Oh hi. Hello. I made us an asparagus croque madame!
It’s worth every exclamation point. Trust me.
Adding green vegetables to a croque madame feels like a little victory lap for spring — and if you want to call it health food, I won’t stop you.
Perfect for a leisurely Sunday brunch for one, two, or a small group if you’re willing to share the fontina sauce.
Every time I see a croque monsieur or croque madame, I think of that cozy scene in It’s Complicated where Meryl Streep makes one for Steve Martin — it’s one of those food-movie moments that sticks with you. I’ve written about croque madame before, and somehow the paragraph about that scene keeps looping back into my life. No complaints here.
I wish I could eat it every single day.
The croque madame wins me over mainly because of the egg. I love eggs — they deserve the title of favorite food. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, everything improves with a perfectly cooked egg on top.
Piling a fried or poached egg onto a cheesy sandwich is basically my idea of heaven.
But this version is about roasted asparagus tucked into the sandwich with thin prosciutto and a silky fontina cheese sauce, finished with a generous swipe of Dijon and an egg on top.
Then we bake the whole sandwich until the cheese bubbles and browns in the best way possible.
Is your heart bursting yet?
Fun side note: I have a soft spot for that browned, bubbly cheese from childhood frozen mac and cheese dinners — the burnt bits always felt like a treat. That same love for caramelized cheese shows up when I broil these sandwiches to finish them.
Roasted asparagus is the obvious star here. Its texture and flavor pair perfectly with eggs, so slipping it into a croque madame felt completely natural. Plus, it’s a delicious way to add a little more vegetable to the meal.
Inside the sandwich you’ll find:
- Prosciutto instead of traditional thin deli ham — its delicate, salty slices are far more interesting and taste luxurious here.
- A thick, seeded sourdough to hold it all together.
- A creamy fontina cheese sauce, with grated gruyere folded in for nutty depth.
- Plenty of Dijon mustard smeared on the bread to cut through the richness.
The result is indulgent, decadent, and fully worth the time it takes to assemble. Serve it when you want something elevated and comforting.
Asparagus Croque Madame
Roasted Asparagus Croque Madame
2
sandwiches
20 mins
40 mins
1 hr
Ingredients
- 8 to 12 asparagus spears
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk (2% or whole works best)
- 2/3 cup freshly grated fontina cheese
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ cup freshly grated gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard, or more to taste
- 4 slices multigrain sourdough bread
- 6 slices prosciutto
- 2 eggs, fried or poached
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Place the asparagus on the sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes, until tender.
- While asparagus roasts, make the cheese sauce: melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk in flour and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux. Add milk and stir until slightly thickened, reduce heat to low and stir in fontina until melted. Whisk in salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- When asparagus is nearly done, arrange the bread slices on the sheet pan. Spread Dijon on 2 or all 4 slices if you like. Layer 3 slices of prosciutto on two slices of bread, top with roasted asparagus. On the other two bread slices, spoon on fontina sauce and sprinkle with gruyere. Close sandwiches.
- Spread more Dijon on the sandwich tops and drizzle with additional fontina sauce.
- Bake sandwiches 10–15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Meanwhile, fry or poach the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
- Optional: broil for the last minute to brown the cheese — watch carefully.
- Top each sandwich with any remaining asparagus and a fried or poached egg. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Did you make this recipe?
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