If you’re hosting a Kentucky Derby party this year, or if you just like to have sandwiches for dinner sometimes (like us!), I have THE BEST recipe for you! These little Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders are incredibly popular in our house, and they make regular appearances at parties throughout the year. They are a must-try!
How to Make Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders | 1-Minute Video
What Is A Kentucky Hot Brown?
The traditional Kentucky Hot Brown is an open-face sandwich with turkey and bacon (and sometimes with pimientos or tomatoes), smothered in a Mornay sauce.
What the heck is a Mornay sauce?
It sounds fancy, but it’s basically just a white béchamel sauce with Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses added.
But you know what? Open-face sandwiches coated in creamy sauce are not exactly party-friendly finger food. So instead, I took the same basic ingredients from the classic sandwich and turned them into something even more delicious.
My version of Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders are kid-friendly and can be consumed with your hands — no utensils required!
These sliders are stuffed with turkey, bacon, diced pimientos, Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. As if that’s not delicious enough, they are coated in a sweet, garlic butter sauce that makes them indescribably good.
How to make Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders:
These party sandwiches come together in just minutes!
- Assemble the individual sandwiches with mayonnaise, turkey, bacon, pimentos (or tomatoes), and cheese.
- Arrange the sandwiches in a 9-inch square baking dish.
- In a saucepan, make a sauce with melted butter, diced onion, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Pour the butter sauce over the sandwiches.
- Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for several hours.
- Bake the sliders in a 350 degree F oven covered for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for about 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with the sliders:
Enjoy these sandwiches for a regular weeknight meal with a side salad, fruit salad, potato chips or fries. If you’re hosting a Kentucky Derby party, here are a few more festive options that go well with the Hot Brown Sliders:
- Dump-and-Bake Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole
- Chocolate Pecan “Derby Pie”
- Derby Day Bourbon Brownies
- Mint Julep Fruit Salad
- Grandmother’s Bourbon Balls
Tips For Making Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders:
- I used Gruyere and Parmesan cheese but any good melting cheese would do if you don’t have them on hand. Why not try provolone or sharp white cheddar.
- Deli chicken can be used instead of turkey
- Try adding a little mustard with the mayo of a little kick
- You can make these in advance and keep them in the fridge for several hours before baking
This recipe makes 12 sliders, but I will warn you — they go FAST. Definitely make more of these little guys than you think you will need. They won’t last long!
More easy party sandwiches that you might enjoy:
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ounce) pkg. King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls, split
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 12 slices deli turkey
- 12 slices cooked bacon
- 6 slices Gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup diced pimientos or sliced tomatoes
- ½ cup butter, cubed
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Assemble one slider by spreading mayonnaise on the bottom of the roll.
- Add a layer of turkey, then bacon (breaking it in half or thirds to fit on the roll), a few diced pimientos (or tomatoes), half a slice of Gruyere, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Replace the top. Repeat with remaining rolls to assemble a total of 12 sandwiches.
- Arrange sandwiches in a single layer in a greased 9-inch-square baking pan.
- In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until tender.
- Whisk in the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Continue whisking until brown sugar is dissolved.
- Pour butter sauce over sandwiches.
- Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for several hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake, covered, 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Tips For Making Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders:
- I used Gruyere and Parmesan cheese but any good melting cheese would do if you don’t have them on hand. Why not try provolone or sharp white cheddar.
- Deli chicken can be used instead of turkey
- Try adding a little mustard with the mayo of a little kick
- You can make these in advance and keep them in the fridge for several hours before baking
How absolutely delicious!!
Anything with melty cheese or a mornay sauce is a real winner 🙂
Yes, totally delicious! Definitely a family favorite. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Yum. Do you think you could prepare one day ahead?
Hi, Cari! I haven’t actually tried it myself, but another reader said that she has prepared them the night before and that they turned out fine. Enjoy!
Awesome! Thank you. Will let you know how they turn out.
Great! Please let me know. 🙂
I made these for our rowing crew’s annual weekend getaway…everyone loved them and wanted the recipe. I used a good turkey bacon and they were delicious!
That’s awesome, Ann! I’m so glad that you all enjoyed them. I think they’re delish too! 🙂
I made these for a derby party last year and everyone asked if I would bring them again this year! Such a hit with adults ans kids! Plan on making multiple batches and Sam’s Club has everything you need (except for pimentos-got those at Target)!
Amazing! I’m so glad that they will add to the festivities today. Thanks, Amy!
These look really yummy! I found your post in the Show Stopper Saturday Link Party 🙂
Hi, Shareba! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I have never heard of hot brown, these look so delish and since they are a finger food….I must try!
Hi Kristina and Millie! These are amazingly delicious…you will love them. 🙂
Another one of your posts has caught my eye(stopping by from Life Created Tuesday)!! These look delicious, just pinned it!
Ashley
Hi Ashley! Thanks for visiting again. This is such a great recipe — thanks for pinning!
Hello! I came across your recipe as I was searching for a dish to bring to an Oaks day brunch and this is perfect! Since the party is in the morning, I was wondering if the sandwiches would be ok to soak in the mixture overnight?
These are the perfect brunch sandwiches! I’m so glad that you’re going to make them. I’m serving them at a Mother’s Day brunch in a couple of weeks, too.
I’ve never tried to leave them in the sauce overnight, so I’m not exactly sure how they would turn out. My suggestion would be to just err on the side of caution and let them sit for less time rather than for so long. I’d hate for your bread to be too mushy if they sat for too long. Again, they might be fine — I’m just not sure. If you can make them early in the morning and then even just let them sit for an hour or so, that would still be good. Or, you could prepare the sandwiches the night before and then just pour the sauce over top really early in the morning (and go back to bed if you want!). Hope that helps! Enjoy!
I’ve made something similar to this and let it sit overnight, and it was fine! Can’t wait to try THIS version!
Oh, that’s perfect, Carol! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Oh, and where do the pimientos come in?
Hi Michelle! Duh – sorry that I forgot to include the pimientos in the recipe instructions! Thanks for pointing that out! I updated the recipe now. 🙂 You just include a few of the diced pimientos inside the sandwich with the bacon, cheese, and meats — however many you like!
These look so yummy! Please come share at the Anything Goes linky, if you have not already. I love Gruyere cheese.
Thanks, Mindie! I will definitely come share!
Have you used dices or sliced tomatoes instead of pimento cheeses in the sliders before? I’m thinking of making this for Derby day but was leaning a bit toward a more traditional hot brown.
Hi, Katie! I haven’t used tomatoes before, so I’m not exactly sure how they would do. I think it would probably be fine, but just remember that you’re going to bake these in the oven, so the raw tomatoes will not stay crispy and fresh — they might get a little bit mushy. I’m sure the sandwiches would still taste great, though! It just depends on your preference. 🙂
Blair, these look SO good–I love all that melty cheese 🙂
Hi, Amy! Thanks for stopping by. And yes — the melty cheese definitely makes them awesome! 🙂
Looks tasty! Thanks for sharing at Happiness is Homemade 🙂
Blair, thanks so much for sharing these at Treasure Box Tuesday- sharing on Facebook this morning at 11:00 CST! 🙂 Gorgeous!
Looks tasty
Thanks for sharing your ideas and recipes .
Hi, Lauren! Thanks for stopping by!
I made these last night for our annual Derby party and they were AMAZING!! My only regret is that I didn’t make more of them!!! These are Going on our regular dinner rotation 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Hi, Jenny! That’s so great! Thanks for letting me know, and I’m glad that you liked them. They’re a favorite in our house, too. 🙂
My mother-in-law made these hot brown sliders this weekend and they were delicious. This recipe is a keeper for our next Derby party and others. Thanks for sharing.
Diane
Hi, Diane! Thanks so much for letting me know. They are in the regular rotation at our house, too! In fact, I’m making them this weekend for another party at our house. 🙂
Hi Blair,
Awesome! I served them with an orange cranberry relish I had left over. Outstanding!
Cari
Sounds perfect. Glad that you liked them, Cari! 🙂
A traditional Kentucky Hot Brown DOES NOT have pimentos. It does have ham and tomatoes in addition to the turkey and bacon.
Traditioanl Hot Browns DO NOT have ham…
https://www.brownhotel.com/dining/hot-brown
Are these meant to be served warm or cold?
Hi, Cari! I definitely think that they are best served warm! That said, our family has been known to eat left-overs at room temp and they are also delicious!
I made these today for lunch for my parents and daughter, and everyone absolutely loved them! This will definitely be one of my go-to dishes from now on!! I didn’t have any tomatoes but would have definitely used them instead of pimentos since that’s the ingredient in the original Hot Brown created by the Brown Hotel here in Louisville. A lot of restaurants here in Louisville serve the Hot Brown, and they all use tomatoes. They get layered under the cheese sauce and are baked right along with everything else. Yummy!
Hi, Becky! I’m glad that you liked the recipe! I didn’t realize that tomatoes were more traditional…learn something new every day! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Just found your site thanks to Twitter and I must say I’m loving your recipes! Each one looks equally delicious and I can’t wait to make my own gluten free versions. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks so much, Lindsay! So glad that you found us. I hope that you get to try some of the tasty options. 🙂
I’ve made these twice now. My family loves them. We had a few cadets over this past weekend and they proclaimed they were, “amazing”! Thank you!
Oh, that’s great! Thanks so much for letting me know, DebV!!! 🙂