Croque monsieur in the Air Fryer
Classic croque monsieur just like in the Parisian cafés: crisp, butter-toasted sandwich bread with ham and Gruyère, topped with a thick béchamel and gratinéed cheese. In the air fryer, the bread turns golden and the cheese starts bubbling in just a few minutes.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Small pot
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Turner
- 1 Parchment paper (for air fryer)
Ingredients
- 8 slices white sandwich bread E.g. toasting bread or pain de mie
30 g butter Softened – for the outside of the bread
1 tbsp Dijon mustard- 200 g cooked ham Thinly sliced
- 100 g Gruyère Grated – for the filling
Béchamel
- 35 g butter
35 g plain flour
3 dl whole milk
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper Freshly ground
1 pinch nutmeg Freshly grated
Topping
- 75 g Gruyère Grated
Instructions
Béchamel
- Melt 35 g butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in 35 g plain flour and cook the mixture for 1 minute, stirring, without letting it take on any colour.
- Pour in 3 dl whole milk a little at a time, whisking all the while, so the sauce turns out smooth and free of lumps.
- Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly, until it is thick enough to stay put on a spoon. Season with 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch pepper and 1 pinch nutmeg.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and let the béchamel cool for about 5 minutes while you assemble the sandwiches. It thickens further as it cools, so it does not run down the bread in the air fryer.
Preparation
- Butter one side of 8 slices white sandwich bread with 30 g butter. The buttered side should face outwards on the finished sandwich.
- Place 4 of the slices buttered side down on a chopping board and spread 1 tbsp Dijon mustard thinly over the top. Arrange 200 g cooked ham and 100 g Gruyère on top.
- Place the remaining 4 slices on top, buttered side up, and press the sandwiches together lightly with the palm of your hand so the top slice sits firmly in place.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Place the sandwiches in the basket on a piece of air fryer baking paper in a single layer – most air fryers have room for two at a time. Bake them for 4 minutes at 180 °C.
- Turn the sandwiches over with a spatula and bake them for 3 more minutes at 180 °C, until the bread is golden and crisp on both sides.
- Spread the béchamel in a thick layer over the top of the sandwiches, right out to the edges, and sprinkle 75 g Gruyère on top.
- Bake for a further 5 minutes at 180 °C, until the cheese has melted, is bubbling and has golden spots.
- Repeat with the remaining sandwiches if your air fryer only has room for two at a time.
Serving
- Let the sandwiches rest for 1-2 minutes so the béchamel sets, before you lift them out with the spatula. Serve the croque monsieur hot, ideally cut in half diagonally.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
The béchamel needs to be thick – so thick that it stays put on a spoon. If it is too thin, it runs down into the basket instead of staying on the bread and turning golden. Press the sandwiches together lightly before they go into the basket, so the fan in the air fryer doesn't lift the top slice. Variation:
Gruyère can be replaced with Comté or Emmental. Croque monsieur is made without egg – if you put a fried egg on top, the dish becomes a croque madame. Serving:
Serve croque monsieur as they do in the Parisian cafés, with a green salad tossed in vinaigrette and a few cornichons on the side. Portion size:
The recipe makes 4 croque monsieurs, one per person. If your air fryer can't fit all four in a single layer, make the dish in two batches.
The béchamel needs to be thick – so thick that it stays put on a spoon. If it is too thin, it runs down into the basket instead of staying on the bread and turning golden. Press the sandwiches together lightly before they go into the basket, so the fan in the air fryer doesn't lift the top slice. Variation:
Gruyère can be replaced with Comté or Emmental. Croque monsieur is made without egg – if you put a fried egg on top, the dish becomes a croque madame. Serving:
Serve croque monsieur as they do in the Parisian cafés, with a green salad tossed in vinaigrette and a few cornichons on the side. Portion size:
The recipe makes 4 croque monsieurs, one per person. If your air fryer can't fit all four in a single layer, make the dish in two batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 31gFat: 34gSaturated fat: 19gPolyunsaturated fat: 2gMonounsaturated fat: 10gTrans fat: 1gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 1210mgPotassium: 380mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 950IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 600mgIron: 2.6mgNet carbohydrates: 37g
