Hot Brown Casserole is full of turkey, bacon, cheese, and tomatoes plus a creamy Parmesan sauce. Perfect for the Kentucky Derby or anytime you’re craving the flavors of a Hot Brown Sandwich.
If you love a Hot Brown Sandwich, this casserole will be a real favorite.
What is a Hot Brown Sandwich?
The Hot Brown Sandwich is a classic Louisville sandwich that was first served at The Brown Hotel in the 1920s. It’s an open-faced turkey sandwich with a mornay sauce, bacon , and tomatoes. So delicious! Here’s my version of the Hot Brown Sandwich.
The base for this casserole is toasted bread cubes. They along with an egg, milk, and cheese mixture give the casserole the taste of a strata or savory bread pudding.
The bread cubes get tossed in butter and baked until golden and toasty.
Toasting the bread cubes dries them out and prevents the casserole from turning out soggy.
Hot Brown Casserole Recipe Tips:
I recommend using Texas Toast or sturdy white bread for this recipe.
You can use either deli-sliced roasted turkey or leftover turkey from cooking a whole turkey or turkey breast.
This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to bake it. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
Try These Other Derby Recipes:
- Sweet Tea Mint Juleps
- Mint Julep Cake
- Mint Julep Jello Shots
- Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake
- Chocolate Covered Bourbon Soaked Twinkies
- Mini Hot Brown Tarts
- Hot Brown Fondue
- Kentucky Chocolate Walnut Pie
- Thoroughbred Pie
Hot Brown Casserole
Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon
- 9 slices Texas toast, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- salt and pepper
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 10 ounces sliced deli turkey meat, roughly chopped
- 1 1/3 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 2 tomatoes, diced
Parmesan sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- sliced green onions
Instructions
- Chop bacon and cook in a large nonstick pan. Set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon grease.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.Place bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Place baking sheet in oven for 14-16 minutes to toast the bread cubes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, paprika, and dry mustard.
- Stir in half the bacon, the bread cubes, the turkey, 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and the swiss cheese.Transfer to a 7x11-inch greased baking dish.
- Bake for 45 minutes, covering with foil for the last 15 minutes if the top is getting too brown.
- To make the Parmesan sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour. Cook and stir for 1 minute.Gradually whisk in milk. When thickened and bubbly, stir in the remaining Parmesan cheese.Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- When casserole is done baking, sprinkle the tomatoes, remaining bacon, and green onions on top.
- Serve casserole with Parmesan sauce drizzled over it.
Nutrition
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