Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole

A baked casserole topped with melted cheese, sliced tomatoes, ground meat, and green herbs, served in a decorative dish with fresh tomatoes and green onions in the background.

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Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole

If you love hearty casseroles that can feed a crowd, add this one to your list. It comes together with simple ingredients and is a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken.

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, American/Southern

Keyword casserole, cheesy, comfort food, leftovers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 628kcal

Author Paula

Equipment

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

For the bread, I recommend a dense white bread without seasonings or flavorings. Country white bread, Texas toast, or sourdough bread will work.

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

Between the bacon, ham, and cheese, I find there's already enough salt in the dish. You can always taste-test and add some at the end if needed.

When the bread has cooled, add it to a 9x13-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

Bread: Toasting the bread before assembling the casserole keeps it from becoming overly soft.

Meat: Use turkey, chicken, or a combination of the two.

Cheese: Cheddar is used here, but you can experiment with another good melting cheese.

Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes work best. Slice them fairly thin so they don't release too much liquid into the casserole.

Bacon: Cook bacon until crisp so it stays flavorful after baking.

Ground mustard: You may hear ground mustard referred to as dry mustard or mustard powder. This is found with the seasonings at the store. It is not liquid mustard.

🥡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