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    Home » Keto Recipes » Keto Entrees

    Published: May 3, 2018 ·Updated: Apr 23, 2019 by Sabra · 46 Comments

    Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole | Keto, Gluten Free

    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Keto Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole pinterest image

    This recipe for Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole is comfort food at it's finest.  It will please your entire family (including picky-eaters), but the flavors are impressive enough to serve at dinner parties ... maybe with a Derby theme?

    Keto hot brown casserole in a white casserole dish with one serving removed

    This Mom's Menu is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links but all opinions are my own. I may earn money from purchases made through the links shared here (at no additional cost to you)

    If you've never experienced a Hot Brown, then you are in for a real treat. The Hot Brown is an open-faced turkey sandwich that is smothered in a cheesy Mornay sauce (similar to an Alfredo) and topped with tomato and bacon.

    I'll wait while you wipe the drool off your smart phone ...

    Hot Browns were invented in Louisville Kentucky at the Brown Hotel and they are legendary around here. You can find a link to a traditional Hot Brown, as well as some more info on the history HERE.

    a serving of keto hot brown casserole on a white plate with the entire casserole dish and an iced tea in the background

    Tips for making Hot Brown Casserole:

    • The recipe calls for thickly sliced roasted turkey. This is a GREAT way to use up leftover turkey, but to save time I've used Oscar Meyer carving board turkey as well as roasted chicken.
    • If you can't find Romano cheese or if you can't find it at a good price, you can substitute with Parmesan or a Romano-Parmesan blend.
    • I HATE tomatoes. I mean absolutely despise them. But, I can totally eat them in this dish. I slice them as thin as possible and make sure that they are pretty well roasted before eating. Even my super picky kiddos eat them in this dish without complaint. Trust me on this one.
    • This recipe freezes really well. To do this, I complete all the steps in the recipe right up until it's time to bake the assembled casserole. At this time just wrap it up tightly and pop it in the freezer. When you are ready to cook just allow it to thaw and then follow the instructions in the recipe card for baking.
    A close up of the top of keto Kentucky hot brown casserole with crispy bacon, chopped fresh parsley and roasted tomatoes.

    Be sure to check out these other great recipes:

    • Mint Juleps | Keto, Sugar-Free
    • Upside Down Pizza Casserole | Keto, Gluten Free
    • Chicken Parmesan Casserole | Keto, Gluten Free
    • Chicken, Broccoli and "Rice" Casserole | Keto, Gluten Free
    • Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Pork Chops | Keto, Gluten Free
    • Kentucky Derby Pie | Keto
    • Bourbon Balls | Keto, Sugar-Free

    📖 Recipe

    a slice of hot brown casserole on a white plate

    Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole | Keto, Gluten Free

    Sabra - This Mom's Menu
    This recipe for Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole is keto comfort food at it's finest. It's easy to make and even the pickiest eaters will absolutely love it!
    4.67 from 33 reviewers
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Servings 8 servings
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr

    Ingredients
      

    For bottom "bread" layer:

    • 1 ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
    • ½ cup shredded Romano cheese
    • 1 oz cream cheese
    • 1 ½ cups Almond Flour
    • 2 tsp Baking Powder
    • 1 large egg

    For the sauce:

    • 1 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 2 cups Heavy Cream
    • ¾ cup shredded Romano cheese
    • pinch ground nutmeg
    • salt and pepper, to taste

    Toppings:

    • 1 ½ lbs roasted turkey breast sliced thick
    • 8 slices of bacon cooked
    • 2 Roma tomatoes thinly sliced
    • Paprika
    • Parsley
    • Romano cheese

    Instructions
     

    For the bottom "bread" layer:

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and great a 9x13'' dish.
    • In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese, Romano cheese, and cream cheese. Microwave for 30 second intervals stirring in between each, until the cheeses are all melted and well incorporated. 
    • Add the almond flour, baking powder, and the egg. Stir until the mixture is uniform and all ingredients are well incorporated. 
    • Spread evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place in preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until top is beginning to brown. Remove from oven and set aside. (keep oven on)

    For the sauce:

    • While the bottom layer is cooking, prepare your sauce by melting the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. 
    • Once butter is melted, whisk in the heavy cream and Romano cheese. Continue cooking over medium high heat, stirring constatly, just until it begins to boil then reduce to a simmer. 
    • Continue stirring frequently, making sure that the bottom isn't sticking, until the sauce has thickened. This will take about 10 minutes. 
    • Stir in the nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
      * If you over-thicken the sauce, whisk in a bit of unsweetened almond or cashew milk until it reaches the desired consistency
    • Next, evenly distribute the turkey over the bread layer. Top the turkey with the thinly sliced tomato, then the pour the sauce over everything doing your best to make sure the entire dish is covered. 
    • Place the dish into the hot oven and cook for 10-15 minutes - or until sauce is bubbly and the edges of the tomatoes are starting to appear roasted. 
    • Remove from the oven, top with bacon strips and sprinkle with additional Romano cheese. Return to oven and cook and additional 5-10 minutes or until the top is golden brown. 
    • Immediately top with chopped parsley and paprika. 
      Enjoy!

    Notes

    For Gluten free, be sure to select certified gluten-free versions for each ingredient.
    *The nutrition info provided is only an estimate and not a guarantee. The values can fluctuate greatly depending upon which brands you are using. 

    Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.

    The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 600kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 32gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 192mgSodium: 1266mgPotassium: 583mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1330IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 353mgIron: 1.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thismomsmenu or tag #thismomsmenu

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.67 from 33 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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    1. Penny says

      May 17, 2018 at 8:43 am

      This looks amazing,easy to make but everything Keto is easy to make cannot wait to make it

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        May 17, 2018 at 11:44 am

        Thanks Penny! I hope you enjoy 🙂

        Reply
      • Amanda O says

        April 11, 2021 at 9:08 pm

        This recipe is FANTASTIC. I have been low carb for about 4 years and found this recipe about 2 years ago. Without exaggeration, this is my all-time FAVORITE low carb recipe that I have made to date. I never leave reviews but this absolutely deserves praise. I have actually never made it with turkey, only chicken, and other than that I add a little garlic powder to the sauce. No other changes needed. It is a bit time consuming but 100% worth it!

        Reply
    2. Jessica says

      May 26, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      How thick does the turkey need to be?

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        May 26, 2018 at 10:34 pm

        Maybe 1/4 of an inch? A little thicker or thinner is fine too though 🙂

        Reply
      • Amanda O says

        April 11, 2021 at 9:12 pm

        This recipe is FANTASTIC. I have been low carb for about 4 years and found this recipe about 2 years ago. Without exaggeration, this is my all-time FAVORITE low carb recipe that I have made to date. I never leave reviews but this absolutely deserves praise. I have actually never made it with turkey, only chicken, and other than that I substitute parmesan for romano (easier to find) and add a little garlic powder to the sauce. No other changes needed. It is a bit time consuming but 100% worth it!

        Reply
    3. Mandi says

      June 05, 2018 at 10:40 pm

      Would this freeze well? It looks like an amazing recipe!

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        June 06, 2018 at 9:17 am

        I think it would be ok, but just be aware that the texture of the sauce may suffer a little from the freezing process. It should still taste great though!

        Reply
    4. Rhonda Strange says

      September 08, 2018 at 4:26 am

      Excited to make this, but was thinking about using ham along with the turkey and bacon. I live in Kentucky and all the Kentucky hot browns use ham and a cheddar cheese sauce, along with the turkey and bacon, that I have eaten. Is there any reason these would not work?

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        September 08, 2018 at 9:32 am

        Hi Rhonda! It's nice to see a fellow KY girl here 🙂 Adding ham would work just fine I'm sure! My grandma has made them with country ham and turkey which was delish! Let me know how it turns out for you xo

        Reply
    5. Angela says

      September 16, 2018 at 10:01 am

      Is this good reheated? I'm thinking about making it for my lunches for the week.

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        September 16, 2018 at 10:40 am

        I think it is!

        Reply
    6. Susan Evans says

      October 07, 2018 at 9:43 pm

      I’m allergic to almond flour, but would love to make this. Do you know what I could substitute?

      Reply
      • Sara M. says

        May 03, 2025 at 5:03 am

        @Sabra, any flour substitute suggestions for Susan?

        Reply
    7. Shannon says

      October 25, 2018 at 4:41 pm

      I am making this tonight! I’m super excited, this is my first Keto meal! I’m a born and raised Kentuckian so I am doing 1 lb turkey and 1/2 pound ham. Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        October 25, 2018 at 7:54 pm

        Welcome to Keto! Be sure to let me know you like this recipe 🙂

        Reply
      • Aaron says

        April 17, 2021 at 7:47 pm

        Made this on the Traeger tonight. Used spinach instead of tomatoes (my wife does not care for tomatoes). Turned out great.

        Reply
    8. Rebecca says

      December 02, 2018 at 6:28 pm

      We made this tonight, it was so salty we had to stop eating it. We used deli sliced cold cut turkey. I wonder if I should use a cookied turkey breast or maybe reduce the amount of romano cheese? Any thoughts? Other wise it was delicious and will def be a favorite of ours after some adjustment.

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        December 02, 2018 at 7:07 pm

        Sorry to hear that it was so salty! I would try selecting a low sodium turkey or use some homemade roasted turkey breast. You could also reduce the bacon or use a lower sodium bacon as well. If you try it again I would love to know how it goes for you!

        Reply
    9. Lisa Casey says

      January 15, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      This ended up costing $65.00 to make two. I suggest roasting a frozen turkey breast but Romano is also very expensive. It's good but I doubt, trying to feed a large family on a budget, that I will make it again.

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        January 16, 2019 at 2:34 pm

        As I mentioned in the post, you can substitute parmesan for the romano.

        Reply
      • Jeanne says

        November 02, 2024 at 4:44 pm

        I roasted my own turkey and used Parmesan in place of Romano. Worked fine.

        Reply
    10. Rosalee says

      February 23, 2019 at 5:41 pm

      Going to try different low carb crust. I don't like almond flour. Other than that it was delicious.

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        February 24, 2019 at 9:30 pm

        Thanks Rosalee 🙂 I'd love to know what crust you end up going with and how it turns out for you!

        Reply
    11. Roxanne says

      February 27, 2019 at 7:39 pm

      I have made this dish at least 10 times and it hits the spot every time! Thank you so very much for intruducing this Wisconsin woman to a Kentucky tradition.

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        February 28, 2019 at 10:41 am

        So happy that you like it, Roxanne!

        Reply
    12. Susan says

      March 03, 2019 at 2:50 pm

      This looks delicious!.... sorry if this is a stupid question, but could you use chicken instead of turkey?... or would that be a totally different dish?.... I’m not from Kentucky 😳
      Thanks,
      Susan

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        March 03, 2019 at 4:30 pm

        Hi Susan! Chicken will work fine 🙂

        Reply
    13. Chelsea says

      March 31, 2019 at 11:45 am

      I am making this today, but was wondering if I can make it ahead of time and do the final baking later in the day?

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        April 01, 2019 at 10:55 pm

        Hi Chelsea! That should work fine 🙂

        Reply
    14. Robin says

      August 05, 2019 at 3:01 pm

      Amazing! Definitely will make this again! I used cut up chicken thighs instead of the turkey and chopped my bacon before frying. I also put thin slices of onion on top before the final bake. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        August 10, 2019 at 4:57 pm

        Thanks for the great review Robin! So glad that you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    15. Tara says

      December 03, 2019 at 7:51 am

      I had leftover turkey and ham from Thanksgiving and used them in this recipe it was delicious. I didn’t have the Romano cheese, soI used freshly grated Parmesan and the remains of some other shredded cheeses I had on hand.Thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        December 06, 2019 at 11:58 am

        Glad to hear that you enjoyed it 🙂 Thanks for the great review!

        Reply
    16. Allen says

      December 17, 2019 at 9:04 am

      I really appreciate this recipe. I've been on Keto since January and miss sandwiches. Your fathead dough recipe feels and tastes much closer to bread or even croissant dough than the one I use for pizza. The flavors here are spot on. A great KHB. Thanks!

      Reply
    17. Terry says

      January 07, 2020 at 7:30 pm

      We made this recipe tonight and it was absolutely fantastic. Living in Louisville I’m a pretty big fan of a hot brown! The crust so so good! I believe it would make a really good keto pizza crust. Anyways, thanks so the amazing recipe!

      Reply
    18. Kimi Luga says

      June 08, 2021 at 11:47 am

      That's giving them a little bit of their personal medicine. Bad Boys Lounge is situated at 300 East Raymond Street in Harrisburg, Illinois. You can also choose the stakes you want to play for and the limits you want to bet.

      Reply
    19. Kristin says

      December 07, 2021 at 5:54 pm

      I really wanted to like this recipe but struggled with a few things. The crust was not moist enough (seemed to not have enough moisture for the amount of flour). Then the sauce wasn't runny like in the pictures when I was done but that is probably because it soaked into the crust. Overall I liked the flavor and the overall dish but just need to figure out the crust and sauce.

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        December 08, 2021 at 1:08 pm

        Hi Kristin! I am so sorry to hear that this recipe didn't turn out as you had hoped. If you want to give it another shot, I have a few tips that might help. 1. If you found the crust to be too dry, you can add extra cream cheese (2 to 3 ounces) or reduce the almond flour to 1 1/4 cups. 2. If you would prefer a thinner sauce, try swapping half of the heavy cream for milk. I usually use unsweetened almond milk but any milk will work.
        I hope that this helps 🙂

        Reply
    20. Ann says

      May 09, 2022 at 9:14 pm

      This was delicious! Thank you for adapting the recipe for the ketogenic diet.

      Reply
    21. Laura says

      July 15, 2022 at 7:33 pm

      My son is allergic to nuts. What would you propose as a substitute? coconut flour? flax seed powder? sunflower seed powder?

      Reply
      • Sabra says

        July 19, 2022 at 6:50 pm

        sunflower seed flour can be subbed at 1:1 but will change the taste slightly. You could also swap the crust recipe for another low-carb pizza crust recipe that you like. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    22. Ashley says

      August 04, 2023 at 4:18 pm

      I just made this and it is FANTASTIC!!!! I am totally going to make it again. Thank you !!!

      Reply
    23. Karen O. says

      December 15, 2023 at 8:22 am

      I made this for a potluck last night and it was delicious. I added some sliced ham to the dish. It was rather salty. I used packaged shredded parmesan and think freshly shredded parmesan would be less salty. All in all the recipe is a keeper

      Reply
    24. Jessica says

      December 28, 2024 at 12:29 pm

      Kind of a pain to make but one of my all time favorites!

      Reply

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    Hi! I am Sabra and I'm the face behind This Mom's Menu. I live just outside of Louisville Kentucky with my husband and four kids. Here at This Mom's Menu, you can expect to find family-friendly, healthy recipes plus articles about what is helping me get through my daily to-do list with a little sanity to spare! My favorite things right now are fresh flowers, eggs, and re-runs of The Office ...

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