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Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Kentucky hot brown sliders with turkey and tomato are baked into pull-apart open-face sandwiches, then drenched in a golden bubbly Mornay sauce. Crisp bacon strips go on top before broiling so the edges turn toasty brown.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Slider rolls and layers
  • 12 slider rolls (Hawaiian sweet rolls)
  • 1 lb deli turkey, thinly sliced
  • 6 bacon cooked until crispy
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced thin
For the Mornay sauce
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar or Gruyère cheese, shredded
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • paprika for garnish
  • fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and assemble in the baking dish
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Slice the slider rolls in half horizontally and place the bottoms in the baking dish.
  3. Layer the turkey slices evenly over the roll bottoms, then top with the tomato slices.
Make the Mornay sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Slowly whisk in the warmed milk and stir until thickened, about 3–4 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
Bake, broil, and garnish
  1. Pour the Mornay sauce generously over the turkey layer.
  2. Place the slider tops on and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F.
  3. Remove from the oven, place the bacon strips across the top, switch to broil, and broil for 2–3 minutes until the tops are golden and the edges are crispy.
  4. Garnish with paprika and fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, warm the milk so it thickens quickly without lumps. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat covered in a 325°F oven until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce and rolls can change texture. Dietary swap: use turkey breast deli meat labeled lower-sodium if you want a lighter sodium profile.