The croque madame—the iconic, egg-topped riff on the croque monsieur—is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich smothered in a creamy béchamel and topped with an egg that sets this French sandwich apart from the eggless croque monsieur. 


How to Make a Croque Madame: Croque Madame Recipe

A croque madame is a hot sandwich served on buttered bread (typically *pain de mie*, a soft, white, rectangular sandwich loaf, or white country-style bread), with layers of  Gruyère cheese and thinly sliced ham, [covered in béchamel](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-wolfgang-pucks-bechamel-sauce-recipe) or Mornay sauce (a white sauce similar to béchamel but with cheese), and topped with a poached, sunnyside-up, or lightly fried egg. 

Croque madame gets its name from the shape of the egg that sits atop the sandwich, which resembles a wide-brimmed women’s hat. Croque madame is usually served as a close-faced sandwich, but it can also be made in the style of a tartine (a French term for an open-faced sandwich topped with spreadable ingredients). 


The croque madame and croque monsieur are two variations on a classic French bar snack, with one differentiating feature: the egg. A croque madame is topped with a sunnyside-up, poached or lightly fried egg, which adds an extra layer of richness to the cheesy sandwich.

The croque madame—the iconic, egg-topped riff on the croque monsieur—is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich smothered in a creamy béchamel and topped with an egg that sets this French sandwich apart from the eggless croque monsieur. 


A croque madame is a hot sandwich served on buttered bread (typically pain de mie, a soft, white, rectangular sandwich loaf, or white country-style bread), with layers of Gruyère cheese and thinly sliced ham, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-wolfgang-pucks-bechamel-sauce-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-wolfgang-pucks-bechamel-sauce-recipe","linkCopy":"covered in béchamel","category":null}'>covered in béchamel</a> or Mornay sauce (a white sauce similar to béchamel but with cheese), and topped with a poached, sunnyside-up, or lightly fried egg. Croque madame gets its name from the shape of the egg that sits atop the sandwich, which resembles a wide-brimmed women’s hat. Croque madame is usually served as a close-faced sandwich, but it can also be made in the style of a tartine (a French term for an open-faced sandwich topped with spreadable ingredients).

What Is a Croque Madame?

The croque madame and croque monsieur are two variations on a classic French bar snack, with one differentiating feature: the egg. A croque madame is topped with a sunnyside-up, poached or lightly fried egg, which adds an extra layer of richness to the cheesy sandwich.

What Is the Difference Between a Croque Madame and Croque Monsieur?

Croque Madame Recipe

The croque madame—the iconic, egg-topped riff on the croque monsieur—is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich smothered in a creamy béchamel and topped with an egg that sets this French sandwich apart from the eggless croque monsieur.