Croque Monsieur Waffles

Croque Monsieur Waffles

Okay, this one genuinely blew our minds when we first made it. A Croque Monsieur, but in waffle form. Crispy, golden, cheesy waffles loaded with tender portobello mushrooms, crispy plant-based bacon, and a rich béchamel that makes the whole thing feel seriously indulgent. It's the kind of breakfast that makes you feel like you're sitting in a Parisian café, except you're in your kitchen and you made it yourself. Trust us, once you've had this on a weekend morning you won't want to go back to plain toast.

Cook: 30 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • 2x large baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper
  • Microplane or fine grater (for garlic)
  • Toaster (for waffles)

Ingredients

  • 2 portobello mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 100g plant-based bacon
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp Nooch
  • 1 tsp English mustard
  • 200g grated Applewood smoked plant-based cheese
  • 15g chives
  • 200g oat creme fraiche
  • splash of almond milk or water (optional)
  • 6 plant-based waffles
  • leafy green salad
  • extra chives for garnish

Method

1

Prepare the mushrooms and bacon

  • Line both of the large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
  • Slice the portobello mushrooms finely.
  • Add the sliced mushrooms to one of the lined trays.
  • Chop the plant-based bacon in half and add it to the other tray.
  • Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil and the soy sauce.
  • Put the trays in the oven for 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the bacon is crisp.
2

Toast the waffles and prepare the cheese & chive sauce

  • Toast the waffles until crisp.
  • Heat 160g of the cheese in a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil until starting to melt.
  • Grate the garlic into the cheese, then add the remaining sauce ingredients with salt and pepper to taste, mixing everything together until you have a smooth, silky sauce - loosen with a splash of almond milk or water to loosen if necessary.
  • Finely chop the chives and stir through the sauce just when you’re ready to assemble the waffles.
3

Build the croques

  • Add a spoonful of cheese & chive sauce to one of the waffles and spread it around using the back of a spoon, then add a layer of mushrooms.
  • Top with another waffle, some cheese & chive sauce and a layer of crispy bacon.
  • Finish with another waffle dolloped with a final layer of cheese sauce.
  • Repeat this process for the second croque.
  • Top with the remaining grated cheese and season with a grind of black pepper.
4

Bake and serve

  • Add the waffles back to one of the baking trays | Put the croques in the oven for 5 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese has melted.
  • Serve with a leafy green salad dressed in a simple vinaigrette and garnish with some chopped chives and a crack of black pepper and dig in.

Tips & Variations

  • Get ahead on the mushrooms: We find slicing the portobellos really finely makes a big difference. Thicker slices hold too much water and can make things a bit soggy, and nobody wants that.
  • Don't skip the soy sauce: It might sound odd but drizzling a little soy sauce over the mushrooms before roasting adds this deep, savoury umami hit that really makes them sing. Henry always adds a tiny bit extra.
  • Waffle iron heat matters: Make sure your waffle iron is properly preheated before you pour in the batter. A hot iron gives you that gorgeous crisp exterior straight away rather than the waffle just steaming and going soft.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting the mushrooms and bacon into the oven first so they're properly caramelised and crispy by the time everything else comes together. That contrast between the soft, savoury mushrooms and the crunchy waffle base is what makes this so good. The béchamel ties it all together and gives it that proper Croque Monsieur richness without any dairy.