Today, I want to share the recipe for one of my all-time favorite French sandwiches: jambon beurre.
This sandwich is a testament to the beauty of French cuisine. It is a true French classic, and it's no wonder why! It's simple and delicious. Jambon Beurre is a three-ingredient sandwich that you'll find at most boulangeries (French bakeries).
But don't be fooled by its simplicity; the key to a perfect jambon beurre is in the quality of the ingredients. You want a fresh, crispy baguette, a good quality ham, and the best butter you can find. It's incredible how the simplest things often turn out to be the best.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Baguette: Grab a traditional French baguette for this recipe. It should be super crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I like to use individual-sized baguettes, but you can buy a longer one and cut it in half.
Butter: The butter makes this sandwich, so you want quality butter. European butter has a much higher fat content (and less water) than American butter. It is rich and creamy with a beautiful deep yellow color and smooth, creamy texture. The best is Isigny Sainte-Mere Beurre D'Isigny AOP, which you can find in more specialist grocery stores. For a regular butter that you can find in most grocery stores, go for Kerrygold or Presidents. Pick a salted butter, or sprinkle a few salt crystals over the butter if you have unsalted butter.
Ham: The ham is the only filling, so buy the best you can find. If you can find Jambon de Paris, then go for that. It is a beautiful, unsmoked, wet-cured ham with a lovely, juicy texture. If you can't find that, buy the best-quality, thickly sliced, unsmoked ham you can. Italian Parma Cotto is a good alternative as it is prepared in the same way as French ham.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Fresh, crusty bread is best. If your bread has lost its crunch, run it briefly under cold running water; you want the outside to be damp rather than wet. Then bake in the oven (200ºF/90ºC) for 5-10 minutes until crispy. Let it cool before making your sandwich.
- Don't be stingy with the fillings. This is a ham and butter sandwich; the baguette should be generously filled with both.
- Make sure the butter isn't fridge-cold. You want to remove it from the refrigerator for 10 minutes, so it is still firm with a little bit of spreadability. The butter shouldn't be super soft as it changes the flavor of your good quality butter.
- If, like me, you prefer a chilled sandwich filling. Wrap your sandwich in parchment paper and plastic wrap to keep it fresh, then let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Personally, I think it makes the sandwich even better. But this one is a personal preference.
Why You'll Love This Jambon Beurre
- It is the simplest sandwich to make, but the taste is perfect.
- It is fun to say jambon beurre, and everything sounds better in French 😉
- Unlike many mayo-based sandwiches, you can make these in the morning, and they will still taste great at lunchtime.
Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- Add cheese: While no longer traditional, I don't know a Frenchman who ever turned down cheese, so feel free to add some cheese slices. Sliced Brie, Port Salut, Gruyere, Comte, or Goat's cheese would be great. You could also go for Swiss cheese.
- Add some greens: Butter lettuce, arugula, or baby spinach. All add a fresh, grassy note to the sandwich. But if you add them and then wrap the sandwich for later, they don't stay as crisp.
- Pickles: The French love a pickle, and some baby cornichons are the perfect accompaniment to your sandwich, either by the side or sliced inside the sandwich.
- Mustard: Give one slice of the bread a generous smear of Dijon mustard. It can overpower the subtle ham, but it does taste great.
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Serving Suggestions for Jambon Beurre
Sides: These are perfect for lunch on their own. But a bowl of well-salted French fries is an excellent accompaniment if you are feeling extra hungry.
I like a little green on the plate, so I usually go for a simple green salad or a pile of peppery arugula.
Wine: All French food pairs well with wine, and for this simple sandwich, I like to go decadent and pick a French Sparkling Rosé. It balances the butter's richness without overpowering the ham's subtle taste. You could also go for a very well-chilled glass of Chablis. If you love red wine, go for something light like a Pinot Noir or a Zinfandel.
Enjoy x
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Get the Recipe
Jambon Beurre
Ingredients
- 4 extra crusty French mini baguettes see note 1)
- 8 tablespoons European-style salted butter (see note 2&3)
- 12 oz Jambon de Paris (see note 4)
Instructions
- Cut each baguette in half lengthwise.4 extra crusty French mini baguettes
- Cut the butter into thin slices and lay it on both cut sides of the bread. Use a butter knife to spread it out lightly. (see note 3)8 tablespoons European-style salted butter
- Divide the ham slices equally over the bottom half of each sandwich.12 oz Jambon de Paris
- Place the top halves of the bread back on the sandwiches and serve. Or wrap it in parchment paper and plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours.
Notes
- I like to use individual-sized baguettes, but you can buy a longer one and cut it in half. You want a traditional French baguette for this recipe. It should be super crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.
- European butter has a much higher fat content (and less water) than American butter. It is rich and creamy with a beautiful deep yellow color and smooth, creamy texture. The best is Isigny Sainte-Mere Beurre D'Isigny AOP, which you can find in more specialist grocery stores. For a regular butter that you can find in most grocery stores, go for Kerrygold or Presidents. Pick a salted butter, or sprinkle a few salt crystals over the butter if you have unsalted butter.
- Make sure the butter isn't fridge-cold. You want to remove it from the refrigerator for 10 minutes so it is firm with a bit of spreadability. It should be placed on the sandwiches in thin slices and spread it slightly so all the bread is covered. You want a thick layer of butter, not a light smear.
- If you can find Jambon de Paris, go for that; it is the most authentic. It is a beautiful, unsmoked, wet-cured ham with a lovely, juicy texture. If you can't find that, buy the best-quality, thickly sliced, unsmoked ham you can. Italian Parma Cotto is a good alternative as it is prepared in the same way as French ham.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Michelle Brown says
OMG! Jambon beurre is one of my absolute favorite things to eat in France. I had to go all the way downtown to a French bakery to find a baguette that tasted half as good as the ones in France, but that was key to these sandwiches being so yummy.
Mary says
This Jambon Beurre sandwich has become one of my go-to favorites for a quick and easy lunch. For extras, I love adding a few pickle slices for a crunchy, tangy note.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh I am so happy you love it as much as I do Mary 🙂
Cx
Denise says
I live in Montreal, Quebec, where jambon beurre is a way of life - and your version did not fall short of the original! Simple, portable and endlessly customizable, there's a reason this is my son's favorite sandwich.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I bet you can get amazing baguettes in Montreal!
Cx
Sherry says
I made your Jambon Beurre sandwiches for a bridal shower and created a bar with all sorts of condiments to go along with it. The guests loved them and gave me lots of compliments.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
What a fun idea!! I love it.
So happy it was a success.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Pierre says
I can't believe people need a recipe for this!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
People like the security of a recipe for something new.
Doesn't mean it has to be complicated or hard, but the first time at anything sometimes some guidance is welcomed.
Just a different way of looking at it for you, maybe?
Cx