Best 6 French Onion Croque Madame Recipes

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**Indulge in a Culinary Journey with French Onion Croque Madame: A Symphony of Savory Flavors**

Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with the exquisite French Onion Croque Madame, a culinary masterpiece that seamlessly blends the richness of French onion soup with the sophistication of a classic croque monsieur. This open-faced sandwich showcases a crisp, golden-brown bread base, topped with a delectable filling of caramelized onions, melted Gruyère cheese, and a perfectly cooked fried or poached egg. The crowning glory of this dish is a luscious béchamel sauce, adding a creamy and velvety touch that elevates the entire experience. Dive into this delightful fusion of textures and flavors, where the sweet and savory notes of caramelized onions harmonize beautifully with the nutty and gooey Gruyère cheese, all while the runny egg yolk adds a burst of richness. This article presents a collection of carefully curated recipes that guide you through the process of crafting this exceptional dish, ensuring a successful culinary adventure. Choose from a traditional French Onion Croque Madame recipe that stays true to its classic roots, or embark on a unique culinary journey with variations such as the Croque Madame with Spinach and Mushrooms or the Croque Madame with Ham and Asparagus. Each recipe offers a detailed step-by-step guide, along with essential tips and tricks to ensure perfect execution. So, gather your ingredients, don your apron, and let's embark on a culinary adventure that will leave your taste buds craving for more.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CROQUE MADAME SANDWICH



Croque Madame Sandwich image

This is a great French-inspired sandwich you can find in any French restaurant. Once you try this, it will be hard to have "just" a ham and cheese sandwich again. Don't cheat and use Swiss cheese, this deserves the real thing!

Provided by C R Henning

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Sandwich Recipes

Time 40m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 13

4 tablespoons salted butter, softened, divided
1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 ounces grated Gruyere cheese
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 slices white bread, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 thin slices Black Forest ham
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, or to taste

Steps:

  • Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
  • Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and stir until slightly brown, about 3 minutes. Whisk in milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce heat immediately and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; heat until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Spread about 1 teaspoon butter on 2 pieces of bread. Spread 1 tablespoon cheese sauce on top and layer each with a ham slice. Spread 1 teaspoon butter on the remaining 2 pieces of bread, then spread Dijon mustard on top and sprinkle with remaining Gruyere. Transfer all 4 pieces to a baking sheet.
  • Broil in the preheated oven until cheese is almost melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, place toast slices together to make 2 sandwiches and pour remaining cheese sauce on top of each sandwich. Return to the broiler until sauce starts to brown, about 2 minutes.
  • While the sandwiches are broiling, heat remaining butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack 2 eggs into the skillet, keeping them completely separate from one another. Season with salt and pepper. Add water, cover, and baste until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes.
  • Top each sandwich with an egg and sprinkle with dill. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 639.1 calories, Carbohydrate 37.3 g, Cholesterol 293.6 mg, Fat 43.2 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 25.3 g, SaturatedFat 24.1 g, Sodium 1264.1 mg, Sugar 8.4 g

CROQUE MADAME



Croque Madame image

This recipe is a favorite in my family! I take a French class and I bring these little sandwiches to the French meeting. This typical French delectable is always on the menu in little French cafes.

Provided by Jennifer James

Categories     100+ Breakfast and Brunch Recipes     Eggs     Breakfast Sandwich Recipes

Time 15m

Yield 1

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 thick slices white bread
2 slices ham
1 egg

Steps:

  • Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the cheese once it is melted. Dip each slice of bread into the melted cheese, coating both sides.
  • Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place one slice of bread into the skillet and top with 2 slices of ham. Place the second piece of bread on top. Fry until golden on each side, then remove from the skillet and set aside.
  • Fry the egg in the hot skillet to your liking: easy, medium, or well done. Place the fried egg on top of the sandwich and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 888.8 calories, Carbohydrate 32.5 g, Cholesterol 361.4 mg, Fat 64.2 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 45.3 g, SaturatedFat 38.4 g, Sodium 1417 mg, Sugar 3.7 g

FRENCH ONION CROQUE MADAME



French Onion Croque Madame image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 26

3 tablespoons butter
3 large onions, very thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 cup veal or beef stock
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 round tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Drizzle acacia honey
1/4 cup good-quality olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 green endive, sliced
1 head frisee, pulled apart
1 head radicchio, thinly sliced
4 long, 1/2-inch-thick slices peasant bread
8 slices mild imported cooked ham or prosciutto cotto
2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
Butter
4 large eggs

Steps:

  • For the onions: Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and add the butter. Heat until the butter starts to foam, then add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and bay leaf, and cook to caramelize the onions, about 30 minutes.
  • Deglaze the onions with the sherry and then add the stock. Reduce until just a few spoonfuls of stock remain, then keep warm.
  • For the sauce: In saucepot, warm the milk. In another pan, melt the butter over medium to medium-high heat and whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the warm milk, bring to a bubble, and then season with salt, pepper and some nutmeg. Cook to thicken the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, then remove from the heat and stir in the mustard.
  • For the salad: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and honey, and then drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the endive, frisee and radicchio and toss to coat.
  • For the sandwiches: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and top each with some caramelized onions, 2 slices ham, some bechamel and cheese. Bake the sandwiches until brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan set over medium heat, add some butter and cook the eggs sunny-side up or over easy. Top the sandwiches with an egg and serve with some salad.

FRENCH TOAST CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE



French Toast Croque Madame Casserole image

No need to choose between sweet or savory for breakfast. This easy bake is a blend of French toast and that hearty, egg-topped grilled ham sandwich, the croque madame.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h10m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking pan
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 slices white bread, about 1/2 inch thick
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (about 3 1/2 cups)
14 thin slices Black Forest ham
Nonstick cooking spray, for the foil
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Warm maple syrup, for serving, optional
Seedless raspberry jam, for serving, optional

Steps:

  • Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan.
  • Whisk together the half-and-half, vanilla, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl.
  • Lay 7 slices of bread in a single layer on a cutting board. Sprinkle 2 heaping tablespoons Gruyere on top of each slice. Top each with 2 slices of ham, folding the ham as needed to fit. Place the remaining 7 slices bread on top to form 7 sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally. Dip both sides of each sandwich half into the custard mixture and transfer to the prepared baking pan, arranging in 2 long shingled rows. Pour any remaining custard over the sandwiches and sprinkle the remaining Gruyere on top.
  • Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray. Place the foil sprayed-side down on top of the baking pan, crimping the sides of the foil around the pan to seal. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly, about 10 minutes more. Switch the oven to broil and broil until the top is light golden brown, another 3 to 5 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Crack 3 eggs into the pan (it's okay if they run together) and lightly sprinkle with salt. Cook until the whites start to set, 1 to 2 minutes, then cover and continue cooking until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 3 eggs.
  • Divide the casserole among 6 plates, dust with confectioners' sugar, top with the maple syrup or jam if using and finish with a fried egg on top.

CROQUE MADAME



Croque Madame image

(A Monsieur, made better!)

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Time 20m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg, eyeball it
2 teaspoons Dijon style mustard
2 slices white bread
2 large eggs
4 slices deli ham
4 slices deli Swiss cheese
Chopped parsley leaves, chives or thyme leaves, for garnish - choose from any or all on hand

Steps:

  • Place a small sauce pot over medium low heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter in it. Whisk in a rounded tablespoon of flour and cook 1 minute or so. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble then drop heat to low. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Dijon. When sauce coats back of a spoon, turn off heat.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in each of 2 medium nonstick skillets, both over medium low heat. When butter melts add 2 large eggs to the first skillet, keeping the whites separate from each other. To the second skillet add 2 slices bread and toast lightly on first side then turn the bread. Top turned bread liberally with sauce and 2 slices of the ham and the Swiss cheese on each slice of bread. Use a spatula to transfer the eggs to the tops of the open faced sandwiches. Cover the pan with foil and turn off heat. Let pan stand 5 minutes to melt cheese and set sauce and eggs.
  • Top sandwiches with chopped herb or herbs of choice and serve. Spoon any leftover sauce over top of the eggs before garnishing.

CROQUE-MADAME



Croque-Madame image

This is a variation of Amanda Hesser's croque-monsieur, a ham and Gruyere sandwich topped with béchamel. Here, we invite you to pop a fried egg on top. Voila! A croque-madame (reportedly named such because the egg resembles a lady's wide-brimmed hat).

Provided by The New York Times

Categories     dinner, lunch, quick, sandwiches, main course

Time 20m

Yield 2 sandwiches

Number Of Ingredients 9

5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
2/3 cup milk
Sea salt
Freshly grated nutmeg
4 1/3-inch-thick slices country bread
4 thin slices French ham
2 thin slices Gruyere cheese
2 eggs

Steps:

  • Preheat a two-sided electric griddle on medium-high to high for about 20 minutes, or preheat the oven to 300 degrees and preheat a cast-iron skillet on top of the stove for about 5 minutes. Prepare a bechamel sauce: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. When bubbles have subsided, add flour and whisk vigorously for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, and cook until thick. Remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and nutmeg.
  • Spread two slices of bread generously with sauce. Lay two slices of ham on top of each, and top each with a slice of cheese; ham and cheese should slightly overlap edges of bread. Top each with a slice of bread.
  • In a small saucepan, melt remaining the 4 tablespoons butter. Brush the sandwiches on both sides with butter, making sure that the edges are well covered. If you're using a griddle, place cheese side down, close the griddle and cook until the bread is toasted dark and cheese is leaking out and bubbling. If you're using a skillet, place sandwiches cheese side down and cook on stove top until well browned, then turn and brown again. Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until heated through and cheese is bubbling. Meanwhile, fry the eggs in a skillet with little butter. Slide one fried egg onto each sandwich. Serve hot.

Tips:

  • Use a good quality bread: A sturdy, crusty bread will hold up well to the fillings and won't get soggy.
  • Don't be afraid to use plenty of butter: Butter is what gives croque madame its rich, decadent flavor. Be generous with it when you're greasing the pan and spreading it on the bread.
  • Cook the onions low and slow: This will allow them to caramelize and develop a deep, rich flavor.
  • Use a good quality cheese: The cheese is one of the most important ingredients in a croque madame, so don't skimp on it. Use a cheese that melts well and has a good flavor.
  • Don't overcook the eggs: The eggs should be cooked through, but they should still be soft and runny in the center.

Conclusion:

Croque madame is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With its combination of savory flavors and textures, it's sure to please everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a classic French dish to try, give croque madame a try. You won't be disappointed!

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