Kentucky Hot Brown Crescent Casserole- a creamy, rich casserole with the buttery flavor of crescent rolls. Lots of bacon makes this casserole a real winner.
It’s a great way to use up leftover turkey!
What Is A Hot Brown Sandwich?
The Hot Brown Sandwich is a famous Kentucky sandwich that dates back to 1923 when it was created by chefs at the Brown Hotel. It is an open-face sandwich that is a variation of a Welsh Rarebit. It features turkey, bacon, and tomatoes covered in a rich Mornay sauce.
How To Serve Kentucky Hot Brown Crescent Casserole
This casserole makes a wonderful Derby Day recipe. It is also good for a holiday brunch and even makes a great dinner casserole.
I have another recipe for a Hot Brown Casserole that features Texas Toast instead of crescent rolls.
Ingredient Notes
- Whole Milk– for a slightly richer casserole, use half-and-half.
- Gruyere Cheese– swiss cheese can be substituted.
- Sliced Turkey– use either leftover roasted turkey or deli-sliced turkey. Or you can use chicken in place of turkey.
- Cheddar Cheese– Adds some extra cheese flavor. Parmesan cheese can be used instead.
- Cherry Tomatoes– diced roma tomatoes can be substituted.
- Bacon– you want about half a pound of cooked and crumbled bacon.
- Crescent Roll Dough– I love using crescent dough as a shortcut for easy and delicious recipes like Sausage and Crescent Casserole, Crescent Lasagna, and Crescent Roll Coffee Cake.
How To Make Kentucky Hot Brown Crescent Casserole
(More detailed instructions in recipe card below.)
- Make a Mornay Sauce. Melt butter. Stir in flour, whisk in milk, add seasonings and gruyere cheese.
- Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles. Roll each one up with turkey, bacon, and cheddar cheese inside.
- Place in a baking dish and pour sauce over them. Sprinkle with tomatoes and green onion.
- Bake for 20 to 26 minutes.
Be sure to pair this casserole with a Mint Julep!
How To Store
Best eaten shortly after it is made but will keep in an airtight container for 3 days.
More Derby Day Recipes
- Hot Brown Fondue
- Mini Hot Brown Tarts
- Kentucky Derby Bars
- Kentucky Butter Cake
- Mint Julep Fruit Salad
- Blueberry Mint Julep
- Kentucky Chocolate Walnut Pie
Kentucky Hot Brown Crescent Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- ½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 1 (8-count) can Crescent Rolls
- ½ pound sliced turkey
- 8 slices bacon,, cooked
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup halved or quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1 green onion,, sliced.
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium pot. Add flour and cook and stir for 1 minute.Whisk in milk. Add pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 1 minute.Remove from heat and stir in Gruyere.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles.
- Place sliced turkey on the wide end of each crescent triangle and top with a bacon slice and a small mound of cheddar cheese.
- Roll each crescent up and place in prepared baking dish.Pour cheese sauce on top.
- Sprinkle with tomatoes and green onion.Bake for 20 to 26 minutes. Cover with foil the last few minutes if getting too brown before crescent dough is fully cooked.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.