Kentucky Hot Browns are pure comfort food – open-faced turkey sandwiches topped with juicy tomatoes, bubbly Mornay (cheese) sauce, and crispy bacon. My mom added her own touches to the classic Hot Brown recipe, creating our family’s version, which, in our opinion, is even more delicious!
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A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe
⏲️ Ready In: 30 minutes
🥣 Main Ingredients: Roast turkey, fresh tomatoes, bacon, ham, Mornay (cheese) sauce, bread
♨️ Method: Cooktop, oven
🍽️ Yield: 4 servings, can easily be doubled
⭐️ Difficulty: Easy
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Growing up, Hot Brown Sandwiches were a family tradition. Whenever my mom felt nostalgic for her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, she made them for us with her own spin, adding ham and using yellow Cheddar instead of the semi-hard white cheese traditionally used in Mornay sauce. Those flavors still taste like home to me, so now, whenever I’m missing my mom’s kitchen, I make Hot Browns. I find myself returning to other Kentucky family favorites, too, like my mom’s Pimento Cheese Spread and her Jam Cake.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s pure comfort food.
- The Mornay sauce is rich, flavorful and is what makes this sandwich special.
- The ham adds extra savory depth.
- It’s perfect for a satisfying lunch or easy dinner.
- You can make it ahead, in part or in full.
- It’s flexible and easy to adapt, even vegetarian.
What is a Hot Brown Sandwich?
A Hot Brown is a classic open-faced turkey sandwich served on toast, topped with sliced tomatoes, Mornay sauce, and bacon, and baked or broiled until hot and bubbly. It’s rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying. It originated at the historic Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, in the 1920s, as a hearty late-night dish for dinner-dance guests. Today, you’ll find many versions, but they all start with that same comforting combination of toast, turkey, cheese sauce, and bacon.
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Carey
“These are fabulous! So easy to prepare, and perfect comfort food on a cold night.”
Ingredients
This recipe uses 10 ingredients you can find at most grocery stores. A few notes on the key ones:
- Mornay sauce (white sauce with cheese) – Made with butter, flour, whole milk, Worcestershire sauce, and grated hard cheese. Keep it fairly thick so it stays on the sandwiches (see tips below). Traditional Mornay uses a semi-hard white cheese, but my mom preferred the brighter color of yellow Cheddar.
- Toasted bread – Artisan bread works best because it’s sturdier and less likely to get soggy. Sourdough is my favorite, but almost any bread will work.
- Sliced roasted turkey – Good quality deli slices work well. If you have freshly roasted turkey, that’s even better.
- Sliced ham – Ham isn’t traditional in a Hot Brown, but it’s my mom’s twist and part of what makes our version unique. Country ham was her favorite, but I often use what’s easiest to find, like Black Forest or Virginia ham.
Substitutions and Variations
While these sandwiches are delicious as is, here are a few ways they could be modified to fit your diet or what you have on hand:
- Different cheese: For a more classic version, use a combination of grated Gruyère and Parmesan instead of Cheddar in the sauce.
- No bacon: Leave it out, or top the sandwiches with roasted asparagus spears for a similar savory, roasted finish.
- Vegetarian options: Skip the turkey and ham and use steamed broccoli or sautéed or roasted mushrooms in their place, then top with roasted asparagus spears instead of bacon.
- Different bread: Sourdough is my choice, but any sturdy sandwich bread will work.
How to Make This Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe
- Prep the tomatoes: Place tomato slices in a single layer on paper towels to drain excess moisture. Set aside.
- Start the sauce: In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan or sauté pan, melt the butter over low heat.
- Make the roux: Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes.
- Add the milk: Slowly pour in the milk in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Thicken the sauce: Increase heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring or whisking frequently, until the sauce is smooth, lump-free, and very thick.
- Finish the sauce: Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese, a handful at a time, until melted. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Arrange toast in one layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Top each with 2 slices of turkey and 1 slice of ham (fold or trim as needed), then add 2 tomato slices, overlapping if needed.
- Add sauce and bacon; bake: Spoon cheese sauce over each sandwich. Top each with 2 slices of bacon in an “X” shape. Bake in a 400-degree F oven until the sauce is bubbling, about 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
- Use good-quality sliced roasted turkey. It’s a key ingredient, so quality really matters.
- Toast the bread. This helps keep the sandwiches from getting soggy.
- Dry the tomatoes (and deli meats if needed). Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture so the sauce doesn’t get diluted. If your sliced turkey or ham is very moist, dry it, too.
- Use good-quality cheese in the sauce. It’s another major source of flavor. I like Tillamook Sharp Cheddar.
- Use full-fat milk for the sauce. It helps the sauce thicken properly and gives you a richer, more stable result.
How to Fix Runny Cheese Sauce
Hot Brown cheese sauce needs to be fairly thick, so it will say on the sandwiches. If yours is runny, here’s how to fix it: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon flour with 1 tablespoon of the sauce. It will form a paste. Slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon water, just until smooth (no lumps), adding another tablespoon of water if needed. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the sauce and cook over medium-low heat until thickened.
What to Serve With a Hot Brown
Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches are perfect for lunch or dinner. They’re rich and filling, so I like to keep the sides simple. Try serving them with a fresh fruit salad, a Tossed Green Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette, or Spinach Salad with Lemon Pine Nut Dressing.
Given Hot Browns’ Kentucky roots, they are also a great choice for Derby Day. Serve them with our family’s Mint Juleps – or, if you prefer something brighter and citrus-forward, my Whiskey Lemon Cocktail – along with Benedictine Cheese, and either Chocolate Pecan (aka Derby) Pie or Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars. For more ideas, see my post Taste the Winning Flavors: Two Kentucky Derby Dinner Menus.
Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make it up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Reheat gently over low heat, whisking until smooth. If it’s too thick after chilling, whisk in a little milk as you warm it.
Yes, in part or in full. You can prepare the cheese sauce, cook the bacon, toast the bread, and slice the tomatoes up to 24 hours ahead. Store each component in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can assemble the sandwiches, cover them well, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Bring to room temperature, then bake just before serving.
I don’t recommend it. The cheese sauce and tomatoes don’t freeze well, and the sandwich’s texture suffers after thawing.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through; the bread will be softer, but the flavors will still be good.
More Delicious Sandwich Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and give it a rating below. Don’t hesitate to ask questions – I’m happy to help!
Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe
Equipment
- 1 quarter-sheet pan (9 by 13-inch)
Ingredients
Mornay Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, at room temperature or warmed
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Sandwiches
- 4 slices bread, toasted (sourdough works well)
- 8 slices cooked turkey breast, placed on paper towel to dry, if needed
- 4 slices baked ham, placed on paper towel to dry, if needed
- 8 ripe tomato slices, placed on paper towel to soak up excess moisture
- 8 slices crispy bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper (a quarter-sheet pan works well).
Mornay Sauce
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan or sauté pan, melt the butter over low heat.
- Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Raise the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring or whisking frequently, until the sauce is smooth, free of lumps, and very thick.
- Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese, a handful at a time, until melted.
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sandwiches
- Arrange the toast in one layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Top each slice with 2 slices of turkey and 1 slice of ham (fold or trim as needed), then add 2 tomato slices, overlapping if needed.
- Spoon cheese sauce over each sandwich.
- Top each with 2 slices of bacon in an “X” shape.
- Bake until sauce bubbles, around 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use good-quality sliced roasted turkey. It’s a key ingredient, so quality really matters.
- Toast the bread. This helps keep the sandwiches from getting soggy.
- Dry the tomatoes (and deli meats). Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture so the sauce doesn’t get diluted. If your sliced turkey or ham is very moist, dry that too.
- Use good-quality cheese in the sauce. It’s another major source of flavor.
Make sure the sauce is thick. If it’s too thin, it will run off the sandwiches. (See tips below for fixing a runny Mornay sauce.) - Use full-fat milk for the sauce. It helps the sauce thicken properly and gives you a richer, more stable result.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So so good, didn’t change a thing!
Thanks, Mary Lou! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed our recipe.
I had Italian cheese blend, so used that instead of the Cheddar. Grilled the tomatoes too. We all loved them!
Love the idea of grilling the tomatoes! I’m going to try that for sure.
if you like ham then why not! I am going to use it as well. l bet the chef would have used it if it was what he had on hand.
Forgot the rating!!
Deelish! Brought back memories of something we ate as kids called Welsh Rarebit – bread, turkey, cheese sauce. Bacon and tomatoes are a great addition!
Thanks Jane – and I remember Welsh Rarebit, too!
Made this to serve to my husband on Derby Day. It was a huge hit and will likely become an annual tradition. I didn’t have turkey breast, but I oven roasted a chicken breast; and sliced some spiral ham I had in the freezer after the holidays. I made this exactly as you suggested – but for the mornay sauce I used a combination of fresh-shredded cheese – gruyere, parmesan and sharp orange cheddar (which added a nice hue). I served these (after a light broil after assembling) in individual oval casserole dish. With a mixed greens and and cold, roasted asparagus with a lemon vinaigrette – it was a luscious brunch. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!
Thanks Bobette! I love the cheese combination you used in the Mornay sauce – sounds wonderful. And your side dishes were perfect, too!
Oh these sound amazing. I’m going to make some this week with my leftover Easter ham. thank you!
You’re welcome!
Your notes indicate you should have a cup of milk for each tablespoon of butter, yet you only use 2 cups of milk. I assume the 2 cups of milk is correct since you caution against having runny sauce. Can you clarify? My mom made these EVERY year after Thanksgiving (and also included ham as you do) and always on individual steak warming platters that had wood bases. Such a great memory and I’ve been trying to recreate for years and this seems to be what I’ve been looking for. We always added green onions, too.
Good catch! Yes, I reduce the amount of milk here to ensure the sauce isn’t runny. Love the addition of green onion – I’m going to try that next time I make these sandwiches!
Cooked bacon in the oven for 10 more minutes? Won’t it burn?
I’ve never had the bacon burn before.
A true hot brown does NOT have ham in it!
These are fabulous! So easy to prepare, and perfect comfort food on a cold night. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome!
Delicious! Love the addition of the ham –
I made these for dinner last night. My husband and I both have Kentucky roots so we have had many versions of hot browns. Your recipe is delicious! We sent pictures to all our kids and they want the recipe.
Thanks for the feedback Anne, and I’m so happy to hear that ya’ll liked our version of Hot Browns!
Looking to buy some individual round au gratin baking dishes like those picture on the website for the Kentuky Hot Brown. The same dish appears on several website and, in fact, are used in the video made in the kitchen of The Brown Hotel while showing how to make the Hot Brown.
Who makes these dishes and where might I buy some?
Thanks.