Lighter Croque Madame
Estimated $3.73 recipe · $1.86 per serving (US / USD)
An open croque with lean ham, a thin cheese sauce and a baked egg on top.
The recipe
Lighter Croque Madame
An open croque with lean ham, a thin cheese sauce and a baked egg on top.
Ingredients
- 2 slices wholegrain bread
- 4 slices lean ham
- 60g grated gruyère
- 200ml milk
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp olive oil
Estimated recipe cost
$3.73 for 2 servings · $1.86 per serving
US grocery planning estimate in USD. Includes the amounts used from the listed ingredients, including pantry items. Prices and portion weights vary.
Ingredient-by-ingredient breakdown
| Ingredient & price basis | Cost used |
|---|---|
| 2 slices wholegrain breadPlanning assumption · $3.00 / 567 g · Assumes 35 g per item/portion | $0.37 |
| 4 slices lean hamPlanning assumption · $4.00 / 227 g · Assumes 25 g per item/portion | $1.76 |
| 60g grated gruyèrePlanning assumption · $4.00 / 227 g · Uses 60g | $1.06 |
| 200ml milkRetail benchmark · $2.68 / 3785 ml · Retail reference · Uses 200ml | $0.14 |
| 1 tbsp flourRetail benchmark · $1.97 / 2268 g · Retail reference · 1 tbsp ≈ 8g | $0.01 |
| 1 tsp Dijon mustardPlanning assumption · $3.00 / 300 g · 1 tsp ≈ 5g | $0.05 |
| 2 eggsRetail benchmark · $1.67 / 12 each · Retail reference · Count stated in recipe | $0.28 |
| 1 tsp olive oilRetail benchmark · $6.12 / 503 ml · Retail reference · 1 tsp ≈ 5ml | $0.06 |
| Estimated total | $3.73 |
Retail references are representative products, not quotes for every variety. Other prices are editorial planning assumptions. Checked 9 October 2026; these are not live prices.
Price bases and quantity assumptions refer to the original recipe. Unspecified quantities use the assumptions shown above. Listed optional ingredients are included. Unlisted sides, extra seasoning, tax, energy and delivery are excluded. Buying full packages will cost more.
Instructions
- Make a thin béchamel: whisk flour into warm milk, simmer 3 min, stir in mustard and half the cheese.
- Top each slice of bread with ham, the sauce and remaining cheese.
- Grill 4 min until golden.
- Fry the eggs and set one on each croque.
Recipe notes
Using milk-based béchamel instead of butter-heavy sauce trims the calories.
Estimated nutrition per serving
480 kcal · 32g protein. Values are estimates and vary with brands, substitutions and portions.
Recipe images may be AI-generated illustrations. Nutrition figures are estimates.