This Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe delivers on the gooey, savory perfection of grilled cheese and the sweetness of French Toast. Ready in 10 minutes from start to finish!
It was one of those mornings that I woke up just happy to be alive! The sun was beaming down and a cool summer breeze floated through the open windows.
My kitty was so happy to see me that I was smothered in purrs and furry headbutts for a full fifteen minutes. When I made coffee that morning, it smelled like a barista was working double time in a fancy café for my dose of caffeine. As soon as the grumbling in my tummy reminded me it was time for breakfast, I knew I had to prepare a special feast for such a magical morning.
Luckily, I didn’t even have to dig too deep in the pantry and fridge to make this Monte Cristo sandwich recipe. The ingredients are super common.
However, put those ingredients together and the taste is anything but common!
Consider this Monte Cristo sandwich a mashup of two great things. No, not The Beatles and Jay Z. That’s The Grey Album, silly!
This mashup is one part savory Croque Monsieur (a broiled or pan-fried ham and cheese sandwich), and one part sweet, decadent French toast.
Instead of using ham in my Monte Cristo sandwich, I used the sliced turkey that was already in the refrigerator that day. To my surprise, I actually preferred the taste of the turkey to the original protein. Mixed with creamy melted Gouda cheese and a bit of Dijon mustard and mayo, turkey just seemed more complimentary to the overall flavor.
After a dip in a couple of beaten eggs (that you’d normally associate with French toast), and a few minutes in a frying pan, I was ready to add the, arguably, most important ingredient of all!
Many times you’ll find Monte Cristo sandwich recipes calling for jam, preserves or powdered sugar to be added just before serving. However, my Quebecois roots demand an altogether more Canadian finishing ingredient.
Yep – you guessed it… maple syrup!
I find that real maple syrup adds a sweetness that doesn’t overpower or detract from the savory elements. Plus, since the bread on this Monte Cristo sandwich is prepared like French toast, syrup is totally a fitting topper.
Actually, I’ve tried this recipe with both maple syrup and honey, and they’re both great.
Your choice!
On that glorious summer morning I kept an eye on Ben, who sometimes isn’t the hugest fan of mixing savory with sweet, as he took his first bite. His ear-to-ear smile told me that this was a successful mixture indeed.
Full disclosure: he ate two sandwiches.
Therefore, this Monte Cristo sandwich is now in the steady rotation for our Saturday day-off brunches. We love it!
What about you… What’s your favorite food mashup? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Other simple, delicious sandwich recipes:
- Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe
- Healthy Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich
- Finger Sandwiches With Wasabi Mayo
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Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Sandwiches
- Cuisine: French
Description
This Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe delivers on the gooey, savory perfection of grilled cheese and the sweetness of French Toast. Ready in 10 minutes from start to finish!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- pinch salt and pepper
- 4 slices whole grain bread (thickness of regular sliced bread)
- 2 tablespoons creamy dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 6 slices turkey (or ham)
- 4 slices Gouda or Gruyere cheese
- additional salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Maple syrup (for topping)
Instructions
- Whisk eggs in a shallow dish big enough to fit the bread. Season with a little salt and pepper and set aside.
- Assemble sandwiches: evenly spread mustard, mayonnaise, turkey and cheese and close each sandwich.
- In a pan over medium high heat, add butter and extra virgin olive oil.
- Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture and add to the pan. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until sandwiches are golden brown and cheese has melted.
- Transfer to a plate, season with salt and pepper and serve topped with maple syrup or honey.
Notes
This Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe is:
High in calcium
High in vitamin B6
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 717
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1257.8 mg
- Fat: 47.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 18.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.1 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 39.5 g
- Cholesterol: 316.8 mg
Great recipe. Great combo of saeet and savory. I’ve cooked this at least a half-dozen times and it never disappoints. My hisband just said “This is better than what I’ve had in restaurants.” So, there you have it. It’s on the weekend morning rotation.
Hi Caroline,
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I love monte cristo sandwiches, but never had the guts to make them. I’ll definitely be trying this out!
Great blog, by the way. Keep up the great work!
Dennis
Thank you Dennis 🙂
This sounds like the type of morning that sweet dreams are made of! Where do I begin – this mashup is amazing! We love French Toast in our house and who doesn’t love grilled cheese (Croque Monsieur)!?!? Then you go and add Gouda cheese and maple syrup – you’re tugging on all my heartstrings! We’re heading up north to cottage country for the week and this will definitely be happening for breakfast. Love your post and great photos as always Caroline!
Thank you so much Liz, I appreciate all of your sweet comments! 🙂
It looks great ,but I do not believe that I could get it down for breakfast.