Open-Faced Croque Monsieur
with spinach and strawberry salad
Cheesy, bubbly croque monsieurs don't have to come from a French cafe. A version of this meal, last featured in 2016, shows how easy they are to make at home. Paired with a fresh spinach and strawberry salad, you'll feel like you're dining at the finest of cafes!
Ingredients
- Cheese, gruyere or swiss - 4 oz , sliced
- Bread, sandwich - 4 slices
- Butter - 1 Tbsp
- Flour, all-purpose - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Milk, any type - 1 cup
- Nutmeg - pinch
- Mustard, Dijon - 4 to 8 tsp
- Ham, black forest - 8 oz
- Vinegar, balsamic - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Mustard, Dijon - 1 tsp
- Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp
- Strawberries - 1 cup , quartered or sliced if large
- Baby spinach - 6 oz
Prep
-
Make dressing - Whisk together balsamic vinegar and mustard (portion for salad) in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with some salt and pepper (Can be done up to 5 days ahead.)
-
Cheese - Slice cheese if not pre-sliced. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
-
Strawberries - Prep as directed.
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Try for freeLearn More
Make
-
Heat oven to 400F / 204C. Place bread onto a sheet pan and toast on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes each.
-
Make bechamel sauce for croque monsieur - Melt butter in a small saucepan, heated over medium heat. Whisk flour into melted butter and cook for ~2 minutes.
-
Pour in milk, whisking constantly until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and add nutmeg. Season with some salt and pepper.
-
Spread mustard (portion for sandwiches) onto bread and then top with ham, gruyere, and bechamel (divide ingredients across slices of bread). Place onto a sheet pan and then broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese and bechamel are golden and bubbly.
-
Toss spinach and strawberries with dressing in a serving bowl.
-
Enjoy open-faced croque monsieurs with spinach salad on the side!
Reviews
Ratings
0 reviews