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    Home » Bread » Cauliflower Croque Monsieur

    Published: Feb 16, 2016 · Modified: Aug 4, 2022 by Carolyn

    Cauliflower Croque Monsieur

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    2.3K shares
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    The French classic sandwich gets a low carb makeover! A grain-free cauliflower crust turns Croque Monsieur into a healthy dinner recipe.

    Low carb Croque Monsieur sandwiches made on a healthy cauliflower crust!

    It always surprises me when, given the option of something savoury or something sweet, people choose the savoury. I guess that says a lot about me and my own preferences. After all, I am known as The Low Carb Dessert Queen in some circles. Probably in a lot of circles, come to think of it. I would wager that at least two thirds of the recipes on All Day I Dream About Food are on the sweeter side. I can’t help it, it’s the way my brain works. Dessert is always on offer at our house, as long as it’s healthy, low carb dessert. That’s the way I stay on track and it’s the carrot that keeps my family on track too.

    That’s not to say that I don’t have plenty of really great savoury tricks up my sleeve. This blog truly is a treasure trove of delicious low carb recipes, from breakfast to snacks to dinner and dessert. But let’s just say that if someone offers ME the choice between a sweet recipe or a savoury one, I’m gonna go with sweet.

    Low Carb Cauliflower Crust with Ham, and Gruyere. Grain-free

    So I offered the peeps on the ADIDAF Facebook Page a choice between this low carb Croque Monsieur made with a cauliflower crust, or a sheet cake. I really, really wanted to post the sheet cake because I am ridiculously excited about it. But the masses have spoken and this time I listened. One person said “I want savoury, I have enough sweet recipes”. Oh no, my friend. You can never have enough sweet recipes! And the sheet cake will be coming soon, I promise…

    Have you ever had traditional Croque Monsieur? It’s an open-faced ham and cheese sandwich made on French bread and it’s pretty damn delicious. But pretty damn carby too, as you might imagine. So I thought it would be fun to get those same flavours with a low carb cauliflower crust. Be sure to really squeeze the liquids out of the cauliflower (don’t burn yourself, wait until it’s cool!) for a crisp, non-soggy crust. Even the kids loved this one!

    And if you’re looking for vegetarian options, check out this Vegetarian Cauliflower Crust Pizza Recipe.

    A healthy Croque Monsieur? With a low carb cauliflower crust, this famous sandwich becomes a delicious ham and cheese pizza.

    Cauliflower Croque Monsieur

    The French classic sandwich gets a low carb makeover! A grain-free cauliflower crust turns Croque Monsieur into a healthy dinner recipe.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 230kcal

    Ingredients

    Crust:

    • 1 large head cauliflower
    • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Topping:

    • 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
    • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ lb thinly sliced ham
    • 3 ounces Gruyere cheese shredded
    • 1 cup shredded mozzarella

    Instructions

    Crust:

    • Chop cauliflower into 1 inch florets. Add to a food processor or high-powered blender (if using a blender, add a cup or two of water). Process until finely chopped (drain if using a blender with water).
    • Place in a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Be very careful when removing plastic wrap as the escaping steam can burn you!
    • Set a tea towel into a sieve and drain cauliflower through the tea towel. Let sit until cool enough to handle and then gather the ends of the tea towel together and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Preheat oven to 425F.
    • Return to bowl and add mozzarella, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and pat cauliflower mixture into a large, flat rectangle, about 12 by 10 inches. Bake until golden brown and becoming crisp on the edges, and firm in the center about 25 minutes.

    Topping:

    • In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise and nutmeg. Spread over crust. Arrange ham to cover and then sprinkle with both cheeses.
    • Bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Broil a minute or two for nicely browned topping.

    Notes

    Serves 8 as a side. Each serving has 4.67 g NET CARBS.
    Food energy: 230kcal
    Total fat: 15.23g
    Calories from fat: 137
    Cholesterol: 91mg
    Carbohydrate 7.17g
    Total dietary fiber: 2.50g
    Protein: 15.44g
    Nutrition Facts
    Cauliflower Croque Monsieur
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 230 Calories from Fat 137
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 15.23g23%
    Cholesterol 91mg30%
    Carbohydrates 7.17g2%
    Fiber 2.5g10%
    Protein 15.44g31%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    2.3K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Evonne says

      February 19, 2022 at 11:16 am

      Hi Carolyn

      I am currently on keto diet. And would like to find out if you shred your own cheese or do you use those cheese in pack (that’s already shredded)?

      Thanks
      Evonne

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 20, 2022 at 6:41 pm

        Totally depends.

        Reply
    2. Diane Lanthier says

      June 11, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      Any idea how much would be needed for pre-riced cauliflower? thanks!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        June 13, 2021 at 8:02 am

        No, I am sorry. I only weighed it out after ricing. A smallish head would probably be enough.

        Reply
    3. Natasha says

      June 06, 2019 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      What a fun and healthy dinner recipe! Excited to try – I’m sure my husband will be a big fan!

      Reply
    4. Nicole M. Foster says

      January 07, 2019 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This was delicious and took care of my ham and cheese sandwich cravings! Will definitely be making again

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 07, 2019 at 6:30 pm

        So glad to hear it!

        Reply
    5. Betty says

      December 20, 2017 at 10:33 am

      How do you get a crispy crust? We have tried a few cauliflower bases and they are usually a bit soggy>

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 20, 2017 at 1:12 pm

        Yup, I think that’s the nature of the beast here. it’s dry before you put the toppings on but once you do that…it tends to get a bit soggy.

        Reply
    6. Janey says

      October 05, 2016 at 5:22 pm

      …and…top it with a poached egg for a Croque Madame ….. OOoooo la lahhhhh …….

      Reply
    7. Dorathy says

      August 20, 2016 at 4:19 am

      This looks amazing. Thank you so much

      Reply
    8. Erica M says

      August 19, 2016 at 1:05 pm

      I made this last night and it was the best thing I’ve eaten on my lc woe!! I did have a question as far as the nutrition. I’m a little confused on the exact nutrition. There are two different carb counts. Maybe I’m just not reading it correctly. Could you clarify for my slow brain 🙂

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 19, 2016 at 1:57 pm

        Net carbs vs. Total carbs. Net carbs = total minus fiber.

        Reply
    9. Amy says

      June 20, 2016 at 12:51 pm

      What’s the best way to cook the cauliflower without a microwave? 🙂

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        June 20, 2016 at 1:41 pm

        Put it into a pot with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until it’s very tender.

        Reply
    10. Cecile says

      February 28, 2016 at 5:54 pm

      Wow, looks great, just to be clear, if using a blender as in the video, no water either in blender or when microwaving?

      Just finished a bowl of your low carb vanilla ice cream…………first try and it was absolutely delicious!!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 28, 2016 at 6:46 pm

        Water in the blender. NO water if you are using a food processor. No water in the step for microwaving.

        Reply
        • Donna says

          March 29, 2016 at 11:45 am

          Thanks for clearing that up about water in the blender. It’s so fast to do it that way. No more scraped fingers on the box grater. …. You are AWESOME!!

          Reply
          • Carolyn says

            March 29, 2016 at 9:56 pm

            It was actually a reader who gave me that trick. Wish I could remember who!

            Reply
    11. Gemma says

      February 27, 2016 at 7:55 pm

      Just make this and my husband and I loved it! The crust was very good and I think I will riff off it in the very near future! Next up is the low carb panini- can’t wait!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 28, 2016 at 8:59 am

        Glad you liked it.

        Reply
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