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Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Kentucky hot brown sliders with turkey, tomato, and a creamy Mornay sauce baked until bubbly, then broiled for toasty, crisp edges. Pull-apart Hawaiian sweet rolls are layered like an open-face hot brown sandwich, finished with crispy bacon and golden cheese.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Slider layers
  • 12 slider rolls (Hawaiian sweet rolls)
  • 1 lb deli turkey, thinly sliced
  • 6 bacon strips, cooked until crispy
  • 2 large tomatoes, sliced thin
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
  • 1 paprika for garnish
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prepare and assemble
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish for easy release.
  2. Slice the slider rolls in half horizontally and place the roll bottoms in the greased baking dish.
  3. Layer the deli turkey slices evenly over the roll bottoms.
  4. Top the turkey with the thinly sliced tomatoes to form an even layer.
  5. Pour the prepared Mornay sauce generously over the turkey layer so it reaches the edges.
  6. Place the slider tops on and bake for 15 minutes until hot and bubbling around the sides (visual cue: sauce bubbling).
Broil and finish
  1. Remove from the oven, lay the crispy bacon strips across the top, and switch the oven to broil.
  2. Broil for 2–3 minutes until the tops turn golden and the edges look crisp (visual cue: browned, toasty edges).
  3. Garnish with paprika and fresh parsley and serve immediately for best pull-apart texture.
Make the Mornay sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Slowly whisk in the warmed milk and stir until thickened, about 3–4 minutes (visual cue: sauce coats the back of a spoon).
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.

Notes

Pro tip: warm the milk before whisking to keep the Mornay sauce silky and smooth. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat in a 325°F oven until hot and bubbling. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce texture can change after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the roux.