Indulge in a culinary journey that harmoniously blends the classic French toast with the iconic croque madame in a single, irresistible casserole dish. This delectable recipe combines the pillowy softness of French toast with melted Gruyère cheese, savory ham, and a rich béchamel sauce, creating a symphony of flavors in every bite. Discover the perfect balance of sweet and savory as you dive into this French toast croque madame casserole, an exceptional brunch or breakfast option that is sure to impress your family and friends. Along with the main casserole recipe, this article offers variations to cater to different dietary needs and preferences. Explore a vegetarian version that substitutes the ham with sautéed mushrooms, or satisfy your sweet cravings with the French toast casserole with berries, where fresh berries add a burst of flavor and color. If you're seeking a gluten-free option, we've got you covered with the almond flour French toast casserole, a delightful alternative that doesn't compromise on taste. These recipes are designed to tantalize your taste buds and make every brunch or breakfast a memorable occasion.
Let's cook with our recipes!
FRENCH TOAST CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE
Finding just the right balance of sweet and savory can be tricky, but we've totally mastered it here. Each bite achieves a perfect combo of French toast and a croque madame sandwich. This casserole doesn't need to soak so be sure to make and bake right after assembly.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 1h5m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9- by 13-inch flameproof baking dish.
- Lay 6 slices of the bread in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish (trim if needed). Sprinkle 2 heaping tablespoons of the gruyere on top of each slice. Then top each with 2 slices of the ham, folding the ham if needed to fit on top of the bread. Place the remaining 6 slices of bread on top of the of the ham to form 6 sandwiches. Sprinkle the remaining gruyere on top and on the sides of the sandwiches. Set aside.
- Whisk together 4 of the eggs, the half-and-half, cinnamon, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl. Pour on top of the sandwiches. Use your hands to lightly press the sandwiches down into the custard.
- Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray. Place the foil, sprayed-side down, on top of the baking dish, crimping the sides of the foil around the dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly, about 10 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and broil until the top is light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Allow the casserole to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Crack 3 eggs into the pan (it's ok if they stick together) and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the whites start to set, 2 to 3 minutes, and then cover and continue cooking until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 1 to 2 minutes. Place each on top of a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs.
- Use a metal spatula to remove a sandwich with egg from the casserole and place on a serving plate. Serve with warm maple syrup for drizzling.
CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE WITH HAM AND GRUYèRE
Feed a crowd with a baked casserole version of the classic French Croque Madame sandwich with smoky ham, melty cheese, creamy sauce, and gently cooked eggs.
Provided by Rhoda Boone
Categories Casserole/Gratin Breakfast Brunch Ham Cheese Egg New Year's Day Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Cheese Week
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Arrange racks in top and middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. If bread is not a day old or still feels moist, arrange slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake, flipping once, until dry to the touch but not toasted, 5-10 minutes. Using a 2" ring or cookie cutter or sharp paring knife, cut a hole in the center of 6 bread slices. Trim bread to fit in 2 even layers in a 13x9" baking dish, with the whole slices on the bottom and the slices with holes on the top, forming 6 sandwiches. Remove from dish.
- Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until butter foams then subsides (make sure it doesn't brown), and mixture is light gold and thickened, about 3 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, whisking, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 4-6 minutes. Reduce heat to very low. Whisk in nutmeg, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper into the Béchamel sauce. Whisk in 1 cup Gruyère a handful at a time, making sure cheese is melted before adding more. (Béchamel with cheese added is technically called a Mornay sauce.) You should have about 3 1/2 cups of sauce.
- Spread one-third of the Béchamel in the dish. Arrange 6 whole slices of bread in a single layer in dish. Spread Dijon evenly on bread. Top each with 2 slices of ham, folding to fit on bread if necessary.
- Spread another third of the Béchamel over ham. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup Gruyère. Place 6 bread slices with holes on top to form 6 sandwiches. Spread remaining Béchamel over sandwiches; sprinkle with 1 cup Gruyère (avoid holes to save room for eggs).
- Crack 1 egg into each hole. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Gruyère. Season with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
- Spray a large piece of foil with nonstick spray. Place foil, oiled side down, over baking dish, crimping to seal. Bake on middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 400°F, transfer dish to top rack, and bake until egg whites are just barely set and yolks are still runny (eggs will continue to cook slightly when removed from oven), 8-12 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
CROQUE-MONSIEUR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
This French classic needs little introduction, but if you haven't had it in baked form, you're in for a treat. Think upscale ham sandwiches drenched in egg custard and cheese, melted to a deep golden-brown. There are no tricks here, save for the addition of two extra yolks for maximum French-toast tenderness. Serve it warm, or at room temperature - a fitting breakfast feast that's welcome any time of the day.
Provided by Sarah Copeland
Categories breakfast, brunch, easy, casseroles, main course
Time 1h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oven to 325 degrees and generously butter a 9-by-13-inch (or 1 1/2- to 2-quart) baking pan. Butter the slices of bread on one side and spread a thin layer of mustard on the other side. Arrange, shingled, over the bottom of the pan, buttered side up; you may not need all the bread. Drape evenly with ham.
- Whisk together milk, half-and-half, egg, egg yolks and pepper. Pour evenly over the bread and ham. Sprinkle with Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses, allowing the ham to peek out in places. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (for the bread to sop up the milk) or up to overnight. Bake until the custard is set, and the bread and cheese are golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to set 20 minutes before scattering evenly with parsley. Scoop and serve warm or at room temperature, with mustard and cornichons.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 400, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 24 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 20 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 761 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams
CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE
This recipe is from Paula Dean, but I have changed a few things, more like added! My hubby's favorite dinner, but can't feed it to him often, would cause a coronary!
Provided by Tamara Minck
Categories Other Main Dishes
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 9 x 13 baking dish.
- 2. Melt 6tbl butter in large skillet over low heat until bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook until thick and bubbling, 3-5 min. Whisk in mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- 3. Pour a thin layer of the sauce into the prepared baking dish and cover with 6 slices of bread, then slices of meat and an even layer of grated cheese. Repeat the layers once more then pour sauce over to cover all. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into 6 equal pieces, leaving them in pan.
- 4. Working in 2 batches, melt 1tbl butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Crack 3 eggs into skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until whites are nearly set, about 3 min. Carefully flip the eggs and continue cooking until whites are completely set, about 1 min more. You're going to top each portion of casserole with a fried egg. Repeat with remaining 3 eggs and 1tbl butter. Top with reserved grated cheese and return to oven for a few minutes until cheese melts.
FRENCH TOAST CROQUE MADAME CASSEROLE
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
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.
EASY FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
Delicious and decadent, simple spin on French toast. Got the idea from a bed and breakfast in the south. Add additional ingredients; we like blueberries and cream cheese, cinnamon apples, nuts, and dried fruit!
Provided by Heather Bogle
Categories Main Dish Recipes Casserole Recipes
Time 8h50m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish.
- Stir 1 cup brown sugar and butter together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves into butter, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour into prepared baking dish and spread a 1 1/2- to 2-inch layer of bread pieces over the top.
- Beat milk, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; pour milk mixture over bread into the baking dish and move bread as necessary to ensure all bread is absorbing liquid. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Remove and discard plastic wrap from baking dish and sprinkle remaining brown sugar over the top of the bread mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 382.3 calories, Carbohydrate 48.1 g, Cholesterol 174.9 mg, Fat 17 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 10.2 g, SaturatedFat 9.4 g, Sodium 352.1 mg, Sugar 32.3 g
CROQUE-MADAME
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
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 for the casserole. A sturdy bread like French or sourdough will hold up well and won't get soggy.
- If you don't have a ham and cheese filling, you can use other ingredients like cooked bacon, sausage, or vegetables.
- Make sure the eggs and milk mixture is well-whisked before pouring it over the bread. This will help it to evenly coat the bread and prevent it from becoming dry.
- Bake the casserole until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown. This usually takes about 30-35 minutes.
- Serve the casserole immediately with your favorite toppings. Some popular toppings include maple syrup, fruit, or whipped cream.
Conclusion:
French toast croque madame casserole is a delicious and easy-to-make breakfast or brunch dish. It's perfect for a crowd, and it can be made ahead of time, which makes it a great option for busy mornings. With its combination of savory and sweet flavors, this casserole is sure to be a hit with everyone at the table.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love