Kentucky Derby Hot Brown Sliders (Print)

Mini brioche sliders layered with turkey, bacon, tomato, and creamy Mornay cheese sauce.

# Ingredients:

→ Slider Assembly

01 - 12 mini brioche slider buns, sliced
02 - 12 slices roasted turkey breast (14 ounces)
03 - 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and halved
04 - 2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for toasting buns

→ Mornay Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbling but not browned.
02 - Slowly add milk and cream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until thickened, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth and keep warm.
04 - In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Place cut sides of brioche slider buns face-down and toast until golden, approximately 1-2 minutes.
05 - Place bottom halves of toasted buns on a baking sheet. Layer each with one slice turkey, one slice tomato, and 1 tablespoon Mornay sauce. Top with half slice bacon.
06 - Preheat broiler. Slide assembled bottoms without tops under broiler for 2-3 minutes until sauce is bubbly and lightly golden.
07 - Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley and smoked paprika if desired. Crown each slider with top half of brioche bun and serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're elegant enough to impress guests but casual enough to eat with your hands, which somehow makes them taste better.
  • The Mornay sauce is ridiculously silky and rich—it's the kind of thing that makes people ask for seconds before they've even finished the first.
  • You can prep most of it ahead and just broil when guests arrive, leaving you actually present instead of stressed in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skimp on the roux cooking time or your sauce will taste raw and pasty no matter how much cheese you add—I've been there.
  • If your sauce breaks when you add the cheese, it usually means the heat was too high; remove from heat and let it cool slightly before adding cheese.
03 -
  • Buy your brioche buns the day you're making these sliders—day-old buns get tough when toasted and dry out further under the broiler.
  • If you don't have a broiler or yours is finicky, you can finish these in a 400°F oven for about 5 minutes, though the broiler gives you better control and a prettier golden top.
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