A Monte Cristo is a sandwich filled with meat and cheese and dipped in a savory egg wash and grilled until hot and the cheese is melted.
Sometimes, we need a meal that's quick and easy and tastes great. Bonus points if it's comfort food that reminds you of your childhood. For me, this elusive meal is the Monte Cristo Sandwich. This grilled sandwich is filled with meat and cheese, then dipped into a savory egg batter and grilled until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is hot and melty. My mom made it regularly when I was growing up, so now it's a little taste of my youth.
A Monte Cristo is basically a grilled ham and Swiss sandwich, but I find it equally delicious with roasted chicken or turkey breast and any number of cheeses. Swiss actually isn't my favorite, so I will typically opt for provolone, muenster or havarti - basically whatever I happen to have hanging around in the deli drawer of my fridge. What makes this different than your typical grilled sandwich is the egg coating. It's basically like a French toast batter, but without the sugar, vanilla or cinnamon. Instead, season with a little bit of salt and pepper. You can also choose to season your sandwich with mustard, but I find this sandwich pretty darn tasty without it too.
Monte Cristo Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- pinch salt
- pinch pepper
- 4 slices sandwich bread (use gluten free bread to make this recipe gluten free)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- 4 ounces mild white cheese (such as Havarti, Swiss, Muenster or Mozzarella), thinly sliced
- 4 ounces roast chicken, turkey or ham, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon butter
Instructions
- Whisk egg and milk together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a shallow dish, like a plate or pie dish. Set aside.
- Spread mustard on two of the slices of bread, if using. Place 1 slice of cheese on each slices of bread. Place 2 ounces of the meat on top of two of the slices of bread. Place the other slice of bread (with the cheese facing towards the meat) on top.
- Melt the butter in a 12" non-stick skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture. Place into the skillet and cover. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip sandwiches and cook, covered, until the other side is golden brown, 3-4 more minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.
Monte Cristo Nutrition Notes:
The nutrition information for a Monte Cristo will vary greatly depending on the ingredients used. The nutrition info above uses the following ingredients: commercial whole wheat bread, lean ham and muenster cheese. If you use white bread, you will get less fiber. A lower sodium cheese (like Swiss) will result in lower sodium. To cut back on fat, use a lower fat cheese (like reduced fat mozzarella) and roasted chicken or turkey.
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