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Smothered in a delicate mornay sauce, the Kentucky hot brown sandwich is an open-face sandwich made with slices of toast stacked with roasted turkey, a tomato slice, and pieces of crispy bacon. Originally made for a breakfast treat, this sandwich is perfect for any time of day, and it is easy to make, too!
Why This Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe Works!
- Comfort Food Delicious: The Hot Brown Sandwich recipe is warm, hearty, and oh-so-comforting.
- Original Charm: You can’t beat the feeling of a classic recipe with a twist. Knowing the history just makes it even better!
- Kentucky Good: Having a Kentucky Derby party? This is the perfect dish to serve at a gathering!
What is a Hot Brown?
Head Chef Fred Schmidt created this open-faced sandwich, The Hot Brown, at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1926. This rich and hearty sandwich is like the original recipe, with thick slices of toasted bread topped with slices of turkey, tomato, and crispy bacon. But what makes this open-faced turkey sandwich so memorable is the cheesy mornay sauce poured on top and broiled until golden brown and bubbly.
I have spiced up the original hot brown recipe a bit with my own touch. This open-faced turkey sandwich with cheesy sauce is so rich and filling; I promise it will be a huge hit.
Ingredient Notes
Variations and Substitutions
How To Make a Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Cook the Bacon
Preheat oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. I used two separate sheets one for the bacon and one for the tomatoes, so that the tomatoes stay out of the bacon grease and don’t become greasy.
Place the strips of bacon and the sliced tomatoes on the baking sheet. Then, pop them in the oven to cook, with the tomatoes closest to the oven door. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the fat has rendered, the bacon is browned, and the tomatoes are roasted to perfection.
Remove the pan from the oven, drain the bacon on a plate covered with paper towels, and set it aside.
Step 2 | Prepare the Creamy Mornay Sauce
Let’s make the Roux: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of flour and cook while stirring.
Gradually whisk in the whole milk one-quarter cup at a time. Allow the hot milk to fully incorporate with the butter and flour mixture before adding more. Continue with the remaining milk and cook until the sauce starts to simmer and is thickened, whisking almost constantly for about 3-5 minutes.
Next, remove the mornay from the heat and whisk in grated cheddar and Romano cheeses until melted. Season with a dash of nutmeg, salt, pepper (to taste), and a few dashes of hot sauce (if desired- to taste.)
Step 3 | Toast the Bread and Assemble Sandwiches
First, set the oven to broil.
Toast the bread slices in a toaster until golden and place two slices on a clean baking tray. Likewise, you can toast bread in the oven by buttering bread slices and placing them on foil-lined baking sheets. Toast under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, then flip and toast the other side.
Assemble the parts of the sandwich now! Top each slice of toast with the turkey, then the slice of tomatoes,
Next, spoon on the sauce. Broil that for 2-3 minutes.
Now you are ready to transfer the whole thing to a plate (or on a serving tray) and top each with two bacon slices, formed in a criss-cross pattern. Garnish them with fresh chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
Tips
- Use a good quality turkey for this recipe for the best flavor.
- Let the flour (cook) brown a bit before adding the milk for the mornay sauce, the flour should be golden brown. This will keep the sauce from having a raw flour taste
- Ensure the sauce thickens up nicely so it sticks to the sandwich.
- Blot the meats and tomato with paper towels to absorb some of the moisture. That way, the bread does not get soggy.
Recipe FAQs
You sure can. For easy assembly, make it up to three days ahead. Store the sauce in a covered dish in the fridge, then reheat it in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk occasionally, and add a dash of milk if it gets too thick.
Absolutely, you can make a dairy-free Kentucky Hot Brown. Canned coconut milk is often used as an excellent alternative to heavy cream. Just swap out the heavy cream in the sauce with coconut milk. Nutritional yeast works well as a dairy-free substitute for grated Parmesan cheese. The taste will be different than the original recipe, but still a great dairy-free choice.
That is easy! Take a tablespoon of flour and whisk it together with a tablespoon of the sauce to make a thick paste. Then, slowly whisk in water until the lumps are gone. Add that mixture to the sauce and stir to combine. That should thicken the sauce up nicely.
I do not recommend freezing the sandwiches, as the bread may get soggy, and the cheese sauce will change in texture.
Storage
Storage: Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches leftovers really do not store well. I recommend only assembling what you plan to eat. You can store the leftover ingredients and the sauce separately and use them within 3 days.
Reheating: To reheat the hot browns, place them on a cookie sheet in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Warm until hot.
What to Serve with a Hot Turkey Sandwich
Serve this dish with sides according to the meal period you serve it. For instance, for lunch or dinner, you may serve it with a fresh Kale Salad, Creamy Cole Slaw, or Potato Salad. For a breakfast sandwich, you may serve it with a Berry Fruit Salad or even a slice of Overnight Breakfast Casserole.
More Hot Sandwich Recipes to Try
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Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 slices white bread, thick cut (like Texas toast)
- 4 slices thick-cut roast turkey breast, (about ½ pound)
- 1 cup white cheddar cheeses, shredded
- ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated or shredded
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 dash nutmeg
- 1-2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
- salt & pepper, to taste
- hot sauce, to taste
- ⅓ cup parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Cook Bacon and Roast Tomatoes
- Preheat oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. I used two separate sheets, one for the bacon and one for the tomatoes (so that the tomatoes stay out of the bacon grease and don't become greasy).
- Place the strips of bacon and the sliced tomatoes (you can drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil if desired) on the baking sheet. Then, place them in the oven to cook, with the tomatoes closest to the oven door. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the fat has rendered, the bacon is browned, and the tomatoes are roasted.Remove the pan from the oven, drain the bacon on a plate covered with paper towels, and set it aside.
Prepare Mornay Sauce
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add one tablespoon of flour to cook (for approximately 1 minute )while stirring.
- Gradually whisk in the milk (one-quarter cup at a time). Allow the milk to fully incorporate with the butter and flour mixture before adding more. Continue with the remaining milk. Cook until the sauce starts to simmer and is thickened, whisking almost constantly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in grated cheddar and Romano cheeses until melted. Season with a dash of nutmeg, salt, pepper (to taste), and a few dashes of hot sauce (if desired- to taste.)
Toast the Bread and Assemble Sandwiches
- Toast the bread slices in a toaster until golden and place two slices on a baking tray.Likewise, you can toast bread in the oven by buttering bread slices and placing them on foil-lined baking sheets. Toast under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, then flip and toast the other side.
- Top toasted bread with the turkey, then tomatoes, then spoon on the sauce and broil for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to plates and top with two pieces of bacon, formed in a criss-cross pattern, per sandwich. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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