This Monte Cristo Sandwich recipe is stuffed with savory ham and melted cheese and then fried to golden brown perfection. Optionally dust with sweet powdered sugar and a side of raspberry jam for the full sweet and savory experience!
Why this recipe works
What is a Monte Cristo Sandwich? It’s a flavor blast of melty cheese and salty-savory ham sandwiched between two slices of hearty bread. You’ve likely seen it served with a dusting of powdered sugar and sweet-tart raspberry jam.
This sweet and savory sandwich is a cross between french toast and a ham and cheese slider that’s pan-fried to a golden brown. So all in all, it’s quite like a french toast sandwich with ham and cheese in the center and can be enjoyed for both breakfast and dinner alike.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
HAM – You can use chopped ham instead of slices if you like. We prefer to use thicker deli sliced ham over thin sliced as it adds more texture to the soft sandwich, but thin deli ham will also work well. Leftover ham from the holidays is great for this recipe. Feel free to substitute with turkey or chicken if desired!
CHEESE – Gruyere cheese is a yellow Swiss cheese that’s rich, creamy, and mild making it a great accompaniment to the ham. Try regular Swiss cheese, Provolone, and even Gouda if you aren’t keen on gruyere. Both slices or shredded will work. Other popular substitutions for gruyere are Jarlsberg and Emmental cheese.
BREAD – It’s best to use wide sliced bread. We used Pepperidge Farms Hearty White Bread but wheat bread will do the trick just as well. Thicker sliced bread will provide a much sturdier base for your fillings and will hold up better to the dredging of eggs.
MUSTARD – Optional, but truly adds a lovely touch of flavor. You can substitute with Dijon mustard if you would prefer.
How to Make Monte Cristo Sandwich
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- For each sandwich, spread mayo on one slice of bread and mustard on the other slice.
- Layer cheese and ham on the mayonnaise side of the bread.
EXPERT TIP – Chef Antoine suggests layering the cheese and ham in a way that there is cheese in between each slice of ham. This way when the cheese melts it holds everything together.
- Place mustard side of bread over the ham and cheese to close the sandwich.
- Whisk eggs in a shallow dish.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet, coating the bottom of the pan.
- Using gloved hands, place the sandwich in the whisked egg. Turn the entire sandwich over to coat both sides of the bread. Repeat for the second sandwich.
- Place both sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip sandwich to cook the other side, another 2-3 minutes.
EXPERT TIP – While cooking the sandwich, pressing down gently with a spatula can help brown the bread more evenly. - If you like, sift some powdered sugar over the sandwich and serve with raspberry jelly.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
I like to consider a Monte Cristo a brunch sandwich as it really fits into both the breakfast and lunch categories. It’s similar to french toast because it’s dipped in egg and fried, but the savory flavors of the ham and cheese lean more on the lunch side of things. There’s really no timeframe on when you should enjoy a Monte Cristo sandwich, it can be served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Monte Cristo sandwiches should be made with hearty, thicker sliced bread. That can range from anything between thick white bread, sourdough, and French bread. I like to stick to sturdy white bread as a good base because the flavors don’t overpower the star ingredients. I wouldn’t recommend thin sandwich white bread, you really should be looking for at least 1/2-inch thick slices to withstand the egg dredge and to hold together your ham and cheese filling without falling apart.
To reheat, you can place the sandwich back into a lightly buttered skillet. Give it a flip or two until everything is warmed through. You can also reheat it in the oven at 350F for a handful of minutes or opt for the reheat button on your air fryer.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your Monte Cristo sandwich with a generous dusting of powdered sugar and sweet raspberry jam on the side for dipping! Optionally drizzle with maple or flavored syrups to your liking. You can also layer your raspberry jam on the inside of the bread when assembling the sandwich, simply add a generous amount to the top slice of bread. Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
For sides, try sweet potato fries, hashbrowns, or fruit salad.
Ingredients
- 4 slices wide sliced white bread
- 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- 6 slices ham
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- powdered sugar optional as garnish
- raspberry jelly or jam optional for dipping
Things You’ll Need
- Skillet
- Fish turner or regular spatula
- Whisk
- Vinyl gloves
Before You Begin
- You can use chopped ham instead of slices if you like.
- To reheat, you can place the sandwich back into a lightly buttered skillet. Give it a flip or two until everything is warmed through. You can also reheat it in the oven at 350F for a handful of minutes or opt for the reheat button on your air fryer.
- It’s best to use wide/thick sliced bread. We used Pepperidge Farms Hearty White Bread but wheat bread will do the trick just as well. Thicker sliced bread will provide a much sturdier base for your fillings and will hold up better to the dredging of eggs. Aim for around 1/2 inch thick.
- Try regular Swiss cheese, Provolone, and even Gouda if you aren’t keen on gruyere. Both slices or shredded will work. Other popular substitutions for gruyere are Jarlsberg and Emmental cheese.
Instructions
- For each sandwich, spread mayo on one slice of bread and mustard on the other slice.
- Layer cheese and ham on the mayonnaise side of the bread.Chef Antoine suggests layering the cheese and ham in a way that there is cheese in between each slice of ham. This way when the cheese melts it holds everything together.
- Place mustard side of bread over the ham and cheese to close the sandwich.
- Whisk eggs in a shallow dish.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet, coating the bottom of the pan.
- Using gloved hands, place the sandwich in the whisked egg. Turn the entire sandwich over to coat both sides of the bread. Repeat for the second sandwich.
- Place both sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip sandwich to cook the other side, another 2-3 minutes.While cooking the sandwich, pressing down gently with a spatula can help brown the bread more evenly.
- If you like, sift some powdered sugar over the sandwich and serve with raspberry jelly.
