Croque Monsieur Casserole (Printable Format)

Layered French casserole with buttery bread, ham, Gruyère cheese, and creamy béchamel sauce for brunch or dinner.

# What's Needed:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 12 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1.5 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
06 - 3 large eggs

→ Meats

07 - 8 slices cooked ham, approximately 7 ounces

→ Béchamel Sauce

08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
10 - 1.25 cups whole milk
11 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 1.25 cups milk, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
03 - Butter one side of each bread slice. Arrange half the bread, buttered side down, in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Top bread with half the ham slices and half the Gruyère cheese. Repeat layers with remaining bread (buttered side down), ham, and cheese.
05 - Whisk together eggs, 1 cup milk, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Pour evenly over the casserole, pressing gently to ensure bread absorbs the mixture.
06 - Pour prepared béchamel sauce over the top and spread evenly across the surface.
07 - Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and bubbling at edges. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It gives you all the crispy, cheesy, creamy indulgence of a croque monsieur without standing over a skillet.
  • You can prep it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning for brunch guests.
  • The layers soak up the custard and béchamel, turning simple white bread into something that tastes like it came from a French brasserie.
  • It feeds a crowd without any last minute stress or flipping.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking or the custard will run all over the plate instead of holding its shape.
  • Press the bread gently into the custard before adding the béchamel so every slice gets saturated and nothing bakes up dry.
  • If your béchamel gets lumpy, whisk it hard off the heat or blend it smooth with an immersion blender.
03 -
  • Use day old bread if you have it, because it soaks up the custard without falling apart.
  • Grate your own Gruyère instead of buying pre shredded cheese, it melts smoother and tastes infinitely better.
  • If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
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