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Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Kentucky hot brown sliders are pull-apart Hawaiian roll sandwiches drenched in golden, bubbly Mornay sauce with crisped bacon on top. Bake until melty and broil just long enough to toast the edges for an open-face turkey sandwich style party slider.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Slider rolls
  • 12 slider rolls (Hawaiian sweet rolls)
Turkey and toppings
  • 1 lb deli turkey, thinly sliced
  • 6 bacon, cooked until crispy
  • 2 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
  • 0.25 paprika and fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the pan and rolls
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the sliders release easily after baking.
  2. Slice slider rolls in half horizontally and place the bottoms in the baking dish in an even layer.
Layer turkey and tomatoes
  1. Layer deli turkey slices evenly over the roll bottoms to cover the surface.
  2. Top turkey with sliced tomatoes so each slider gets a bit of tomato in every bite.
Make the Mornay sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking briefly until fully melted and glossy.
  2. Whisk in all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
  3. Slowly whisk in warmed whole milk and stir until thickened, about 3–4 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in shredded sharp cheddar or Gruyère cheese, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg until smooth and creamy.
Bake and broil
  1. Pour Mornay sauce generously over the turkey layer so it settles between the layers.
  2. Place slider tops on, then bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until hot and bubbling around the edges.
  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.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with paprika and fresh parsley, then serve immediately while the sauce is at its most stretchy and warm.

Notes

Pro tip: warm the whole milk before whisking so the sauce thickens smoothly without lumps. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a covered container; reheat in a 350°F oven until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the Mornay texture can break after thawing. For a lighter option, swap in low-fat milk and part-skim cheese to reduce calories while keeping the cheesy sauce.