Easy spinach and cheddar croque monsieur for babies

Croque Monsieur for Babies

Today I’m sharing a very, very simple recipe that will delight your baby’s taste buds: baby croque monsieur with spinach and cheddar!

Croque monsieur sandwiches are delicious slices of sandwich bread, golden and crispy on the outside, filled with melty cheese and… tender spinach inside!

They are perfectly suited for baby’s little hands and let your little one discover new flavors while eating more independently (always under adult supervision, of course ;)).

These baby croque monsieur bites are perfect alongside a vegetable purée, for a picnic, or as a baby-friendly appetizer when friends come over, so baby (and the adults!) can enjoy something tasty too.

You’ll see, this baby croque monsieur recipe is very easy to make. Let’s get started!

For 8 baby croque monsieur bites:

Ingredients

• 4 slices whole wheat sandwich bread
• About 10 fresh spinach leaves (or 2 large handfuls baby spinach)
• About 3 oz red cheddar (80 g), or another firm cheese of your choice
• A small pat of butter for cooking

How to prepare these baby croque monsieur sandwiches?

Start by washing the spinach leaves well. Spinach can hold onto quite a bit of dirt, so rinse the leaves under running water and rub them several times!

Remove any tough central stems, which are less pleasant to eat. Keep only the tender parts of the spinach leaves. Drain the leaves.

Prepare the cheese. If you bought a block of cheddar, grate it or cut it into very small pieces as shown below. You can also use store-bought shredded red cheddar!

Place half of the cheddar and half of the spinach leaves between 2 slices of whole wheat sandwich bread, then close the baby croque monsieur firmly. Repeat with the other 2 slices of bread and the remaining spinach and cheese.

(You can cook the spinach separately before adding it to the croque monsieur sandwiches if you want it to be softer. To do this, sauté the leaves in a pan for a few minutes.)

How to cook the baby croque monsieur sandwiches?

Now simply melt the small pat of butter in a skillet over medium heat, then brown the baby croque monsieur sandwiches! Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Once cooked, cut each croque monsieur into 4 pieces to make baby-sized croque monsieur bites 🙂

That’s it — baby (and the whole family!) can enjoy them 🙂

Enjoy!

Variations

Gluten-free variation : Use gluten-free sandwich bread for babies with gluten intolerance.

Vegetarian dairy-free variation : Replace the cheese with a creamy vegetable purée such as sweet potato or avocado.

Protein-rich variation : Add finely chopped turkey or chicken for extra protein.

Frequently Asked Questions