The Best-Ever Monte Cristo Sandwich with Mornay

Powdered sugar being sprinkled over the tops of a Monte Cristo sandwich that has been cut in half and placed on top of each other.

The Best-Ever Monte Cristo Sandwich with Mornay

Course: Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 35

Servings: people

Calories: 512kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

This Classic Monte Cristo Sandwich with Mornay is a sandwich you'll want to prepare time and time again. Of course, you can use ham and turkey from your deli, and it will be delicious. But leftover ham and/or turkey is amazing. And don't forget to make the homemade Mornay sauce...it's easy and so good!

Print Recipe

Equipment

A skillet (preferably non-stick), large enough to hold at least 1 sandwich.

Ingredients

6 slices bread thickly sliced, white or sourdough are excellent
4 slices ham thick-cut, or 8 thin slices
4 slices roasted turkey thick-cut, or 8 thin slices
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cups Gruyere cheese shredded
4 eggs
¼ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoon unsalted butter plus more, if needed
Powder sugar for dusting
1 cup Mornay sauce for serving, optional
fruit jam for serving, optional

Instructions

There will be 2 slices of bread for each sandwich. Place all 4 on a cutting board.
6 slices bread
Heat the ham and turkey in a large skillet until warmed through.
4 slices ham, 4 slices roasted turkey
Mix the mayonnaise and Dijon in a small bowl. Use a butter knife to smear the mayo/mustard mixture onto the top-facing side of each slice of bread.
¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For both sandwiches, follow these steps. Add ½ cup of cheese on top of the mayo/mustard mixture. Add a layer of ham, then turkey, and then another ½ cup on top. Place the other slice on top of the cheese, mayo/mixture facing down.
2 cups Gruyere cheese
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. Gently mix until the eggs are just beaten.
4 eggs, ¼ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the sandwich in the egg mixture, let sit for a couple of minutes, and press with your hands. Then, flip the sandwich, and let it sit, soak up the egg mixture, and apply a little pressure to compact.
Melt the butter in a skillet (preferably non-stick) large enough to hold 1 of the sandwiches.
4 tablespoon unsalted butter
Gently remove the sandwich from the egg mixture, allowing excess egg to fall off. Carefully add the sandwich to the melted butter and cook until browned on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the sandwich with the help of a couple of spatulas and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar. Serve with preserves and Mornay sauce.
Powder sugar, 1 cup Mornay sauce, fruit jam

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video near the top of the recipe for visual guidance.

We heat the turkey and ham prior to cooking the sandwiches in order to help make sure the cheese melts and gets nice and gooey. This can also be done in the oven or even the microwave. Cold turkey and ham will make it harder for the cheese to melt simply from the heat of the skillet.

Be sure to cook the sandwich on medium-low heat. This will prevent the bread from browning quickly and will allow the heat to penetrate into the sandwich.

We shred our Gruyere with the shredding attachment of our food processor, or just throw it in and pulse until crumbled. A box grater works just fine, too.

Swiss cheese can be used in place of the Gruyere and still be delicious.

The Mornay is best served right off the stove. If making ahead of time, reheat with a few more splashes of milk or cream until the desired consistency is reached.

Nutrition