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!
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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.
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!
FAQ's
What is a Monte Cristo Sandwich?
Is the Monte Cristo sandwich the same as a French Croque Monsieur?
Where did the Monte Cristo sandwich originate?
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
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.
What To Serve With Monte Cristo Sandwiches
We ate our sandwiches for dinner so I served a simple green salad and some oven roasted potatoes on the side.
Be sure to use Dijon in your vinaigrette to keep this French-style.
Roasted asparagus is a great choice, too.
Fresh fruit also makes a simple side.
Tomato soup makes a great soup and sand special.
Like I said earlier, French fries go with anything and as far as I'm concerned so do potato chips.
Manservant loved this great recipe and if you love French toast and can imagine it layered with ham and cheese, I think you will, too.
As to when to serve this?
The Monte Cristo is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Because I say so!
Let me know your thoughts! And tell me what to serve with Monte Cristo sandwiches!
More Sandwiches You May Enjoy
Best Chopped Italian Sub or Salad
I'd love to hear if you make this recipe!
Please share a review or rate the recipe,
and be sure to tag me on social!
Recipe Card
PrintRecipe
Monte Cristo Sandwiches
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Description
A Monte Cristo sandwich has layers of ham, cheese, turkey and raspberry jam. It is dipped in a French toast custard and then fried in a skillet. Topped with powdered sugar and served with more raspberry jam for dunking. It is the best of sweet and savory. I chose to add some spice in the form of chipotles, but if you want the classic version, just leave them out.
Ingredients
8 slices of sourdough, challah, brioche or your favorite bread
4 T butter, softened
4 T mayonnaise
4 T Dijon Mustard
2 T chopped chipotle peppers in aodobo sauce
4 slices of Gruyere, Havarti or Swiss cheese (Can also grate enought to cover bread)
4 slices ham
8 slices turkey
Raspberry Jam
Butter and Canola oil for Skillet
Batter:
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 T milk
1 T sugar
½ t vanilla extract
Sprinkle of ground cinnamon (optional)
For Serving:
Powdered Sugar
Raspberry Jam
Maple Syrup
Instructions
Whisk mayonnaise, mustard and chipotle peppers together.
Place 4 slices of bread on a tray or cutting board. Lightly butter each slice of bread and then flip over. Spread the mayo mixture on top of each slice of bread. Top with cheese to cover and then a slice of ham and 2 slices of turkey. Top with more cheese.
Place the other 4 slices of bread on the cutting board and lightly spread softened butter on each slice. Flip over. Spread each slice of bread with raspberry jam. Place bread on top with raspberry jam on top of the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and place a weighted skillet on top of the sandwiches. You may have to move it around a few times. Leave for 3-5 minutes.
Whisk the egg batter together. Place 1 T oil and 2 T butter in a large skillet on medium-low heat. Dip the sandwich, including sides, into batter and place the sandwiches in pan. (Depending on the size of your skillet, you may have to do this 2 times.) Cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until sandwich is golden and cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with more jam! Eat immediately for the best experience!
Notes
See post for what to serve with monte cristo sandwiches.
Thanks Carlsbad Cravings for the inspiration!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I like the way you spiced the original up and gave it a modern twist.