Kentucky Derby Hot Brown Sliders (Printable Version)

Mini sliders with turkey, bacon, Mornay sauce on pillowy brioche buns perfect for festive gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sliders

01 - 12 mini brioche slider buns, sliced
02 - 12 slices roasted turkey breast (approximately 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

# Steps to Follow:

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

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They taste like a fancy steakhouse appetizer but come together faster than you'd think, giving you time to actually enjoy the race.
  • The warm, cheesy sauce soaking into buttery brioche is honestly the closest you can get to elegant indulgence in finger-food form.
  • Everyone feels like they're eating something special, even though you're mostly just layering things onto toasted buns.
  • They're flexible enough to make ahead partially, then broil right before guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip preheating your broiler or your sauce won't cook properly—it needs aggressive heat to get bubbly and slightly browned.
  • The sauce will seem too thick when you first finish it, but trust that it firms up as it cools slightly and again under the broiler, so resist the urge to add more cream.
  • Room-temperature turkey will cook through fine, but cold turkey straight from the fridge won't heat through during broiling, so let it sit out for ten minutes first.
03 -
  • A tiny splash of hot sauce whisked into the Mornay after you add the cheese gives it an edge that feels inspired without being obvious.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, strain it through a fine sieve and whisk in a tablespoon of cold milk—it usually comes back together.
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