Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
A country with bread as good as France deserves sandwiches just as magnifique. Whether you’re broiling a Croque Monsieur that’s slathered in rich Mornay sauce or brushing a fresh baguette with flavorful olive oil for a Pan Bagnat, these sandwiches evoke the places where they were first created. Channel a wintry day in a Paris bistro or transport to a sunny one in a Provençal market. Either way, you can celebrate French flavors in the comfort of your home with these recipes.
01 of 08
Croque Monsieur
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Debbie Wee
Alongside its “madame” counterpart, the croque monsieur is perhaps the most iconic of French sandwiches. It’s not a grab-and-go affair; with gooey Gruyère and a rich Mornay sauce, this hammy, cheesy bistro classic is usually eaten with a fork and knife.
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02 of 08
Croque Madame
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This half of France’s hottest sandwich couple is distinguished by a fried egg on top. As one story goes, the croque madame got its name from a sunny-side up egg’s resemblance to a woman’s hat.
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03 of 08
Pan Bagnat (Niçoise Salad Sandwich)
Credit: \Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Pan bagnat means “bathed bread” in Provençal, the language of southeast France. Brushing the bread with oil and then letting the slices sit for a few minutes gives this sandwich its titular bath, yielding a moist and deeply flavorful bite. The most common filling for a pan bagnat is a Niçoise-style tuna salad.
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04 of 08
Ham-Jam Sandwiches
Credit: Victor Protasio
France’s most popular sandwich is the parisien, aka jambon-beurre; it layers salted butter and sliced ham on a fresh, crusty baguette. Here, chef Gabriel Rucker adds goat cheese and Beaujolais-laced blueberry jam to the mix, swapping out the ham for ribbons of salty prosciutto.
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05 of 08
French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Credit: Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Annie Prost / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans
This grilled cheese isn’t a traditional French sandwich, but it draws its rich and nourishing flavors from the well of French bistro cuisine. Made with French onion soup–style caramelized onions and nutty Gruyère, its richness is cut by the tang of Dijon mustard and pickle slices.
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06 of 08
Monte Cristo
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
A sweet and savory American adaptation of the croque monsieur, the Monte Cristo pairs ham and Gruyère with raspberry jam and Dijon mustard. This recipe calls for the sandwich to be dipped in an egg batter laced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla before it’s lightly fried in butter.
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07 of 08
Merguez with Pork and Grilled Tortilla Bread
Credit: David Malosh
“Along with other North African dishes, merguez is very popular in France,” writes legendary chef Jacques Pépin. “That little lamb sausage is a classic at any backyard barbecue or picnic there, as popular as the hot dog is in the U.S.” Pépin makes his merguez without casings and forms the sausage mixture into patties. (He also adds pork to the traditionally lamb-only dish.)
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08 of 08
Chicken Pan Bagnat
Credit: Susan Spungen
This take on pan bagnat is a perfect use for leftover roast chicken. It’s the ideal companion to fancy potato chips and a cold glass of rosé from the Coteaux du Varois, Cassis, or Bandol.
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