Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Recipe – Easy Southern Comfort Food
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Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole takes everything people love about the classic Hot Brown and turns it into an easy casserole. Toasted bread, turkey, ham, bacon, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and creamy white sauce are layered in one baking dish and baked until hot and bubbly. It’s an especially good recipe for leftover turkey, but you can make it any time with cooked chicken or turkey.
This is the kind of casserole that works for a regular family dinner but is also good enough for brunch, holidays, potlucks, and game day. Enjoy more of my casserole recipes.
Why You’ll Love Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole
This casserole takes the flavors of the famous Kentucky Hot Brown and turns them into a family-friendly baked dish.
- Easy to make: There’s no sandwich assembly required.
- Great for leftovers: Use leftover turkey, chicken, or ham.
- Comfort food: Toasted bread, creamy white sauce, cheese, bacon, and tomatoes make a filling meal.
- Good for a crowd: A 9×13-inch casserole makes plenty for family dinners or entertaining.
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble parts of the casserole ahead of time for easier meal prep.
What Is a Kentucky Hot Brown?
The Kentucky Hot Brown is a classic open-faced sandwich created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original is made with turkey and bacon, covered with Mornay sauce and finished with tomatoes before being broiled.
This casserole takes those same basic flavors and makes them much easier to serve. Instead of individual sandwiches, everything is layered in a baking dish and baked together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Bread
Use a sturdy white bread and cut it into cubes. Toasting the bread first helps it hold up under the creamy sauce.
Turkey
Use cooked turkey that has been shredded or cubed. This is a great recipe for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. You can also use chicken. Rotisserie chicken is great!
Ham
Cooked ham adds a salty, savory layer and works especially well with the turkey and bacon.
White Sauce
Butter, flour, milk, black pepper, and dry mustard make a simple homemade white sauce. The sauce brings everything together.
Bacon
Cooked, crumbled bacon adds the smoky flavor that is essential to a Hot Brown.
Cheddar Cheese
Sharp or medium cheddar works well. Shred it yourself if possible for the best melting texture.
Tomatoes
Fresh sliced tomatoes add color and a little acidity to balance the rich casserole.
Parsley or Basil
A little fresh herb on top gives the finished casserole a fresh look.
How to Make Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole
Time needed: 45 minutes
The full printable recipe is at the bottom of the post.
- Cook the bacon or use precooked bacon or bacon bits
Preheat the oven to 375°F. If you’re using bacon rather than bacon bits, cook it in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined tray and crumble once cool enough to handle.
- Toast the bread
Cut the white bread into cubes and spread it in a baking dish or on a sheet pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
Toasting the bread is worth the extra step. It adds more texture to the casserole and keeps the bread from becoming too soft. - Make the white sauce
Melt the
butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Don’t let the flour mixture brown.
Slowly add the milk while whisking continuously. Bring the mixture to a low boil and continue whisking until the sauce thickens.
Stir in the black pepper and dry mustard. - Layer the casserole
Place the toasted bread cubes in a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Pour the white sauce evenly over the bread.
Add the turkey and ham, spreading them evenly across the casserole. Arrange the tomato slices over the meat.
Finish with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. - Bake
Bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese has melted.
Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
Tips for the Best Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole
Toast the bread first. This helps the bread maintain some texture after the sauce is added.
Use leftover turkey. Thanksgiving leftovers are perfect for this casserole, but cooked chicken works just as well.
Don’t skip the bacon. Bacon is one of the signature flavors of a Hot Brown and adds a smoky, salty bite.
Use freshly shredded cheese. It melts more smoothly than many pre-shredded cheeses.
Let it rest before serving. Five to ten minutes gives the sauce time to settle and makes the casserole easier to scoop.
Can I Use Chicken Instead of Turkey?
Absolutely. Chicken is an easy substitute for turkey in Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole. Rotisserie chicken is especially convenient when you don’t have leftover turkey available. Try more leftover turkey recipes.
Use the same amount of cooked chicken as the recipe calls for turkey.
Can I Make Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Ahead of Time?
You can prepare the components ahead of time, but for the best texture, I recommend toasting the bread and making the sauce shortly before assembling the casserole.
If assembling ahead, keep the casserole refrigerated until you’re ready to bake. Because the ingredients are cold, you may need to add a little extra baking time.
What to Serve With Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole
This is a hearty casserole, so simple sides work best.
Try serving it with:
For brunch, serve it with fresh fruit and a simple green salad.
What to Do With Leftovers
Store leftover casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the casserole and warm it in a 325°F oven until heated through.
The bread will soften more after refrigeration, but the flavors are still excellent.
Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole FAQs
A Hot Brown casserole is a baked version of the classic Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich. It combines turkey, ham, bacon, tomatoes, bread, creamy sauce, and cheese in a casserole dish.
Traditional Hot Brown sandwiches use turkey and bacon. This casserole also includes ham for extra flavor, and chicken can be substituted for turkey.
Yes. This is an excellent recipe for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Simply shred or cube the cooked turkey and use it in place of freshly prepared meat.
White bread works well because it absorbs the sauce while still providing structure after toasting. A sturdy white bread is preferable to very soft, fresh bread.
Yes. Cooked crumbled bacon or bacon bits can be used. If using packaged bacon bits, choose real bacon pieces rather than bacon-flavored bits for the best flavor.
Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole
Items in blue & underlined below can be clicked for more detail or to purchase.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces white bread cubed
- 1 and ½ cups turkey or chicken, shredded or cubed
- 1 cup ham cooked, cubed
- 1 and ½ teaspoons black pepper divided
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard *aka mustard powder or dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk divided
- 6 ounces bacon cooked & crumbled, or bacon bits
- 1 and ½ cup Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup tomatoes fresh, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, or basil for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the casserole:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Use bacon bits or cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 12 minutes; remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined tray. Chop the bacon.6 ounces bacon
- Bake the cubed bread in a preheated oven until toasted, about 15 minutes.16 ounces white bread
Make white sauce:
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Be careful not to brown the mixture. Add the milk and whisk. Bring to a low boil, whisking continuously. Whisk in the pepper and dry mustard.1 and ½ teaspoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 cups whole milk, ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- When the bread has cooled, add it to a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Pour the white sauce over the bread. Add the diced ham and turkey evenly over the top. Top with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and bacon over the top.1 and ½ cups turkey, 1 cup ham, 1 cup tomatoes, 1 and ½ cup Cheddar cheese
- Bake until the cheese melts and it's heated through, about 45 minutes.
- Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil before serving.1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Notes
🥡Storing
Store leftover casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the oven or toaster, or cover the casserole and warm it in a 325°F oven until heated through. Microwaving tends to make the bread tough. The bread will soften more after refrigeration, but the flavors are still excellent. Freezing is not recommended.Nutrition
