Baked Croque Monsieur Casserole (Make-Ahead Brunch Recipe)

This baked croque monsieur casserole turns the traditional French sandwich right into a wealthy, tacky breakfast casserole with ham, Gruyère, custardy bread, and creamy béchamel. It’s a great make-ahead brunch recipe for holidays, weekends, or anytime you need the flavour of croque monsieur with out standing on the range.

Recipe Essentials

You may simply have lots of these baked croque monsieur casserole components already readily available. A full listing of components with measurements for this recipe is accessible within the printable recipe card beneath.

• Bread – I like to make use of sourdough, however you could possibly additionally use brioche or nation loaf. It’s finest for it to be a little bit stale (1-2 days previous) in order that it doesn’t turn out to be soggy instantly.
• Ham – Deli ham or leftover ham may also be used. Black forest is the choose for me if I’m grabbing deli ham. 

How to Make Baked Croque Monsieur Casserole (Step-by-Step)

You can have your new favourite breakfast casserole prepared very quickly following these easy steps.

1. Prepare oven and pan. Preheat the oven and grease or spray a baking dish. Place the cubed bread and ham into the baking dish, toss flippantly. Set apart.
2. Clean Leeks. Leeks require distinctive cleansing. Watch my fast video on tips on how to clear leeks.
3. Sauté leeks. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium warmth. Add the reduce leeks, sautéing till smooth. Evenly divide them over the bread and ham.
4. Combine eggs, half and half, mustard and seasonings. Melt remaining butter within the microwave. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the melted butter, eggs, half & half, Dijon mustard, Kosher salt and black pepper.
5. Pour custard over bread. Pour half of the custard combination over the bread, tossing and urgent down gently to get the custard to soak up into the bread. Pour the remaining over high and repeat the urgent and tossing. Add the shredded cheese, tossing once more so the cheese is evenly distributed.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake. Remove the foil and proceed to bake till the interior temperature reaches 160°F utilizing a digital thermometer. Remove and high with the grated parmesan cheese, returning to the oven below broil till the highest is golden brown and edges are crunchy. Allow the casserole to relaxation.
7. Make sauce. Meanwhile (whereas the casserole is baking), soften the remaining butter, whisking with the flour till it kinds a roux. Allow it to construct brown barely earlier than whisking within the milk. When the sauce has thickened and is clean, take away from the warmth and whisk within the nutmeg, remaining kosher salt and black pepper.
8. To serve, the sauce will be spooned over the entire casserole or served on the facet in a gravy boat. Sprinkle with chopped chives.

Overnight Instructions (Make-Ahead)

Whether I’ve the time to make this the night time earlier than is a game-time choice, however I do like having the choice and it comes with serval eventualities.

• Make the Casserole The Night Before to Soak– Many readers discover this one to be the winner and really love that the custard has extra time to soak into the bread. Prepare the casserole by step #4, then cowl and chill over night time. Give it a fast stir the subsequent morning and let is sit out whereas the oven preheats to take the nippiness off.
• Make the Béchamel The Night Before– The creamy sauce may also be made the night time earlier than, however will must be reheated and sure re-seasoned. Do not reheat it within the microwave, as a substitute put it in a saucepan over low warmth and add 1-2 tablespoons extra milk to skinny it out. Taste it and see it it wants extra salt, seemingly it is going to solely want a pinch.
• Cook The Casserole The Night Before– You may also put together and bake the casserole the night time earlier than after which reheat it the subsequent day. Prepare it by topping it with parmesan cheese, bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, checking the interior temperature will get to 165°F after which proceed with the broiler and parmesan cheese.

Make it a Meal

In a French bistro, a croque Monsieur sandwich would seemingly be accompanied by a easy arugula or spinach salad with a lightweight citrus French dressing, recent fruit or a steamed inexperienced veggie like asparagus or inexperienced beans.

However, you possibly can serve it with no matter you’d like! Sticking with breakfast favorites, you could possibly pair it with a recent berry smoothie, some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage and even some crispy residence fries.

More Delightful Brunch Bakes

They say that breakfast is crucial meal of the day- and I’s should agree! Here are a few of my breakfast favorites.

Baked Croque Monsieur Casserole Recipe

This Croque Monsieur Casserole layers ham, Gruyère, Dijon, and a silky béchamel for a make-ahead brunch bake with a golden, broiled high.

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Cook ModePrevent your display screen from going darkish

Servings: 12

• 5-6 cups sourdough, , brioche or nation loaf , 1-2 days previous and reduce into 2-inch cubes
• 1 ½ cups cubed ham*
• 10 tablespoons salted butter , divided
• 1 leek , whites solely, reduce into half moons
• 6 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt , divided
• 1 teaspoon floor black pepper , divided
• 3 cups Swiss or Gruyere cheese , grated and divided
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese , finely grated
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups complete milk
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon chives , chopped

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease or spray a 9×13 baking dish. Place the cubed 5-6 cups sourdough, , brioche or nation loaf and 1 ½ cups cubed ham* into the baking dish, toss flippantly. Set apart.

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saucepan over medium warmth. Add the reduce 1 leek, sautéing till smooth. Evenly divide them over the bread and ham.

• Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter within the microwave. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the 5 tablespoons of the melted butter, 6 eggs, 1 ¼ cups half-and-half, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of the Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper.

• Pour half of the custard combination over the bread, tossing and urgent down gently to get the custard to soak up into the bread. Pour the remaining over high and repeat the urgent and tossing. Add the shredded 3 cups Swiss or Gruyere cheese, tossing once more so the cheese is evenly distributed.

• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and proceed to bake for one more quarter-hour or till the interior temperature reaches 160°F utilizing a digital thermometer. Remove and high with the grated 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, returning to the oven below broil for 1-2 minutes till the highest is golden brown and edges are crunchy. Allow the casserole to relaxation for five minutes, bringing it as much as 165°F.

• Meanwhile (whereas the casserole is baking), soften the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, whisking with the 4 tablespoons flour till it kinds a roux. Allow it to construct brown barely earlier than whisking within the 2 cups complete milk. When the sauce has thickened and is clean, take away from the warmth and whisk within the 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, remaining 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt and 1 teaspoon floor black pepper.

• To serve, the sauce will be spooned over the entire casserole or served on the facet in a gravy boat. Sprinkle with chopped 1 tablespoon chives.

• If you have tried this casserole, come again and tell us the way it was within the feedback or star rankings.

*Deli ham or leftover ham may also be used. Black forest is the choose for me if I’m grabbing deli ham. 

Make Ahead Options: 

• Make the Casserole The Night Before to Soak– Many readers discover this one to be the winner and really love that the custard has extra time to soak into the bread. Prepare the casserole by step #4, then cowl and chill over night time. Give it a fast stir the subsequent morning and let is sit out whereas the oven preheats to take the nippiness off.
• Make the Béchamel The Night Before– The creamy sauce may also be made the night time earlier than, however will must be reheated and sure re-seasoned. Do not reheat it within the microwave, as a substitute put it in a saucepan over low warmth and add 1-2 tablespoons extra milk to skinny it out. Taste it and see it it wants extra salt, seemingly it is going to solely want a pinch.
• Cook The Casserole The Night Before– You may also put together and bake the casserole the night time earlier than after which reheat it the subsequent day. Prepare it by topping it with parmesan cheese, bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, checking the interior temperature will get to 165°F after which proceed with the broiler and parmesan cheese.

Leftovers: Leftovers will be coated and saved for as much as 5 days within the fridge. To reheat, do that in small items within the oven at 300°F till heat. Avoid the microwave, it is going to simply make it gummy. 
Freezing: This is a freezer pleasant casserole with out the béchamel sauce- make that recent while you serve it. See our directions for tips on how to freeze a casserole. 

Calories: 375 kcal, Carbohydrates: 13 g, Protein: 19 g, Fat: 28 g, Saturated Fat: 16 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g, Trans Fat: 0.4 g, Cholesterol: 165 mg, Sodium: 962 mg, Potassium: 192 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 1022 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 449 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Author: Jessica Formicola

Calories: 375

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: baked croque monsieur casserole, croque monsieur casserole recipe, gruyère casserole, ham and cheese breakfast casserole, in a single day croque monsieur casserole