Crispy Hot Brown Open-Face Turkey Melt
A quick and easy open-faced turkey melt featuring crispy toast, smoky bacon, and a creamy homemade Mornay cheese sauce, perfect for cozy dinners or using up leftovers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American, Southern
Ingredients
- Thick-cut white bread or Texas toast
- Cooked turkey breast slices (leftover roasted turkey works great)
- Cooked bacon strips, crisped
- Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons, softened)
- All-purpose flour (2 tablespoons)
- Whole milk (1 ½ cups / 355 ml, warmed)
- Sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup / 115 g)
- Gruyère cheese, shredded (½ cup / 60 g, optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce (optional)
- Fresh parsley or chives, chopped (for garnish)
- Optional: sliced tomato (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven’s broiler. Crisp the bacon on a skillet or in the oven until golden and slightly crunchy. Slice your bread thickly, about ¾-inch (2 cm) thick.
- In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until it forms a smooth paste but hasn’t browned (this is your roux).
- Gradually whisk in the warmed 1 ½ cups (355 ml) of whole milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon—about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup (115 g) sharp white cheddar and ½ cup (60 g) Gruyère cheese until melted and silky. Add salt, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne or hot sauce if desired.
- Place the bread slices on a baking sheet. Layer turkey breast slices evenly on each piece. Add crispy bacon strips on top.
- Pour or spoon the Mornay sauce generously over the turkey and bacon, covering the edges of the bread.
- Place the baking sheet under the preheated broiler. Watch carefully as the cheese sauce bubbles and turns golden brown—this happens quickly, usually within 5 minutes.
- Once bubbly and crispy on top, remove from the oven. Let cool for a minute or two.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or chives over the top. Add thin tomato slices if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Watch the broiler closely to prevent burning the cheese. If the sauce is too thick before broiling, thin it with a splash of milk. Use thick-cut bread to avoid sogginess. Sauce can be strained if lumps form. Bacon should be cooked slightly under crispy as it crisps more under the broiler.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 open-faced melt
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 30
Keywords: Hot Brown, turkey melt, open-face sandwich, crispy toast, Mornay sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese, quick dinner, leftover turkey recipe