Keto Croque Madame Recipe (French Classic with a Low Carb Twist)

If you’ve never heard of Croque Madame before, don’t worry, it sounds fancy, but it’s really just French for “grilled ham and cheese sandwich wearing a fried egg hat.”

The “Madame” part? That’s thanks to the egg on top, like a little hat. Cute, right?

But we’re flipping the script here. Regular Croque Madame is loaded with bread, enemy number one for anyone doing keto. So I got in the kitchen, messed around with ingredients, probably annoyed my family with 6 versions of it, and landed on this one. No bread… but all the cheesy, hammy, creamy goodness stays right where it belongs.

This is the kind of breakfast (or honestly lunch… or midnight kitchen raid food) that feels like you’re cheating. But you’re not.

Let’s get into it.

What is a Croque Madame?

Straight outta France. Born in cafes where people sit way too long and drink tiny coffees while judging tourists. The Croque Madame is the classier cousin of the Croque Monsieur — same sandwich, but with an egg on top.

In regular life, it’s got:

• Thick bread

• Butter

• Ham

• Cheese (usually Gruyère)

• Béchamel sauce (that’s just butter, flour, and milk)

• And the egg, usually fried or poached

Now — we keto people — we don’t play with flour or milk. But we still want that same comfort-food feeling that makes you close your eyes on the first bite.

What Makes This Keto Version Special?

No bread, zero flour, low carb, but still creamy, cheesy, and a little bit fancy without acting like it.

I’m swapping out:

• The bread → for a super easy cheese “bread” made in a pan

• The béchamel sauce → for a rich, cheesy cream sauce without flour

• And you keep all the good stuff: ham, egg, cheese, butter

It’s about 4g net carbs per serving depending on your cheese and ham choices.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Cheese “Bread”:

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (low moisture works best)

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1 egg

• Pinch of salt

• Pinch of garlic powder (optional)

For the Filling:

• 4 slices of good quality ham (not the weird slimy kind)

• 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

For the Sauce:

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Pinch of nutmeg (seriously changes everything)

For The Top:

• 2 eggs (one per sandwich)

• Butter for frying

How To Make Keto Croque Madame (Step by Step)

Step 1: Make Your Cheese Bread

Alright — this is way easier than you think.

Grab a bowl. Throw in mozzarella, almond flour, egg, salt, and garlic powder. Mix it up with a spoon until it’s like sticky dough.

Heat a non-stick pan. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Flatten them with your hands (kinda like little pancakes).

Cook them about 2-3 minutes per side until golden and set aside. These are your bread slices. Magic.

Step 2: Make The Cheese Sauce

Grab a small saucepan. Melt the butter. Pour in heavy cream. Stir. Add parmesan. Add nutmeg. Salt. Pepper.

Let it bubble gently for 1-2 minutes until thick. Don’t walk away, it thickens fast.

Step 3: Assemble the Sandwich

Take one cheese “bread” slice. Layer ham. Layer shredded Gruyère. Drizzle some of your cheese sauce.

Top with another cheese “bread” slice.

You can pop it back in the pan for a minute to warm it through and melt the cheese better. Or lazy-style… straight to the plate.

Step 4: Fry The Egg

Butter in a pan. Crack an egg. Fry until the white is set but yolk is still runny.

Slide that beauty right on top of your sandwich.

Drizzle more cheese sauce over the top if you’re feeling wild.

Step 5: Eat Immediately

Knife and fork kinda sandwich. Runny egg mixing with the creamy cheese sauce? Unreal.

Tips Nobody Tells You when making Croque Madame 

The Cheese Sauce

Nutmeg sounds weird in a savory sauce but trust me… it takes it from “this is nice” to “holy crap I’m making this weekly.”

The Cheese Bread

Don’t freak out if it sticks a little at first — non-stick pans help a lot. Let it cook fully before flipping.

The Egg

Butter > oil for frying here. You want that slightly crispy edge like cafe-style eggs.

What To Serve With It?

Alright, let’s be real… this is rich. I like mine with a small pile of arugula with lemon juice just to cut through the heaviness.

Or even sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper.

Wine? I mean… if you’re really pretending you’re at a French cafe in your kitchen, go for it.

Why This Keto Croque Madame Recipe Works for Keto

Print

• High fat (hello cheese and cream)

• Low carb (no bread, no flour)

• Moderate protein (ham and eggs)

But mostly… it feels like real food. Not “diet” food. Nobody at your table will feel like they’re missing out.

Storage & Reheating Tips

If you somehow have leftovers (???), store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.

To reheat:

• Oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes works best

• Or air fryer at 350°F for 5-6 minutes

• Skip the microwave unless you like soggy sadness

Variations To Try

• Turkey instead of ham

• Cheddar instead of Gruyère

• Add sautéed spinach inside

• Add mustard for extra punch

• Make it open-faced (skip the top “bread”)

Conclusion

This Keto Croque Madame hits hard. It’s got the crispy “bread” feel without carbs, that rich creamy cheese sauce like a hug from a French grandma, and the runny egg that makes everything a little extra.

No need to wait till you go to Paris or find some keto cafe charging $20 for it.

This? This you can do barefoot in your kitchen with bad hair and no judgement.

Try it once and tell me you didn’t feel like a keto rockstar.