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Croque Madame Casserole is a simplified version of the French bistro favorite that is ideal when serving a crowd but just as good for a small informal affair at home for two with delicious leftovers.
Today is a special day. It’s not just Good Friday but it is also my and Derek’s 16th wedding anniversary! We were married Easter weekend so every now and then our anniversary will coincide with the holiday weekend.
The last time we celebrated our anniversary on Good Friday it was our 5th anniversary. We were in Hartford, Connecticut at the tail end of a week-long New England getaway. This year, of course, is different. No getaway or even a special restaurant evening is on the itinerary. We will be celebrating the day together and that’s what’s important probably with a quiet take out dinner in and watching a favorite movie.
Today I’m sharing with you a casserole recipe that is inspired by one of my and Derek’s favorite French recipes, Croque Madame. Croque Madame is often found in many French cafés and brasseries in Paris. It’s very easy to make since it’s basically a grilled ham and cheese.
What makes this sandwich more special than your typical grilled ham and cheese sandwich is the addition of a béchamel sauce. To make things even more decadent the sandwich is completed by adding a fried egg on top. If you prefer it without an egg, then you want a Croque Monsieur.
The casserole version is even easier to make especially for a crowd. I thought this would be an excellent dish for this weekend in case you’re looking for ideas for Easter brunch. It also makes fantastic use of Easter ham leftovers.
I hope you enjoy this Croque Madame Casserole as much as we do! It pairs well with roasted asparagus for dinner and fresh fruit salad for brunch.
If you know of anyone who would love this casserole, please share this post with all your friends and family. Just click on the social media icons below! Have a wonderful holiday weekend, stay safe, and enjoy!
Croque Madame Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole
- 12 eggs
- 1 French Baguette cubed
- 1 lb ham cubed
- 1 cup Swiss cheese shredded
- 4 cups milk
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- salt and pepper
Béchamel Sauce
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 cups milk
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Casserole
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and dry mustard together.
- Stir in the French bread, ham, and Swiss cheese.
- Pour the mixture into a buttered 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, or you could refrigerate it overnight.
- Bake the casserole in a 350° oven for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean after being inserted in the middle of the casserole.
Béchamel Sauce
- In a small saucepot, I melt butter on medium-low heat.
- Whisk in the flour and let it cook for about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk and let the sauce come to a bubble. Reduce the heat to low and add the nutmeg, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat.
I made 4 pans of this recipe yesterday, for a women’s luncheon at our church. We assembled it the day before. It turned out great!! It baked up so fluffy. The texture and flavor were fantastic!. I followed the recipe exactly, except for the cheese. We already had some Smoked Provolone we needed to use up, so we used that.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Smoked provolone sounds like a yummy swap!