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Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Kentucky hot brown sliders with an open-face turkey sandwich layout and pull-apart slider rolls, drenched in golden Mornay sauce. Bake until bubbly and tender, then broil for toasty brown edges topped with crisp bacon.
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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: 535
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Slider rolls
  • 12 slider rolls (Hawaiian sweet rolls) Use 12 rolls for a full 9x13 layer.
Topping and layers
  • 1 lb deli turkey, thinly sliced
  • 6 bacon, cooked until crispy Crush lightly after crisping only if needed to fit the tops.
  • 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
  • 0.25 paprika and fresh parsley for garnish Use paprika for color and parsley for freshness at the end.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 baking dish

Method
 

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

Notes

To keep the sliders from drying out, warm the milk before adding it to the roux so the sauce thickens smoothly. Refrigerate covered up to 3 days; reheat in a 325°F oven until hot throughout, then broil briefly if you want extra edge crisping. Freezing is not recommended because the Mornay sauce can change texture after thawing. For a lower-fat swap, use part-skim cheese and reduced-fat milk while keeping the same thickening method.