Croque Monsieur Sliders are a French-inspired twist on the classic ham and cheese sandwich, layered with creamy béchamel, savory ham, and nutty Gruyère, baked until bubbly and golden. Perfect for brunch, game day, or a Parisian-style dinner party.
When I was in Paris, my favorite thing to order in little bistros was a Croque Monsieur. Sometimes it was open-faced, sometimes pressed, but always with that irresistible combination of béchamel, ham, and Gruyère. These Croque Monsieur Sliders capture all the charm of that Parisian classic but in a playful, pull-apart slider format.
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Recipe at a Glance
- Ready In: 30 minutes
- Ingredients: Hawaiian rolls, classic white sauce with Dijon mustard, deli ham, Gruyère cheese
- Makes: 12 sliders
- Difficulty: Easy
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes
- Freezer Friendly: No - best served fresh
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- French bistro flavors, simplified: Classic Croque Monsieur flavors without the fuss of individually assembled sandwiches.
- Great for parties and game day: Pull-apart sliders are perfect for sharing and make an impressive centerpiece.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare the béchamel and assemble in advance, then bake it before serving.
- Crowd-pleasing flavors: Rich, melty Gruyère, creamy béchamel, and savory ham - what's not to love?
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
You might be more familiar with the sweet Hawaiian rolls, but did you know that they're also available as savory buttery rolls? They're really not savory, but tend to work better with savory fillings.
Making the Croque Monsieur Sliders: Step-by-Step
- Make the Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and allow to cook for a minute or two to remove the flour taste. Add milk and whisk until the mixture is thick and smooth. Finish by whisking in Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a quarter-sheet baking pan with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Slice the Rolls: Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the entire sheet of connected rolls in half horizontally. Keep the top and bottom layers intact.
- Layer the Fillings: Spread half the Béchamel evenly over the bottom layer. Sprinkle half the shredded Gruyère over the Bèchamel and place a folded piece of ham on each roll.
- Finish: Add the top layer of rolls and gently press down. Spread the remaining Béchamel across the top of the rolls and sprinkle the remaining cheese generously on the top.
- Bake: Bake the sliders at 375°F for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let Rest: Let the sliders rest for 5 minutes. Then, pull apart gently and serve warm.
These Croque Monsieur Sliders are a French-inspired indulgence made easy for everyday enjoyment. Whether you're craving comfort food or planning your next game day board, these tasty sliders pack big flavor in a petite package. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Make the Béchemal sauce up to 2 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator. Assemble the sliders, without baking, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake just before serving.
These sliders are best eaten fresh. In a pinch, however, you can freeze the baked sliders. Reheat them at 325°F until warmed through.
Swiss or Emmental are good substitutes. For an extra creamy blend, try adding Fontina.
Absolutely! Just use a 24-pack of Hawaiian rolls and double the filling ingredients.
Recipe Tips and Serving Suggestions
- Sweet versus Savory: I prefer using the buttery, savory Hawaiian rolls in this recipe instead of the more common sweet Hawaiian rolls. This allows the savory filling to shine through without competing with the sweetness of the sweet rolls.
- Make-Ahead Béchamel: I typically prepare the Béchamel sauce the day before and store it in the refrigerator in a covered container. Before using it, I warm the Bèchamel slightly to make it easier to spread.
- Best Ham: I've made these with deli black forest ham as well as honey ham. Both are delicious.
- Slice Evenly: I'm afraid that I'm not very good at slicing the rolls horizontally, so I take it really slow to try to ensure even layers of the rolls.
- French Bistro Style: To add a French bistro style, serve the sliders with a simple green salad, frites (French fries), and a glass of white wine.
- Party Board: Serve the sliders alongside mini pickles, Dijon mustard, and a mixed green salad for a Parisian-style platter.
- Holiday Twist: Use leftover ham from holiday meals for an easy post-feast dish.
Other Slider Recipes
Sliders are a popular alternative for appetizers, party food, or casual dining. These are some of my favorite slider recipes:
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Croque Monsieur Sliders
Equipment
- Serrated Bread Knife
- Quarter-sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil
Ingredients
Béchamel Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons (0.625 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 package 12-count Savory Butter Hawaiian Rolls
Croque Monsieur Sliders
- 12 count package buttery savory Hawaiian rolls (See Tip 1)
- 1 cup Béchamel sauce (from above), divided
- 6 slices (about 6 ounces) thinly sliced deli ham, cut in half and folded to fit (See Tip 2)
- Optional garnish: minced chives, minced parsley or cracked black pepper
Instructions
Béchamel Sauce
- In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is lightly golden brown. Gradually whisk in the milk, smoothing out any lumps. Cook and whisk until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Set aside. (See Tip 3)
Croque Monsieur Sliders
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a quarter-sheet pan with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Without separating the rolls, slice the entire slab of Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Keep the rolls connected. Place the bottom half of the rolls in the prepared quarter-sheet pan.
- Spread half of the Béchamel evenly over the bottom slab of rolls. Sprinkle on half of the Gruyère cheese. Layer the sliced and folded ham, evenly spacing to cover each slider roll.
- Place the top slab of rolls on and gently press down. Spread the remaining Béchamel over the top surface. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese.
- Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let rest 3-5 minutes before pulling the sliders or slicing into individual sliders. Serve warm with a simple green salad and thin frites (French fries) (See Tip 4).
- Yield: 12 Croque Monsieur Sliders (See Tip 5)
Video
Tips/Notes
- Hawaiian rolls come in two varieties: sweet and buttery, savory. My preference is to use the buttery savory because the filling is savory. You can, however, use the sweet Hawaiian rolls. It's a matter of preference.
- I used deli black forest ham in this recipe, but I have used deli honey ham in the past. Both work well.
- The Bèchamel sauce can be made in advance and stored, covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If refrigerated, warm slightly before applying the Béchamel to the slider rolls to make it easier to spread.
- For a Paris bistro experience, I like to serve the sliders with a simple green salad, frites, and a glass of white wine.
- While the sliders are best served fresh, any leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat at 325°F until warmed through.
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