Ham, Egg And Cheese Bake (With A French Twist!)
on Dec 24, 2025
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Ready in under an hour, and with only 10 to 15 minutes’ prep, this classy-but-easy ham, egg and cheese bake is one of my go-to recipes for a weekend brunch treat – or even leftover ham, bread and cheese after the holidays! It’s as simple as piling ham and cheese sandwiches into a baking dish, drenching them in a tasty egg mixture, and baking until oozy, crisp and golden!
The classiest ham, egg and cheese bake!
Holiday ham and cheese is usually the best ham and cheese I eat all year. Which is why I love to use up every scrap of tasty leftovers in this classy French style ham, egg and cheese bake!
If you’ve ever tried a French croque monsieur (roughly translated as a toasted cheese and ham sandwich!), this may just remind you of that. It also might make you think of a savory bread pudding, overnight breakfast casserole, or even a ‘strata’. It might sound and look on the classier side, but it’s super quick and easy to pull together. All you’ll need is ham, cheese, sandwich bread, eggs, milk, and just a few other simple ingredients – several of them optional.
The easy, cheesy casserole can be breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or anything in between. It’s a comforting idea that you can make ahead (even the night before!), ready to throw into the oven whenever you like – making it perfect for a lazy weekend meal for the family, or even a holiday brunch for guests.
📌Recipe snapshot
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Serves: 4, but the recipe is easy to double.
- Key ingredients: sliced white bread, leftover ham and cheese (any kind!), eggs, milk, mustard, cherry tomatoes
- Why you’ll love it: classy but easy, family friendly, quick and easy weekend or holiday brunch, perfect for making ahead, easy to customize
About the ingredients
You’ll find a full list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But here’s a summary of what you need to know.
- Bread: Simple white sliced bread is fine for this recipe. You could also use any sliced bread you happen to have left over from say the holidays. It doesn’t matter if it’s slightly stale. You’ll need 8 slices, enough for 4 sandwiches (which you’ll then halve). You could also use a sturdier bread such as sourdough if you prefer a slightly heartier bake. Brioche loaf or even croissants can work well, too. Just avoid overly thin or airy bread which can turn too mushy when baked.
- Ham: Leftover cooked holiday ham works perfectly, but deli ham or thick-cut pre-cooked ham is also fine.
- Cheese: I love savory gruyère for its nutty, melty goodness (that’s also the cheese commonly used to make a croque monsieur!). However, any tasty cheese will do – Emmenthal, a tasty cheddar, feta or goat cheese, or a mixture of cheeses. You’ll need some sliced cheese to make the sandwiches and some grated for sprinkling over the casserole. Add parmesan for tangy flavor and mozzarella for maximum ooze factor!
- Eggs: You’ll need 6 eggs for the custard. If you only have liquid eggs on hand, they would work, too.
- Milk: You’ll need around 1½ cups of milk. Whole milk works best, but other types will work, too.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard is my secret ingredient for delicious tangy flavor in the bake. A heaped teaspoon adds just the right depth of flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Onion & garlic: Half a small onion, chopped finely, and two crushed garlic cloves give the bake a subtle savory punch of extra flavor. Both of these can be skipped if you prefer to keep the recipe super simple.
- Salt & pepper: I’ve suggested amounts, but adjust to preference. You can even sprinkle more over the top after baking.
- Cherry tomatoes: A few of these, halved, add freshness and juiciness to the bake. They also add a bright pop of colour. Once again, you can skip them if you prefer. Consider serving a simple crisp salad on the side of your bake instead.
- Parsley: A handful of chopped fresh parsley at the end, while not essential, adds extra brightness and color.
How to make a ham, egg and cheese bake
It couldn’t be easier to make this crowd-pleasing ham and cheese bake.
- Make 4 big ham and cheese sandwiches. Use 8 slices of bread. Then slice them in half diagonally to make 8 sandwiches.
- Make the egg custard mixture. Simply whisk together all of the other ingredients in a jug (apart from the grated cheese and parsley).
- Assemble the casserole. Dip each sandwich in the custard mixture. Then arrange them in two rows pointed side up in a medium baking dish. It doesn’t matter if a few overlap. Then pour over the rest of the mixture. Sprinkle over the grated cheese.
- Bake! The casserole is ready when the inside is set (a little like a souffle) and the top is crisp and golden – around 45 minutes.
Helen’s Top Tips
- Use a medium sized baking dish (see suggested dimensions in printable recipe card below).
- Leave the casserole to stand before baking for around 10 minutes so that the egg mixture can soak into the bread.
- To make ahead a few hours (or even the night before!), assemble fully, then cover and store in the fridge until ready to bake.
- Make sure it’s cooked enough in the middle. Pop a small sharp knife into the center to check. Runny, mushy or undercooked is not cool when it comes to this recipe!
- Letting the bake rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving will help perfect the texture and make it easier to serve.
- Double the recipe for guests. The dish comfortably serves 4. Simply double the ingredients and use a bigger dish for more people.
- Customise this to your heart’s content! Stick to ham and cheese, or add onion, sausage or even veggies such as cooked peppers and mushrooms.
Serving suggestions
While it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy your delicious cheese and ham sandwich casserole by itself, hot and oozy out of the oven, a fresh crisp salad goes perfectly on the side.
Alternatively, you can serve it together with other brunch style dishes. Here are a few suggestions:
- Greek baked beans (great on the side!)
- Greek yogurt parfait or fluffy apple and oat muffins to enjoy before or after
- 5-minute sauteed frozen spinach (just throw into a pan while the brunch bake is in the oven)
- sausages or air fryer bacon
Recipe FAQs
You can, but I would suggest cooking them first. Great options could be sautéed mushrooms, sautéed spinach (with any excess water squeezed out), cooked leeks or chopped cooked asparagus.
Cover well with plastic wrap or foil, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat in the oven at 320F/160C for around 20 to 30 minutes or until piping hot in the middle again). Keep covered with foil until the last 5 minutes to keep from drying out. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave for a minute or two until hot.
Yes, it is, but it’s best to freeze it after baking, not before. Bake it fully, let it cool completely, then wrap the dish well and freeze for up to 2 months. Alternatively, you can freeze individual portions in an airtight container. If you want to reheat straight from frozen, try 320F/160C for around 40 to 45 minutes.
More easy but classy breakfasts/brunches
If you like this ham and cheese bake, you might also like…
- simple English style thin sugar and lemon pancakes
- Greek scrambled eggs
- crustless quiche
- blueberry clafoutis (impossibly easy!)
Ham, Egg And Cheese Bake (With A French Twist!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 slices white bread
- 8 ounces cooked ham, (rough amount – enough to make 4 sandwiches)
- 5 ounces cheese, sliced (gruyère is perfect, but use any tasty cheese you like – enough for 4 sandwiches)
- 6 large eggs
- 1½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon mustard, Dijon or wholegrain both work well, but any works
- ½ small onion, chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon salt, (suggested amount since the cheese and ham are already quite salty)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¾ cup grated cheese, e.g. mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan (for sprinkling)
- 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped (optional – for the garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃ (320℉/160℃ fan/convection oven).
- Make 4 ham and cheese sandwiches with the bread, ham and cheese. Cut each in half diagonally so that you have 8 sandwich halves.8 slices white bread, 8 ounces cooked ham, 5 ounces cheese
- Whisk the eggs together with the milk, mustard and salt and pepper in a jug. Add the chopped onion and garlic.6 large eggs, 1½ cups milk, 1 teaspoon mustard, ½ small onion, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Dip each sandwich half in the egg and milk mixture. Then arrange in a medium-sized baking dish in two rows (9 X 9 inches, 8 X 10 inches or 7 X 11 inches will all work well). The two rows can be overlapping a little (the sandwiches should be standing up with the pointy part facing upwards).
- Pour the rest of the egg mixture over the sandwiches, then top with grated cheese and the tomatoes. Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes so that the egg mixture can soak into the bread.5 ounces cherry tomatoes, ¾ cup grated cheese
- Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes or until the top of the bake is golden and crisp. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve (with a fresh salad if you like!).1 handful fresh parsley
Notes
2 Use salad onions/scallions instead of the regular chopped onion for a subtler flavour.
3 Spread pesto on the bread along with the ham and cheese.
4 Use prosciutto instead of regular ham.
Look very nice a savoury bread pudding(my first thought when I saw it). Cant wait to try it. Going to make nice green salad to go with for a nice meal:)
Hi Quentin. I really hope you enjoy it. Do let me know!
I’m not a fan of white bread could i use croissants or another type of bread
Hello Paula. I don’t see why you couldn’t use any kind of bread you like! Please give it a go and let me know how you get on! 🙂
What a clever idea to feed a lot of people! I love a croque monsieur or at times a croque madame! 😀 I make a similar one called a wifesaver breakfast (a Canadian term and dish). We can’t get enough of it!
Never heard of a wifesaver brekky, Lorraine, but sounds intriguing. I love croque madames, too! I guess in a way this is like that as it has lots of egg in it!
Ummm. WOW. I am just about dying of happiness over this!! Brunch bakes are the best!
Thanks, Joanne! Glad you like it! You could make this vegetarian by adding spinach instead of the ham – that would be pretty good! 🙂
This looks so delicious, Helen! Croque Monsieurs are the best, and now I can enjoy a little taste of France via your English kitchen. 😉 And because it’s a massive bake, it feeds lots of people (more likely, me multiple times! I need to learn to share!)
Oh no, sharing is so over-rated! 😉 Go ahead and enjoy the whole lot, Meggan … weekend treat!
Oh my, my, my…. I could definitely eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’d be like a hobbit and even have second breakfast (too dorky?).
Well, I’ve never had CROQUE MONSIEUR, but I definitely love it! I’m in if a recipe works for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Pinned!
Thanks, Mira! You must try a classic croque monsieur some day. Unbeatable little snack!
Helel, I think this is so fancy – such a lovely dish – don’t think I’ve ever made anything like this before!
Thanks, Shashi! I like being called fancy!!
I love that you have made this in to a bake. Perfect for when you have friends round for brunch 🙂
Thanks, Dannii! The make-ahead thing definitely makes this good for entertaining.
OMG your tip is so right. I undercooked a bread pudding once – ew! LOVE the photos Helen, they are gorgeous! And you are also right that this is breakfast, lunch, dinner AND anything in between!
Thanks for the compliment on the photos, Nagi. I can always see room for improvement, but thanks anyway. 🙂
I need to make more breakfast casseroles like this one. Love it.
Thanks, Bintu!
Damn Helen..Damn. This is so fancy…but so easy!!!! And FYI…my Sundays are always like this…I start with such high hopes… and usually lounge on the couch with the munchkins late into the morning until it’s noon and I am running around trying to figure out how I could miss so much of my morning Pinteresting 🙂
So glad I’m not the only one. I’m truly the model of inefficiency sometimes! 🙂
C’est tellement mieux qu’un croque monsieur classique! Le tienne est beaucoup plus gourmand et savoureux! Idéal pour un diner le dimanche!
Merci, Eva! A vrai dire, c’est impossible d’ameliorer un croque monsieur classique, mais je voulais faire quelquechose un peu different … juste pour le blog! Je suis tres contente que tu l’aimes quand meme! 🙂
This looks delicious, Helen! I really like croque monsieur and I love the idea of transforming it into a brunch bake!
Thanks, Jess! I’d never tried anything like this before, but was pleasantly surprised! If you like bread and butter pudding, you’ll love it!
Now this is one lovely pan of comfort food! Delicious and love this savory twist. You are so creative. Pinned and yummed!!
Thank you so much for the compliment, Bam … as always, I’m very flattered. 🙂
Hi Helen, I have never made anything quite like this, ham and Swiss is a great classic. Looks delicious!
Thanks, Cheri! This was actually the first time I’d made anything like this. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but I was happy with how it turned out 🙂
Helen,
If you are making this for two people do you halve the amount of eggs and milk?
Recipe sounds a good weekend treat.
Thanks
Angela
Hi, Angela! Really happy you’re going to make this! If I were making this for 2, I’d halve everything and use a smaller possibly rectangular dish that fits the 4 sandwiches in snugly (or you could just make it for 4 and have a double portion!) Only kidding – sort of. I don’t think this would re-heat that well because you’d lose the crispy-ness on top, so yeah, go for it and just halve everything! 🙂
I didn’t think it would be possible to make the croque monsieur better, but you have. This is a great dish if you’re feeding a family.
Thanks, Janette! 🙂
I love CMs! This is like, all my favorite things!
🙂