Monte Cristo Sandwich

This delicious Monte Cristo Sandwich combines sweet and savory, with ham, turkey and Swiss cheese sandwiched with a touch of dijon, battered and cooked until crispy. Serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of raspberry jam. Courtesy of Lauren Allen

View the print-ready version of this recipe.

Why I Love This Sandwich

• Quick—The best Monte Cristo sandwich only takes 20 minutes and you can prep the sandwiches and batter ahead of time.
• Elevated—We all love a comforting ham and cheese sandwich, but this takes it to the next level! Originally inspired by the Croque Monsieur, this sandwich will be your new favorite!
• Any meal of the day—Perfect for brunch, a quick lunch or dinner the whole family will enjoy!

How to Make a Monte Cristo

Assemble Sandwiches: Lay two slices of bread side by side. Spread with a thin layer of Dijon mustard. Top with turkey, Swiss cheese, ham, and second bread slice. Secure toothpicks at an angle on opposite corners to keep the bread slices together.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Make Batter: Add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to a mixing bowl and stir together. Whisk in eggs and milk until smooth. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Dip Sandwiches: Use tongs to dip each sandwich into the batter, flipping to coat on both sides. Lift up and allow excess batter to drip off and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Cook: Once oil in pan is hot, add one sandwich at a time, cooking for about 3 minutes (reduce heat if it starts to brown too much on the bottom) until golden and crisp. Flip and cook on the other side until golden. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Serve: Cut into halves or quarters before serving, and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy with a side of raspberry jam.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: The batter can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.

To Freeze: Monte Cristo sandwiches are best served fresh, but they can be frozen after cooking. Let cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator, then fry with a little bit of butter in a pan on the stove until crispy. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with jam.

Recipe Variations

• Bread: Try it with sourdough or whole grain would work as well.
• Cheese: Gruyere, Gouda, emmental would all be delicious.
• Baked Monte Cristo: batter and place on a lined and greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes, until golden, then flip and repeat on the other side.
• Traditional French Version: Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame. The first true Monte Cristo sandwich is really a Croque Monsieur. In 1966 Disney made this version and served it at the Blue Bayou restaurant.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Batter

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil , for frying

Sandwiches

• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 8 slices white bread , challah or brioche
• 8 slices ham
• 8 slices turkey
• 8 slices Swiss cheese

Topping

• powdered sugar , as needed
• Raspberry or blackberry jam

Instructions

1. Assemble Sandwiches: Lay two slices of bread side by side. Spread with very thin layer of Dijon mustard. Top with turkey, Swiss cheese, ham, and second bread slice.
2. Secure with Toothpicks on two opposite corners, from the top, at an angle, to help keep the sandwich together while battering.
3. Make Batter: Add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to a mixing bowl and stir together. Whisk in eggs and milk until smooth.
4. Heat Oil: Add oil to a skillet over medium heat.
5. Dip Sandwiches: Use tongs to dip each sandwich into the batter, flipping to coat on both sides. Lift up and allow excess batter to drip off and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
6. Cook: Once oil in pan is hot, add one sandwich at a time, cooking for about 3 minutes (reduce heat if it starts to brown too much on the bottom) until golden and crisp. Flip and cook on the other side until golden. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
7. Serve: Cut into halves or quarters before serving, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with a side of raspberry jam.

Notes

Bread: I like Sara Lee’s Artesano Bread, but sourdough or whole grain would also work well.

Cheese: Gruyere, Gouda, emmental would all be delicious.

Jam: Homemade Raspberry or Blackberry would be best, or store bought.

Baked Monte Cristo: batter and place on a lined and greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes, until golden, then flip and repeat on the other side.

Traditional French Version: Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame. The first true Monte Cristo sandwich is really a Croque Monsieur. In 1966 Disney made this version and served it at the Blue Bayou restaurant.

Make Ahead Instructions: The batter can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.

Freezing Instructions: Monte Cristo sandwiches are best served fresh, but they can be frozen after cooking. Let cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator, then fry with a little bit of butter in a pan on the stove until crispy. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with jam.

Nutrition

Calories: 581kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 174mg, Sodium: 1386mg, Potassium: 533mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 467 IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 531mg, Iron: 4mg

This article was originally published on tastesbetterfromscratch.com. Follow on Instagram.

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