A quick and easy Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwich with ham, turkey, Swiss slices, and a Parmesan Dijon-mayo spread. Serve with a side of raspberry preserves.
Sometimes, you want all the flavors of a classic Monte Cristo Sandwich with Jam, but you don’t want all the steps. I have a solution for you! Instead of dipping the sandwich in custard, just grill the sandwich in butter. It’s much easier and faster to prepare than the original.
Even though this sandwich is not fried in batter, don’t worry! This Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwich is still sweet, salty, cheesy, and buttery. Every bite is full of flavor. This sandwich is the perfect indulgence for when you’re craving something warm and comforting.
What is a Monte Cristo Sandwich?
Defining what a Monte Cristo Sandwich is can be controversial! There are a lot of differing opinions out there about what makes a classic and authentic sandwich.
Fun Fact: In 1967, Disneyland in Anaheim, California added the Monte Cristo to the menu of the Blue Bayou restaurant. To this day, it’s still one of their most popular items. In a single day, they can serve over 200 orders!
Many Monte Cristo variations are made with Swiss or provolone cheese, ham or turkey, and a mayo or mustard spread. Then, the assembled sandwich is dipped into an egg batter and either pan fried or deep fried until golden. After cooking, the sandwiches are sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a side of jelly or jam.
However you define it, my husband and I love a good Monte Cristo sandwich. It’s one of our favorite things to order at our favorite restaurant, Cravings Bistro. As with many copycat recipes on my blog, I figured out how to make it at home. When we go out, we rarely order the sandwich anymore since my husband loves my version so much!
Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwich Ingredients
What’s the Best Bread for Monte Cristo Sandwiches?
As my husband says, any good sandwich starts with the bread, and he’s right! A good quality bread will make or break a sandwich. Since I prefer to skip the egg wash, I like to use a bakery-quality white bread like Sara Lee Artesano Bakery Bread. Or if that’s not available, I always love Grandma Sycamore’s White Bread. Of course, homemade or fresh made bakery bread will always take the cake, or er, sandwich.
Although, if you like to use the egg wash, I recommend using a sturdier bread like brioche or challah. These breads will not fall apart when cooking, and they will still retain their soft texture.
What Meats and Cheeses are Used in a Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwich?
For simplicity, I recommend using good quality deli meats and cheeses for this sandwich. If you talk to the workers at the deli counter, they can recommend good options.
You will need both turkey and ham for this recipe. When choosing your turkey, look for thick-sliced oven-roasted turkey. For the ham, I like to use a good quality black forest ham.
Although, if you don’t want to wait for the deli counter, I recommend Oscar Mayer Carving Board Oven Roasted Turkey Breast. It tastes like I roasted it in my own oven. Plus, it’s never slimy and has great flavor. For the ham, I like to use Great Value Thin Sliced Black Forest Ham.
Of course, this sandwich is absolutely delicious with leftover turkey and ham after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Who said leftovers have to be boring?
Additionally, you’ll need either sliced Swiss cheese or sliced Provolone cheese. My favorite to use is Swiss cheese, but either one will work.
What Condiments are Used on Monte Cristo Sandwiches?
If I must say, the Parmesan Dijon-mayo spread is what makes this sandwich so good! You’d never guess how easy it is to make by how flavorful it is.
Although, I can’t take full credit for the idea. The idea for the spread comes from Ina Garten’s Ultimate Grilled Cheese recipe. Basically, it’s a 1:4 ratio of mayonnaise to Dijon mustard and Parmesan cheese. Once you try it, you’ll add it to all your sandwiches!
When it comes to the jam or jelly, it really comes down to personally preference. Many people love serving their grilled Monte Cristo Sandwich with Red Currant Jelly. Although, it can be tricky to find.
And to be honest, nothing beats my mom’s Homemade Raspberry Blackberry Jam. Every summer, she gives me a jar or two to store in my freezer. If you aren’t as lucky to have homemade jam, use a good quality, store bought jar of Raspberry Preserves. It’s the perfect contrast to the sandwich.
Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwich Preparation Tips
Most Monte Cristo sandwiches are dipped into an egg and milk mixture. While I do like them prepared this way, I prefer to make this Monte Cristo sandwich without coating. Although, I still use a good layer of butter to grill the sandwich.
I also skip adding additional powdered sugar to the sandwich. It’s sweet enough with the jam, and it makes the sandwich not as heavy.
When assembling the sandwich, add the Parmesan Dijon-mayo spread on both sides of the bread. Next, layer cheese on top of the spread. This layering will act as glue to hold the meats neatly inside the sandwich.
Once the sandwich is assembled, spread a generous layer of butter on the outside of the sandwich. For this recipe, I like to use a 12″ skillet. Use the largest skillet or griddle you have. Otherwise, you may have to grill the sandwiches in batches.
Also, feel free to scale this recipe up to serve more people.
Love Sandwiches and Want More?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you love this Grilled Monte Cristo sandwich as much as we do! If you’re looking for additional recipe ideas, give these a try:
Parmesan-Crusted Sourdough Turkey Sandwich
This sandwich is a copycat of one you can find at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel. To make it, saute onions and bell peppers. Then, layer them on sourdough bread with turkey, jack cheese, and Thousand Island dressing. Finally, grill it with a thick layer of Parmesan cheese! It’s truly a perfect grown up turkey sandwich!
Perfect Homemade Air Fryer French Fries
If you’re looking for the perfect accompaniment to this Grilled Monte Cristo sandwich, give these fries a try. Make them while you prepare the sandwich.
Mini Raspberry Lemon Cheesecakes
These Mini Raspberry Lemon Cheesecakes are light and fluffy, and the perfect sweet and tart combo! It’s also delicious with my mom’s homemade jam!
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Grilled Monte Cristo Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 slices Bread Good Quality
- 1 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 4 slices Swiss Cheese
- 8 slices Black Forest Ham Thin-sliced
- 4 slices Oven-Roasted Turkey Thick-cut
- 2-3 tbsp Butter
- 4 tsp Raspberry Preserves Plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-low heat.
- In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, and Parmesan cheese.
- Lay bread on a cutting board, and butter one side of each slice of bread. Spread the mayonnaise mixture over the opposite sides of each 4 slices of bread.
- Top each of the 4 slices of bread with one slice of Swiss cheese. Then, top each slice of bread with 2 slices of ham. On 2 slices of bread, add the turkey on top of the ham. Close one side of the bread on top of the other side of the sandwich (the butter side should be facing out).
- Place the assembled sandwiches in the skillet. Cook until the cheese begins to melt and the bread is golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). Flip and cook the other side until golden brown as well.
- Remove from the skillet, slice in half, and serve with a side of raspberry preserves.
