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Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Ham and cheese croissants with green salad

Ham and cheese croissants with green salad are bakery croissants filled with ham and bechamel, then baked until golden. This very easy recipe takes 30 minutes for 4 people, at about €2.50 per person. The key to success is using day old croissants, which soak up the bechamel without getting soggy.

Tonight is dinner for lazy food lovers, croissants stuffed with ham and bechamel, baked until golden.

Ham and cheese croissants with green salad
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.50
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

This is the kind of dinner that saves your evening without draining your energy, croissants soft inside, crisp at the edges, with bechamel that oozes a little and emmental that turns golden on top. The ham brings the saltiness, the nutmeg wakes up the bechamel, and the green salad on the side adds just enough freshness to balance the plate.

It's a perfect weeknight dinner when you have leftover croissants from yesterday and need to feed everyone without spending the evening in the kitchen. Kids love seeing their everyday croissant turned into a savory dish, and at Mon Chou, this is one of our favorite recipes for nights when nobody feels like thinking about what to cook.

The ingredients

4 people

Bakery

  • Croissants 4

Butcher

  • Deli ham slices 4 slices

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g
  • Milk 40 cl
  • Shredded emmental 80 g

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 30 g
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Melt the butter, add the flour, then whisk in the hot milk until the bechamel thickens. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. 8 min

    Take the pan off the heat when you add the flour, this helps you avoid lumps.

  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Slice the croissants open lengthwise without separating them completely.

    A bread knife saws through the croissant without crushing it.

  3. Fill each croissant with a slice of ham and a spoonful of bechamel.

    Don't overfill, the bechamel will spill out as it bakes.

  4. Spread more bechamel on top, sprinkle with emmental and bake until the cheese turns golden. 12 min

    Watch the tips of the croissants, they brown faster than the rest.

  5. Toss the salad with the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and serve it alongside the warm croissants.

    Dress the salad at the last moment so the leaves stay crisp.

Our tips to get it right

  • Make the bechamel right before filling the croissants, it thickens fast as it cools and becomes hard to spread.
  • If your croissants are very fresh and therefore fragile, bake them for 2 minutes before filling so they hold up better in the oven.
  • Set the filled croissants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, any bechamel that leaks out won't stick and cleanup will be quicker.

The variations

  • Swap the deli ham for cured ham for a stronger flavor, add it after baking so it doesn't dry out.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the ham with cooked spinach that's well drained, the bechamel and cheese are enough to hold everything together.
  • For kids in a hurry to eat, cut the croissants in half instead of opening them like a book, they bake a bit faster and are easier to eat with your hands.

What to serve it with

  • A vegetable soup starter
  • A glass of apple juice
  • Fresh fruit for dessert

Storage

Filled croissants keep for 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, beyond that they get too soft. They don't freeze well because the bechamel breaks down when thawed. Reheat them in the oven for 10 minutes rather than the microwave so the edges stay crisp.

Questions about this dish

Can you prep the croissants ahead and bake them later?

Yes, you can fill the croissants a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Take them out 10 minutes before baking so the center isn't too cold.

What cheese can replace the emmental?

Shredded Comté or Gruyère both work well and add a bit more character. Avoid very fatty cheeses, which can make the bechamel greasy once baked.

Why use day old croissants instead of fresh ones?

Day old croissants are a bit firmer and soak up the bechamel without getting soggy. Very fresh croissants tend to collapse and turn mushy once filled.

How do you keep the bechamel from getting lumpy?

Take the pan off the heat when you add the flour to the melted butter, then pour in the hot milk while whisking constantly. If lumps still form, a vigorous whisk usually smooths them out.

How long does it take to make ham and cheese croissants with green salad?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in ham and cheese croissants with green salad?

About 510 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does ham and cheese croissants with green salad cost?

About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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