Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

The Best Turkey Pot Pie From Leftover Turkey

• Easy ingredients. The filling ingredients are super simple, and you already have the turkey on hand! Frozen puff pastry works great as a topping, or you could make the crust from scratch if you’d like.
• Cozy and comforting. There’s nothing quite as cozy as tucking into a warm pot pie on a chilly evening. This recipe has a rich, creamy classic gravy packed with juicy turkey and tender veggies.
• One pan. After entertaining family and friends over the holidays, it’s nice to give my dishwasher a break! This turkey pot pie comes together in one skillet for quick and easy clean-up.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

This is a quick look at the ingredients in this easy day-after turkey pot pie recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable ingredients list, amounts, and recipe details.

• Egg – You’ll combine an egg with water to make an egg wash for brushing the pastry.
• Pastry – Thaw a sheet of frozen puff pastry in the fridge the night before. You can also use a homemade pie crust if you have some leftover from this year’s pumpkin pie!
• Butter – For sautéing the vegetables.
• Onion, Celery, and Carrots – Also known as mirepoix (a French term, pronounced MEER-pwah), this classic trio of diced vegetables adds a ton of balanced flavor.
• Cooked Turkey – You can use white or dark turkey meat, whichever you have leftover!
• Flour – The combination of flour and melted butter makes a roux, which thickens the gravy.
• Broth – If you’re one to boil the turkey carcass for turkey stock, go ahead and use that! Otherwise, low-sodium chicken broth or stock works, too.
• Cream – A splash of cream enriches the gravy and gives it a silky texture. You could use half-and-half if you prefer.
• Peas – Frozen peas are a quick and easy way to throw in some bright green color and flavor. You can use any veggies here, though. Chop up those leftover roasted vegetables for more variety.
• Thyme – I use fresh chopped thyme, but you can use dried, or substitute another herb entirely, such as sage, rosemary, or parsley.

Serving Suggestions

To serve pot pie, I like to add a cool and refreshing radish and cucumber salad, or this festive butternut squash salad with lemon butter green beans on the side. Our garlic butter roasted parsnips couldn’t be easier to make, and they’re full of caramelized roasted flavor! Of course, dinner rolls are perfect for sopping up the creamy gravy.

How to Make Turkey Pot Pie

The easiest way to make pot pie is to prepare and then bake it in the same ovenproof skillet. A cast-iron skillet works well. If you don’t have a pan that can go from the stove to the oven, make the filling in a skillet and then assemble the pie in a casserole or baking dish. Here are the steps.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash, and set aside. Roll out the puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch square, cut it into 16 small squares, and set these aside, too.
• Cook the vegetables. Next, melt the butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook them for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the turkey. Stir the diced turkey into the skillet, sprinkle with flour, and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Then, pour in the broth and stir well to dissolve the floury butter into the broth.
• Add cream and peas. Add the cream and peas to the filling mixture and bring it to a boil; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until it thickens. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper, taste, and adjust the seasonings as needed. 
• Top with pastry. Remove it from the heat. Arrange your puff pastry squares on top of the filling, with each square slightly overlapping so that the entire surface of the turkey mixture is covered. Use a pastry brush to brush the squares with your prepared egg wash.
• Bake. Place the skillet on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills that may bubble over. Bake the pot pie at 400ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the top is browned. 
• Serve. Remove the finished pot pie from the oven. Let it stand for 10 minutes, and then sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and serve.

Proper Storage

• Refrigerate. Store the leftover turkey pot pie in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze. You can freeze the baked pot pie for up to 3 months.
• Reheat. Bake the desired portion in an ovenproof dish covered with foil, at 350ºF, until heated through.

More Recipes Using Leftover Turkey

• Turkey Noodle Soup
• Turkey Rice Casserole
• Turkey Corn Chowder
• Baked Turkey Tetrazzini
• Slow Cooker Turkey Chili