After Thanksgiving, I’ve always got a pile of leftover turkey I’m looking for creative uses for. Enter my air fryer Hot Brown sandwich. This open-faced sandwich is a great use for that turkey, and it’s paired with bacon, tomato, and cheese sauce for a delicious bite!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The Hot Brown is named after its origin at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, and why it’s sometimes also called a Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich.
This open-faced style sandwich typically features carved turkey or ham, a Mornay cheese sauce, and bacon on top of toasted bread. It’s the perfect recipe for using leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, but equally good on your Kentucky Derby menu to impress your guests!
Katie’s Tip
If you’re interested learning how to cook turkey to begin with, then check out my marinated Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin recipe!
Of course, like most classic recipes, it has seen a lot of tweaks and variations since its debut in the 1920’s!
One of my favorite modernizations is using the air fryer instead to create this tasty dish! Since it has a few different components, I’ll go over some different ways you can cook things depending on what you have available.
Quick + Easy Recipes
straight to your inbox
Ingredients List
For the Mornay Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp butter (I use salted; unsalted butter is also fine if you adjust seasoning)
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk, heavy cream, or half and half
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Gruyere, cheddar, swiss, or Boursin)
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce (or to taste)
For the Hot Brown Sandwich:
- 2 slices hearty bread (such as sourdough)
- 4 cooked slices of crispy bacon
- 4 slices roasted turkey about ¼” thick (or 8 slices if you use deli turkey)
- 4 slices tomato, drained on a paper towel
- ½ cup Mornay sauce
- Additional shredded cheese (optional)
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- While cheddar cheese and Gruyere are the most traditional choices for this dish, you can use anything you like! I do 50/50 cheddar and Boursin, for the herb and garlic flavor it provides. You could also add some Pecorino Romano parmesan cheese to the top!
- Instead of hot sauce, you can swap in some Worcestershire sauce and a little black pepper, if preferred. Other good seasoning additions include paprika, or even a pinch of nutmeg in the cheese sauce
- I like Roma tomatoes (also known as plum tomatoes) or smaller Beefsteak tomatoes, but you can use your favorites!
- Any large, hearty bread slices will work – you just want them to hold up to the weight of the toppings. Sourdough is a great choice, but a hearty Italian boule, whole grain bread, or any other thick cut sandwich bread is fine
- You can swap in air fryer turkey bacon or thick-cut bacon for regular bacon, if preferred
Component Preparation & Tips
- Bacon. To cook your bacon, you can air fry at 350°F for around 8 minutes for thin and 12 minutes for thick bacon, depending on desired level of crispiness. Flip halfway through cooking. It may also be pan fried, cooked in the microwave on high for 5-6 minutes, also flipping halfway, or baked in a conventional oven for around 15 minutes at 400°F
- Tomato. Cut your slices relatively thick, then lay them on a paper towel to drain. I sometimes sprinkle them with a little Kosher salt to draw out moisture, as this helps create a less soggy sandwich
- Turkey. This recipe assumes the use of previously cooked roasted turkey breast (or deli turkey). I cooked some turkey breast filets for about 12 minutes at 325°F in my air fryer (flipped halfway) and I’m using leftovers for this recipe. You can reheat in the microwave or a few minutes in the air fryer to take the chill off (but I don’t really find that you need to as it warms up enough during toasting)
- Bread. I’m toasting my bread in the air fryer (instructions below). However, you can also use a toaster, toaster oven, or broil it in an oven to achieve the same effect
- Cheese Sauce. There’s no real way around having to cook this on the stove. However, if that’s not an option for you, you can substitute some thin sliced cheese instead. It’s not quite the same, but it’s a good alternative for anyone cooking without a stove
Step By Step Instructions
Make the Mornay Sauce
- Melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium high heat on the stove
- Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute – whisk or stir constantly
- Slowly add the milk, still stirring constantly, and then simmer until slightly thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon) – typically around 3 minutes
- Remove from heat, then add the cheese and hot sauce, and stir just until the cheese melts. If your sauce is lumpy, you can turn the heat back on for a little bit and stir continually until its smooth
Instructions for the Hot Brown Sandwich
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
- Place your bread into the preheated air fryer basket and cook for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through, until toasted. Alternatively, you can use a toaster and skip this step
- Cut a piece of foil or parchment (I prefer nonstick foil for this and I roll up the edges to contain the sauce) to fit in your air fryer, and then put the toasted bread on it. Add the turkey slices to the top of the toasted bread, then add the tomato slices
- Spoon the cheese sauce over the top of the sandwich
- Place your Hot Brown into the air fryer and cook for 4 minutes at 400°F
- Add the sliced bacon (and some additional shredded cheese if desired) to the top and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes at 400°F, or until the bacon is re-crisped and the cheese sauce is lightly browned. If your bacon was still warm from cooking, you can add it after the cheese finishes browning instead
- Serve hot with an optional parsley garnish, and your favorite sides!
What to Serve With a Hot Brown Sandwich
- Deviled eggs
- Green salad
- Wedge salad
- Potato salad
- Ham salad
- French fries
- Texas toast
- Potato chips
- Fruit salad
- Pecan pie
- Brownies
- Bourbon balls
- Mint juleps
- Julep punch
- Bourbon cocktails
There are a variety of different sides that go great with a Hot Brown sandwich! Tailor your offerings to the season and your personal preferences, whether it’s post-Thanksgiving or a Derby party going on.
Try your air fryer Hot Brown with my creamy Air Fryer Potato Salad, Air Fryer Ore Ida Fries, a Blackberry Bourbon Sour, Peach Mint Julep, or a Bourbon Renewal Cocktail.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Use Different Types of Cheese for the Hot Brown Sandwich?
Yes, you can experiment with various cheeses like cheddar, Gruyère, swiss, or even Boursin to personalize the flavors.
Feel free to mix and match cheeses as well to create unique flavor profiles.
How Do I Prevent the Bread from Becoming Soggy in the Air Fryer?
To prevent sogginess, lightly toast the bread slices before assembling the sandwich, and try to keep the moisture level minimal.
This includes patting the tomatoes dry, and even patting the turkey dry, especially if you’re using a deli-cut variety.
Can I Prepare Hot Brown Sandwiches in Advance and Reheat Them Later?
Hot Browns are best enjoyed fresh. However, you can prepare most of the components in advance and assemble just before air frying to finish it for a quick reheat.
This includes cooking the turkey and bacon, toasting the bread, slicing the tomatoes, and making the cheese sauce. However, the cheese sauce will need to be reheated slightly to reach a pouring consistency again.
How Long Should I Air Fry the Hot Brown Sandwich?
The cooking time may vary between air fryers, but typically, it takes about 5-6 minutes in the air fryer at around 400°F (200°C) to brown the cheese and warm the sandwich.
Just add any additional time in small increments as needed until desired level of browning is reached.
Tips For the Best Hot Brown Sandwich
- You can make the Mornay sauce ahead of time as well, but you’ll need to reheat it to make it liquid enough to pour over the sandwich. You can do this in the microwave or on the stovetop. Be prepared to add a little extra liquid as well, as I find it tightens up a bit as it sits
- If you are making a large batch for a party, prepare the cheese sauce as noted above, toast your bread, and cook the turkey and bacon ahead of time. Slice the tomatoes and store with paper towels to absorb moisture. Then, simply assemble, brown in the air fryer, and serve!
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Hot Brown sandwiches are best enjoyed fresh, as they will become soggy after they sit. However, you can store them for up to 2 days wrapped in the refrigerator
- Reheat in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through
- Air Fried PB&J Sandwich
Final Thoughts
This air fryer hot brown sandwich is the perfect way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, or to serve as the main course for your Kentucky Derby party!
Thick, roasted turkey is piled with tomatoes, bacon, and cheese on hearty bread. I mean, what’s not to love? Of course, you could add some different vegetables or herbs to change things up if you’d like and make your own twist on a classic.
Katie’s Tip
If you are looking for more creative ways to use leftover turkey, make sure to also check out my Air Fryer Turkey Sliders, which are perfect for game day too!
Air Fryer Hot Brown Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Mornay Sauce
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk or half and half
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Gruyere, swiss, and/or Boursin are good options)
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce (or to taste)
For the Hot Brown Sandwich
- 2 slices hearty bread (such as sourdough)
- 4 slices roasted turkey about ¼" thick (or 8 slices if using deli turkey)
- 4 slices cooked bacon
- 4 slices tomato (drained on a paper towel)
- ½ cup prepared Mornay sauce
Instructions
Prepare the Mornay Sauce
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat on the stove2 Tbsp butter
- Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- Slowly add the milk, still stirring constantly, and then cook until slightly thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon); around 3 minutes1 cup whole milk or half and half
- Turn off the heat, then add the cheese and hot sauce, and stir just until the cheese melts. If your sauce is lumpy, you can turn the heat back on for a little bit and stir continually until its smooth1 cup shredded cheese, 2-3 dashes hot sauce
Assemble the Hot Brown Sandwich
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
- Place your bread into the preheated air fryer basket and cook for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through, until toasted. Alternatively, you can use a toaster and skip this step2 slices hearty bread
- Cut a piece of foil or parchment (I prefer nonstick foil for this and I roll up the edges to contain the sauce) to fit in your air fryer, and then put the toasted bread on it. Add the turkey slices to the top of the toasted bread, then add the tomato slices4 slices roasted turkey about ¼" thick, 4 slices tomato
- Spoon the cheese sauce over the top of the sandwich½ cup prepared Mornay sauce
- Place your Hot Brown into the air fryer and cook for 4 minutes at 400°F
- Add the sliced bacon to the top and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes at 400°F, or until the bacon is re-crisped and the cheese sauce is lightly browned. If your bacon was still warm from cooking, you can add it after the cheese finishes browning, before serving, instead4 slices cooked bacon
- Serve hot with your favorite sides!
Notes
- While cheddar and Gruyere cheeses are the most traditional choices for this dish, you can use anything you like! I do 50/50 cheddar and Boursin, for the herb and garlic flavor it provides
- Instead of hot sauce, you can swap in some Worcestershire sauce and a little black pepper, if preferred
- Any large, hearty bread slices will work – you just want them to hold up to the weight of the toppings. Sourdough is a great choice, but a hearty Italian boule, whole grain bread, or any other thick cut sandwich bread is fine
- You can swap in turkey bacon for regular bacon, if preferred
- Hot Brown sandwiches are best enjoyed fresh, as they will become soggy after they sit
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any swaps or sides added, and actual quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
