5 from 4 reviews

The Monte Cristo Sandwich is one of my favorite, decadent, on a cheat day sandwiches. It is not simply a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Although it's simple to make, the delicious combination of flavors of a Monte Cristo make it anything but simple. Eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Monte Cristo Sandwich with Pumpkin Honey Mustard & Strawberry Jam. Spoonabilities.com — *Recipe post may have affiliate links; read our* *disclosure policy*. *Photographs ©Carlos Leo, Spoonabilities*

Hello Friends. Some say a Monte Cristo sandwich is simply a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. But hold on! Although so easy and quick to make, the deliciousness, texture, gooey melted cheese, and flavors of a Monte Cristo make it anything but simple. The entire sandwich is dipped in egg batter and grilled until golden and crispy in a skillet (just like French toast).

What is a Monte Cristo Sandwich?

There are many variations of the Monte Cristo sandwich. Some add turkey, and others call for dipping the entire sandwich in a pancake-like batter and then deep frying it. The Blue Bayou and Café Orleans restaurants in Disneyland’s “New Orleans Square” began serving the Monte Cristo in 1966, and are famous for their deep fried version. The traditional Monte Cristo is made with white bread, ham, and Swiss cheese. You can use a deli ham (or turkey), but our favorite way of making the sandwich is with left-over holiday ham. Check out this video showing how to make Disney’s famous deep fried Monte Cristo.

Gruyere Cheese is our Monte Cristo Sandwich Preference

Although the traditional Monte Cristo is made with Swiss cheese, in our recipe we use Gruyere cheese instead of Swiss cheese. Gruyere is just so much creamier than Swiss and it melts like butter.

Speaking of Gruyere… the Monte Cristo sandwich is believed to be a descendant of the Croque Monsieur, a classic French sandwich which was first served in Parisian cafés in the early 1900s. The Croque Monsieur consists of Gruyere cheese and lean ham sandwiched between two slices of white bread, usually without the crust, and then grilled with clarified butter in an iron pan. Another side note, a Croque Madame is the same sandwich with a fried egg on top.

two slices of Monte Cristo sandwiches stacked on top of each other with cheese dripping out the side. Spoonabilities

Assembling and Frying your Monte Cristo Sandwich

Let’s get back to our Monte Cristo sandwich. To assemble the Monte Cristo, first spread mayonnaise and mustard over each slice of bread. Our tried-and-true amazing recipe uses a spread of Pumpkin Honey Mustard. Then layer on ham and shredded cheese. Once you assemble the sandwich, dip and coat it in beaten egg and then fry it in butter until it’s golden brown. Don’t you just love how that sounds already?

The classic way to serve a Monte Cristo sandwich is with a side of jam or jelly for dipping. We recommend a heaping portion of Strawberry Jam for dipping. The entire combo of the gourmet mustard and jam flavors is amazing.

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four slices of Monte Cristo sandwiches stacked on top of each other with strawberry jam dripping down the side. Spoonabilities

You’re going to love this Monte Cristo Sandwich with Pumpkin Honey Mustard drizzled with Strawberry Jam for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and even dessert. For breakfast, try it sprinkled with powdered sugar, fresh fruit, and a café au lait (coffee with milk). It is such an easy, satisfying and delicious sandwich for any meal. Plus, it’s the perfect way to use leftover holiday ham, and open jars of mustard and jam, keeping with our motto of "no jars left behind."

Monte Cristo Sandwich with Pumpkin Honey Mustard & Strawberry Jam @ Spoonabilities

As the late James Beard, an American cook, cookbook author, teacher and television personality famously said, “Too few people understand a really good sandwich.” We certainly hope we do. If you plan to make this recipe, please let us know in the comments below. Do you make a Monte Cristo sandwich another way you like better? We'd like to hear about it.

Bon appetit!

Carlos Leo
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