from melting properly.
- Layer the cheese on both sides of the ham – This gives you that signature melty pull in every bite
- Don’t skip grilling it – After assembling, grill it for a few minutes to melt the cheese and let everything bubble together before topping with the egg
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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