Monte Cristo Sandwich

April 29, 2020 by Beth Pierce 24 Comments

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR DETAILS. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

The delicious Monte Cristo Sandwich is made with ham, turkey and Swiss Cheese between two slices of white bread that has been dipped in egg batter and fried up golden brown in a skillet. It is almost like eating a grilled cheese with all the goodies sandwiched between French Toast. This is a very hearty meal by itself but sometimes I like to serve it with a simple garden salad with a honey mustard vinaigrette, Chickpea Salad or Summer Fruit Salad.

This delicious and easy sandwich is a family favorite. They take just a few minutes to make and they are so yummy. For a fun and tasty tradition serve them with a dusting of powdered sugar and strawberry or raspberry jam for dipping. Pick a good hearty white bread that would hold up well being made into french toast. Although you don’t want it too thick as the whole sandwich is going to be dipped in the egg mixture and put into the frying pan.

How do you make a Monte Cristo Sandwich?

Start by whisking your eggs and milk together. Next spread a little mayo on one slice of bread and a little mustard on the other slice of bread. Now place one piece of Swiss Cheese on each side of the bread. Then layer one side with ham and turkey. Bring the pieces of the bread together to form a full sandwich. Use a cutting board to gently compress the sandwich a bit.

Now melt a little butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Dip the sandwich in the egg batter being sure to get both sides of the sandwich wet. Add the sandwich to the hot skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides. Cover the pan with a loose piece of aluminum foil to make sure the cheese melts and any egg mixture cooks through.

Helpful tips for making a Monte Cristo Sandwich

Choose a good quality white bread that is not too thick nor too thin. For this sandwich I like to use Sara Lee Artesano Bakery Bread but any good quality white bread will suffice.
I like to use thin cut deli ham and turkey. The Boars Head brand is excellent but any good quality meat will work just fine.
If you don’t like Swiss Cheese replace with mozzarella, provolone, Muenster or Gruyere. As long as it melts well and you like the taste of it go for it.
Inevitably some egg batter will get on the rest of the sandwich when dunking it so be sure to cover the skillet after a few minutes with a loose piece of aluminum foil. This will help to assure that any egg batter that clung to the meat or cheese cooks through.
These sandwiches are best serve promptly. If making multiple sandwiches place the ones already made on an ovenproof plate and place in a warm oven while you finish cooking the others.
This is a large filling sandwich so it could easily feed four people.

Cheeses you can use on a Monte Cristo Sandwich

Traditionally Swiss Cheese is used on a Monte Cristo Sandwich but not everyone likes the unique flavor of Swiss Cheese including my son. You can use any cheese that melts well and tastes good with ham and turkey.

Mozzarella
Pepper Jack
American
Provolone
Muenster
Havarti
Fontina
Monterey Jack

This sandwich is delicious, dependable and incredibly easy. Put the ingredients on your shopping list today and make you and yours a fabulous recipe. They will be singing your praises!

More sandwiches you will love!

On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.