Derby Day Hot Brown Sliders (Printable)

Mini sliders with turkey, bacon, Mornay sauce on soft rolls, ideal for parties and celebrations.

# Ingredient List:

→ Sliders

01 - 12 soft slider rolls, such as Hawaiian rolls or brioche
02 - 2 cups cooked turkey breast, sliced or shredded
03 - 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and halved
04 - 1 cup Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ 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 shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Steps:

01 - Set oven to 350°F and allow to fully preheat before baking.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden. Slowly whisk in milk and cream while stirring continuously. Cook until thickened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
03 - Split slider rolls horizontally and arrange bottom halves in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
04 - Distribute turkey evenly over roll bottoms. Layer tomato slices followed by bacon pieces in sequence.
05 - Pour Mornay sauce evenly across the assembled layers. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over the top.
06 - Position top halves of rolls over the filled portions.
07 - Cover baking dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and continue baking for 5 to 7 minutes until tops are lightly browned and cheese is bubbling.
09 - Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That Mornay sauce tastes fancy but comes together in under five minutes, making you feel like a chef without the stress.
  • They're small enough to eat with your hands at a party but substantial enough that people actually feel satisfied, not hungry an hour later.
  • You can make the sauce ahead and assemble everything right before baking, which means you're free to actually enjoy your guests.
02 -
  • The Mornay sauce will thicken more as it cools, so when you're making it, it should look slightly looser than you think it needs to be because it's not finished cooking yet.
  • Don't skip the foil on the first part of baking or your rolls will brown too fast and the cheese won't have time to get creamy and bubbly inside where it counts.
03 -
  • Brush the insides of your roll tops with melted butter before putting them on top, it adds a richness that changes everything and keeps them from getting too dry if they're exposed to heat longer than expected.
  • If your Mornay sauce breaks or looks grainy, don't panic just whisk in a splash of cold milk and remove it from heat, sometimes the fix is simpler than you think.
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