This endive and ham gratin, known in France as endives au jambon, is a cozy French family dinner made with tender Belgian endives wrapped in ham, covered in creamy béchamel sauce, and baked until golden.
Please do not start telling me you don't like endives.
I can hear many things. You are not hungry. You don't feel like cooking. You forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer. Fine. Life happens. But "I don't like endives"? Absolutely not. Not before you have tried them wrapped in ham, covered in a thick, creamy béchamel sauce, sprinkled generously with cheese, and baked until golden and bubbling.
That, my friend, is a completely different conversation.
This endive and ham gratin, known in France as endives au jambon, is one of those classic French family dinners that has no business being this simple and this comforting at the same time. Tender Belgian endives are wrapped in ham, tucked into a baking dish, covered with homemade béchamel sauce, and baked until the top is beautifully golden.
And yes, even picky kids eat it. Even American kids. Which, as a French mother, I say with love and just the tiniest bit of concern because French kids are generally much less suspicious of vegetables.
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What Are Endives au Jambon?
Endives au jambon is a classic French bistro-style dish made with cooked Belgian endives, slices of ham, creamy béchamel sauce, and grated cheese.
It is simple, cozy, and wonderfully satisfying. The endives become tender and mild, the ham adds savory flavor, the béchamel makes everything creamy and comforting, and the cheese on top gives you that golden gratin situation we all deserve after a long day.
If there is one recipe that can make you reconsider your feelings about endives, this is the one.
So. Are we giving them a second chance?
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This French endive and ham gratin is:
- Comforting and creamy, thanks to the homemade béchamel sauce.
- Simple to prepare, with just a few everyday ingredients.
- A complete meal, with vegetables, ham, sauce, and cheese all in one dish.
- Very French, in the best cozy family-dinner kind of way.
- Kid-approved, which is honestly the real Michelin star in my house.
It is the kind of recipe that looks and tastes much more impressive than the amount of effort required. My favorite category of recipe, obviously.
Ingredients You'll Need
Belgian Endives
You will need 4 large Belgian endives. Try to choose endives that are firm, pale, and fresh-looking, without too many brown spots.
The endives are first cooked in boiling water until tender but still slightly firm. You do not want them falling apart before they even make it into the baking dish. They still have a little oven vacation ahead of them.
Ham
Use good-quality ham if you can. In France, I would go for nice slices from the deli counter, thick enough to wrap around the endives without disappearing into the sauce.
You want slices that are large enough to wrap around each endive and flavorful enough to bring something to the dish. But if thin slices are what you have, no drama - just wrap each endive in three or four slices so the ham still gets a proper chance to shine.
Béchamel Sauce
The béchamel is what makes this recipe so delicious. It is made with butter, flour, and milk, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. And don't even get me started on béchamel. I could write it a love letter.
Please salt it properly. I am saying this with affection, but an under-seasoned béchamel is how a beautiful French gratin becomes a beige disappointment.
Grated Cheese
A generous sprinkle of grated cheese goes on top before baking. Gruyère is traditional and delicious, but Swiss cheese or another good melting cheese will also work.
The goal is a golden, bubbling top. We are not here to be shy.
The Secret to the Best Endive and Ham Gratin
- Do not overcook the endives during the first cooking step. They should be tender but still slightly firm.
- Drain the endives very well before wrapping them in ham. This helps keep the béchamel thick and creamy. Endives hold a lot of water after cooking, and if you do not drain them properly, they can release water into the baking dish and thin out your beautiful béchamel sauce. And we did not lovingly make béchamel just for it to become soup.
After boiling the endives, place them upside down in a colander and let them drain thoroughly. You can even gently press them a little if needed. This one small step makes a big difference. - Season the béchamel generously. The endives are mild, so the sauce needs enough salt, pepper, and nutmeg to bring the whole dish to life.
- Use a good melting cheese. Gruyère is ideal, but Swiss cheese works well too.
What to Serve with Endive and Ham Gratin
This dish can be served as a complete meal, especially for a simple weeknight dinner. If you want to add something on the side, keep it easy.
A simple green salad works beautifully. You can also serve it with crusty bread if you want to make sure not a drop of béchamel is left behind, which is the correct attitude.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can prepare the gratin ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator before baking.
Cook and drain the endives, make the béchamel, assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake until hot, bubbling, and golden on top.
You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if the dish is cold from the fridge.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the oven for the best texture, or use the microwave if it is lunchtime and everyone is hungry and nobody has the patience for elegance.
Still have a little room for dessert? Then you should absolutely head over to my fabulous French apple cake recipe. It is simple, cozy, and exactly the kind of treat this meal deserves.
You'll find the detailed recipe in the recipe card below. If you try it, I'd love to hear what you think. Please leave a comment at the very bottom of the page and give it a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. It truly helps support my little blog and means the world to me. Thank you!
Endive and Ham Gratin with Béchamel Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 large Belgian endives (or 8 small ones, wrapped 2 by 2)
- 4 large, thick slices of good quality ham (use more if thin slices)
- 4 tablespoon (60g) of butter
- ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 3 ⅔ cups (850 ml) milk (whole milk is best)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A pinch of nutmeg
- Grated cheese, such as Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Cook the endives in a large pot of boiling water, covered, for about 15 minutes, more or less depending on the size of the endives. The endives should be cooked but still slightly firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, or 180°C.
- Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. The mixture should thicken without browning.
- Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the béchamel sauce has thickened.
- Remove from the heat, then add salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Make sure to salt the sauce well so the dish is not bland. Set aside.
- Drain the endives very well, upside down. This step is very important so they do not release too much water and dilute the béchamel sauce.
- Wrap each endive in a slice of ham and place them in a baking dish.
- Cover with the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the gratin is beautifully golden on top.
