Derby Hot Brown Sliders (Print)

Mini brioche buns filled with turkey, bacon, tomato, and a rich cheese sauce.

# What you'll need:

→ For the Sliders

01 - 12 brioche slider buns
02 - 12 slices roasted turkey breast
03 - 12 slices cooked bacon
04 - 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ For the 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 Gruyère cheese
11 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 1/4 cup extra Parmesan cheese

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk and cream, whisking until smooth and thickened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Gruyère, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until cheese is fully melted and sauce is smooth.
03 - Slice the brioche buns in half. Place the bottom halves on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Layer each bun bottom with a slice of roast turkey, a tomato slice, a spoonful of Mornay sauce, and a slice of crispy bacon.
05 - Place the bun tops on each slider. Brush tops lightly with melted butter.
06 - Sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese over the sliders if desired.
07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the buns are golden and the filling is warmed through.
08 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to impress but require no special skills or techniques.
  • The Mornay sauce comes together in under five minutes and transforms everything it touches into pure comfort.
  • You can assemble them hours ahead and bake right before guests arrive, which means you're actually relaxing instead of cooking when people show up.
02 -
  • Don't skip the nutmeg—I once made this without it thinking it wouldn't matter, and the sauce tasted flat and one-dimensional; that quarter teaspoon is actually the whole soul of the dish.
  • If your Mornay sauce breaks or gets grainy, remove it from heat and whisk in a tablespoon of cold milk to bring it back to silky life rather than starting over.
  • Assemble the sliders on the baking sheet in their final position; moving them around once layered risks the filling sliding out from between the buns.
03 -
  • Make your Mornay sauce first and keep it warm in the saucepan off heat while you prep everything else—this ensures the cheese stays melted and the sauce flows smoothly when you layer.
  • If you're worried about the buns getting too dark on top, tent the sliders loosely with foil for the first 8 minutes, then remove it to allow browning in the final few minutes.
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