A Monte Cristo Sandwich is a sacred fusion of ham, cheese, and mustard, sandwiched with French toast in place of sliced bread and doused in maple syrup. They are inexpensive to prepare and can be on the table in just 30 minutes.
Monte Christo. Sounds kind of fancy, doesn’t it? Don’t let the fancy name fool you. This any-time-of-the-day sandwich treat is a leftover ham and cheese sandwich that clashes with grilled cheese, but with French toast masquerading as sliced bread.
It might seem whimsical, this collision of sweet and savory, but the unusual combination of eggs, ham, cheese, mustard, custard bread, and maple syrup or jam is wonderful for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any other time your curiosity strikes awakens It.
This recipe substitutes hearty English muffins for spongy white sandwich bread. Clever.
Why our testers loved this
There’s a whole host of reasons why our recipe testers devoured these classic french sandwiches. They loved that it could be like this is served with every meal of the day and particularly loved the creamy texture of the custard-soaked English muffins.
Victoria F. encourages everyone to do so “Try it – you won’t regret it!”
Notes on ingredients
- eggs and cream– The cream custard coats the English muffins and provides a creamy center and a crunchy outside, similar to French toast.
- english muffins– The open structure makes it perfect for these sandwiches as the custard has lots of nooks and crannies to nestle into. You can also substitute regular, thick-sliced sandwich bread if you like.
- Gruyere cheese–The nutty taste of Gruyère goes well with sweet jam and salty ham. We highly recommend Gruyère, but feel free to substitute another Swiss/Alpine cheese.
- Ham–You can use thinly sliced deli ham or leftover baked ham.
- jam or syrup–Redcurrant jelly is the classic, but we also love it with raspberry jam.
How to make this recipe
- Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and sugar. Soak the English muffin halves in the custard for 10 minutes.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Top a soaked English muffin half with a slice of cheese, some ham and a dash of mustard. Top with the other English muffin half.
- Prepare the Monte Cristo sandwiches. Fry the sandwiches in butter in a skillet until browned on one side. Flip and place in a 350°F oven to finish cooking.
- Surcharge, garnished with jam or syrup.
What is the best jam for a Monte Cristo?
The classic is a sweet and sour currant jelly, but raspberry jam is also a fantastic option.
What is the difference between a Croque Monsieur and a Monte Cristo?
Here’s the difference: A croque monsieur is a sandwich filled with ham, cheese, and béchamel sauce, then buttered and grilled. Some bistros top the sandwich with more béchamel and cheese and grill it until bubbly and golden brown.
A Monte Cristo is a ham (or turkey) and cheese sandwich that is dipped in batter, deep fried or pan fried, then dusted with powdered sugar and sometimes drizzled with jam.
Are you fascinated by both? Check out David’s croque monsieur casserole.
Helpful tips
- Do not overfill the pan when making the sandwiches. Prepare them in batches or use a second pan if needed.
- These easy Monte Cristo sandwiches are a great way to use up leftover ham.
- Leftover sandwiches can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To reheat, place the foil-wrapped sandwich in a 200°C oven until heated through.
More great sandwich recipes
☞ When preparing this recipe or any other dish on LC, consider a reviewA Rating in starsand your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Monte Cristo Sandwich
The Monte Cristo sandwich may sound fancy, but it’s actually nothing more than the collision of a ham and cheese sandwich and French toast. Nothing special. But definitely delicious.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and sugar. Place the English muffin halves, cut-side up, in a single layer in a casserole dish or roasting pan. Pour the egg mixture evenly on top and let the muffins soak until saturated, about 10 minutes. Turn the muffins over once.
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Using a fork or tongs, lift one muffin half out of the batter, allowing the excess liquid to drip back into the bowl, and place cut-side down on a plate. Place a slice of cheese on top of the muffin, followed by 1 or 2 slices of ham. Top with a touch of mustard. Sandwich with another English muffin half, cut side up. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
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In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat until melted. Tilt the pan to evenly coat the surface with butter. Carefully arrange the assembled sandwiches in the pan and cook until the bottom is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. (It may be necessary to prepare the sandwiches in batches to avoid overcrowding. Add more butter to the pan between batches if needed.)
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Turn the sandwiches over with a wide spatula. Place pan in oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 10 minutes, turning sandwiches halfway through.
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Serve immediately. Don’t forget to spread jam, maple syrup and/or powdered sugar around the table.
- Avoid overcrowding –Do not overfill the pan when making the sandwiches. Prepare them in batches or use a second pan if needed.
- Use up the rest of the ham –These easy Monte Cristo sandwiches are a great way to use up leftover ham.
- Storage and warm-up–Leftover Monte Cristo sandwiches can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To reheat, place the foil-wrapped sandwich in a 200°C oven until heated through.
Portion: 1sandwichCalories: 338kcal (17%)Carbohydrates: 28G (9%)Protein: 12G (24%)Fat: 20G (31%)Saturated Fatty Acids: 11G (69%)Polyunsaturated fat: 2GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 6Gtrans fats: 0.1GCholesterol: 229mg (76%)Sodium: 945mg (41%)Potassium: 176mg (5%)Fiber: 2G (8th%)Sugar: 1G (1%)Vitamin A: 804IU (16%)Vitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 89mg (9%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
When you make this recipe, take a picture and tag it with a hashtag #LeitesCulinaria. We would love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook and others Twitter.
Recipe tester reviews
When you make this recipe, take a picture and tag it with a hashtag #LeitesCulinaria. We would love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook and others Twitter.
