Croque Madame (Ham, Gruyere and Fried Egg Toastie)
A golden fried ham and cheese sandwich, blanketed in glossy cheese sauce, grilled until bubbling and topped with a runny egg.
Made with Cheese sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.23 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Warm the cheese sauce gently in a small pan, using your ready made cheese sauce (see the base recipe). Stir in a splash of milk if it has set firm. Keep it warm over a very low heat.
- 2
Butter one side of every slice of bread, then spread the other side of 4 slices with Dijon mustard. Lay the mustard slices butter side down, top each with a slice of ham and a quarter of the grated gruyere, keeping a little back for the top. Close with the remaining bread, butter side up.
- 3
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the sandwiches in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp.
7 min - 4
Heat the grill to high. Lift the sandwiches onto a baking tray, spoon the warm cheese sauce over the tops and scatter with the reserved gruyere.
- 5
Grill for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and speckled brown.
4 min - 6
While they grill, heat the oil in the clean frying pan and fry the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
2 min 30 s - 7
Top each sandwich with a fried egg, season with black pepper and serve straight away with a crisp green salad.
Tips
- Fry the sandwiches before grilling. The butter crust stays crisp under the sauce, so the base does not turn soggy.
- Gruyere melts best, but mature cheddar works if that is what you have. Grate it yourself, as pre-grated cheese can turn oily.
- Use sturdy bread. Thin sliced bread tears and goes limp under the sauce.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. The assembled, unfried sandwiches keep covered in the fridge for up to 1 day, but add the sauce and egg only when serving.
Questions
What is the difference between a croque monsieur and a croque madame?
A croque monsieur is the ham and cheese sandwich grilled with a cheese sauce topping. A croque madame is exactly the same with a fried egg on top.
Can I use cheddar instead of gruyere?
Yes. Mature cheddar gives a sharper, tangier result. Grate it yourself and avoid very mild cheddar, which can taste bland once grilled.
Can I make croque madame ahead?
Only partly. Fry the sandwiches and keep the sauce ready in the fridge for up to 3 days, but grill and add the egg just before serving so it stays crisp.
More made with cheese sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.