What To Serve With Monte Cristo Sandwiches

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So now that you’ve made this monte cristo sandwich recipe, the question is what to serve with monte cristo sandwiches? Never heard of a Monte Cristo sandwich? This sweet and savory combo is easily assembled with deli meat from the deli counter of your favorite grocery store. Pick up some sliced salty ham or your favorite turkey, and you are well on your way to eating the entire sandwich! Keep reading and find out what to serve with Monte Cristo sandwiches because there is more to a sidedish than just French fries!

what to serve with monte cristo sandwiches with powdered sugar and jam

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It began with homemade raspberry preserves. And ended with this golden brown monte cristo sandwich.

Whenever I find a good deal on raspberries I alway try to put a few jars of jam in the refrigerator.

It was when spotting these beautiful red jars that Manservant said we should have Monte Cristo’s for dinner.

I’m really not sure where he ever ate a classic Monte Cristo sandwich, but hey…it sure sounded good to me.

what to serve with monte cristo sandwiches on white plate with jam

Why I Love This Monte Cristo Recipe

First, I must say it’s hard not to love a grilled cheese sandwich that has been layered with a slice of turkey or ham, dipped into egg batter and fried like French toast, then sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a side of raspberry jam.

Yes, that was a very long sentence but the famous Monte Cristo sandwich is so worth a long sentence.

And I guess it is very simple but that is why I love this ultimate hot sandwich recipe.

It’s just so good! And OK. I put an untraditional twist into this recipe to give it more of a Southwest feel, but that is up to you!

monte cristo sandwich recipe with jam and powdered sugar on white plate

FAQ’s

What is a Monte Cristo Sandwich?

To make it short, the traditional Monte Cristo sandwich is an egg dipped ham and cheese sandwich made with a spread of Dijon mustard and fried like French toast. Plus it is served with jam! And yes, there are lots of variations

Is the Monte Cristo sandwich the same as a French Croque Monsieur?

The Monte Cristo is an American variation of the Croque Monsieur French sandwich which is grilled and topped with a Bechamel sauce and the Monte Cristo is dipped in French toast batter and then grilled.

Where did the Monte Cristo sandwich originate?

The Monte Cristo sandwich began appearing on menus in the early 1900s, though it was the Blue Bayou restaurant in Disneyland where its popularity began in the 1960’s.

Ingredients for the Monte Cristo Sandwich

Type of Bread: I prefer brioche bread but many like sourdough and if you prefer a more dense sandwich then choose a denser bread. Brioche or challah makes for a softer texture.

Unsalted Butter

Mayonnaise

Dijon Mustard (though this spicy sweet mustard would be awesome, too!)

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce

Shredded Cheese or slices of Gruyere cheese, Havarti or Swiss cheese: (You will see I tried to shred the Havarti but it was too soft, and so I sliced some, also.

Deli Slices of Ham: I used Black Forest Ham

Turkey: Optional, but I prefer it over ham or use a slice of both. Maple Glazed is my fave but I used oven roasted from Trader Joe’s.

Oil – Canola

Egg Mixture:

Eggs

Milk: Whole Milk or Half and Half

Sugar

Vanilla Extract and cinnamon (optional)

For Serving:

Confectioners Sugar

Maple Syrup (Optional) I prefer jam but maple syrup would also be the bomb!

Raspberry Jam or Strawberry Preserves

what to serve with monte cristo sandwiches on white plate with raspberry jam and powdered sugar

How To Make the Best Monte Cristo

Whisk together the mayo, mustard and chipotles. If you are a lightweight, skip the chipotles!

Many people make this as a three layer sandwich, but I made this as a regular sandwich.

Place bottom slices of bread on the counter or cutting board and spread soft butter on one side.

Flip over and spread with the mayonnaise mixture.

Top with shredded cheese, followed by 2 slices of ham or 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of turkey.

Spread the other slice of bread with mayo mixture and raspberry jam and place jam side down on the sandwich.

Lightly butter the top slice of the bread and cover the sandwiches lightly with a layer of plastic wrap.

Use a heavy frying pan, such as a cast iron skillet and weight the sandwiches for about 5 minutes while preparing the egg custard. However if you are using a sturdier bread let sit longer. For brioche probably three minutes will do! (Not even!)

Make the egg custard by whisking together the eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla extract in a shallow dish that will hold the assembled sandwich.

In the cast iron skillet or nonstick pan, heat the vegetable oil and butter over medium-low heat.

Pro Tip: If the heat is too high the bread will brown too fast and the cheese inside won’t melt. Take your time!

Dip the sandwiches into the batter and make sure to get the sides of the sandwich too.

Place the sandwich into the frying pan and cook about 4 minutes on each side or until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.

If they aren’t cooking fast enough cover the skillet with a thin sheet of aluminum foil so that it holds the heat in.

Remove from skillet and dust with powdered sugar and serve with extra fruit preserves for dunking.