Our poultry-per-capita ratio this Thanksgiving is ambitious, and I have great, big, delicious plans for the leftover turkey, starting with this from-scratch Turkey Pot Pie!
Leftovers are one of my absolute favorite parts of Thanksgiving—one meal just isn’t enough to fully appreciate the feast!
When it comes to How Much Turkey to Cook Per Person, I err on the side of more, not less.
While some leftovers you can catch me munching straight from the refrigerator in my PJs (ahem, Glazed Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Pie), others deserve a little extra TLC, and the turkey is no exception.
Yes, yes, we all love a good leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich or Turkey Tetrazzini or Turkey Soup, but this year I have my eye on an old-fashioned turkey pot pie (along with a few of these other favorite Leftover Turkey Recipes).
After all, when you cook the perfect, juicy turkey, you want to make the most of every morsel!
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5 Star Review
“This is an amazing way to use leftover turkey, and the recipe is so forgiving and so easy to make our own.”
— Cecilia —
Pot pie is one of Ben’s favorite dishes (and let’s be honest—he’s not the only one in our marriage that has strong feelings for it).
- This Healthy Chicken Pot Pie was one of the first things I learned to cook. It’s now one of the most-loved Well Plated recipes.
- Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie came next.
- This Vegetarian Pot Pie is stellar if you are looking for meatless meal ideas.
- And my absolute favorite twist: the Chicken Pot Pie Stew in The Well Plated Cookbook.
This easy turkey pot pie recipe is a new favorite because (like many Well Plated recipes) it puts a lightened-up twist on favorite homestyle dishes without skimping on flavor.
How to Make Turkey Pot Pie
Forget turkey pot pie with cream of chicken soup or heavy cream!
This easy leftover turkey pot pie requires neither, yet still features a rich and savory (but healthier) gravy sauce that comes together in minutes.
Tip!
To keep pot pie healthy, use just one crust on top versus a crust on the top and bottom. It keeps the pot pie more low-calorie, and I actually think it tastes better.
The filling can shine and the bottom crust tends to get soggy anyway. Honestly, you won’t miss it! Even Ben agrees.
The Ingredients
- Leftover Turkey. Whether you made a Classic Roast Turkey or tried your hand at a Spatchcock Turkey for the first time this year, pot pie is an exciting way to repurpose all of that fantastic leftover turkey in your fridge!
- Fresh Herbs. Parsley, thyme, and sage are the cozy herb dream team. They perfectly complement the turkey and can stand up to the richness of the filling.
- Shallot + Celery. Along with the herbs, these two help build the flavors for our easy turkey pot pie.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables. My favorite freezer-staple shortcut. Using a blend of frozen peas, carrots, and green beans saves so much time when prepping the ingredients.
- Broth + Bouillon. For a richly-flavored, gravy-like filling. You can use either chicken or turkey broth and bouillon.
- Cornstarch. Rather than a roux made with butter and all-purpose flour, I opted for cornstarch to thicken the pot pie. It works just as well and keeps the recipe gluten free and dairy free.
- Pie Crust. The all-important, flaky goodness that tops this delicious turkey pot pie. See my favorite pie crust recipe and crust alternatives in the “Topping Turkey Pot Pie” section below.
The Directions
- Sauté the shallot and celery.
- Stir in the frozen vegetables, broth, and seasoning. Bring to a boil, then let simmer.
- Add the turkey to the pan.
- Mix the remaining broth and cornstarch together, then pour the mixture into the cast iron skillet.
Thickening Turkey Pot Pie
- You can thicken your turkey pot pie by adding the cornstarch and broth mixture called for in this recipe. The cornstarch will help thicken the filling as it cooks.
- You can also let your filling simmer a few minutes longer on the stovetop to allow it to further reduce and thicken.
- Transfer to a pie dish. Place the crust on top.
- Coat the crust in an egg wash, then bake turkey pot pie at 400 degrees F for 25 to 35 minutes. DIG IN!
Topping Turkey Pot Pie
This easy turkey pot pie filling can be topped in a variety of yummy ways:
- Biscuits. Take a note from this cozy Chicken and Biscuits and top your turkey pot pie with biscuits. Try my go-to easy Drop Biscuits and bake until the biscuits are golden and cooked through. You also could opt for a turkey pot pie using Bisquick (consult the mix for details).
- Puff Pastry. A flaky, ultra-delicious option. For turkey pot pie with puff pastry, swap the pie crust for a sheet of thawed puff pastry; bake as directed.
- Homemade Pie Crust. The absolute cream of the crop when you want to take a little extra time to cook from 100% scratch. I used my favorite Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust for my turkey pot pie crust.
- Store-bought Pie Crust. No shame in the store-bought pie crust game! After all, you just completed a marathon day of Thanksgiving cooking, so go ahead and take a shortcut. You’ve earned it!
- Store-bought Doughs. Another great shortcut is to use canned biscuit dough. Turkey pot pie with crescent rolls is always a crowd-pleaser.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate pot pie in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze. Store pot pie in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a pie dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
Make-Ahead Tip
To Make Ahead and Freeze. Let the filling cool completely in the pie dish before adding the crust. Top with crust, then flash freeze for 1 to 2 hours, then cover each tightly with plastic wrap or transfer carefully to zip-top plastic bags. To cook, remove from the freezer, brush the pie crusts with egg wash, and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes (for mini pies; otherwise 1 single pie will need a little longer), or until golden and heated through in the center.
What to Serve with Turkey Pot Pie
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Pie Dish. This one is beautiful!
- Non-stick Skillet. This one is high-quality, and you can tell when you use it.
- Rolling Pin. Perfect for rolling out your pie crust.
Ceramic Pie Dish
Perfect for both dessert-style pies and savory pies like this pot pie. Can safely go in the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher.
Pot pie is a delicious way to extend your turkey food coma into the long Thanksgiving weekend!
Frequently Asked Questions
I have not made this recipe using canned vegetables. I don’t know that I would recommend this swap since the vegetables are likely to become mushy, and their added sodium content may make the filling taste too salty.
Yes! This healthy turkey pot pie recipe is made without cream or highly processed condensed canned soups. Each serving has just over 500 calories, less than 20 grams of fat, and it offers servings of lean protein and vegetables.
Sure! You can easily adapt this recipe and bake mini turkey pot pies in ramekins as opposed to a traditional 9-inch pie plate. I’ve included directions for both options in the recipe card below. Enjoy!
I love this easy turkey pot pie recipe because its filling is a great base for so many other dinner options. Try adding a small scoop to squares of puff pastry, fold them into triangles and bake for the best turkey pot pie turnovers you’ll ever make. Or, try the filling over cooked whole wheat pasta for a simple turkey pot pie casserole.
Turkey Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped
- 2 small celery stalks chopped
- 5 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 1/4 cups turkey or chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken or turkey bouillon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups leftover cooked turkey breast diced small and skin removed*
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 prepared pie crust – dairy free if needed (I used my favorite whole wheat pie crust)
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat 4 mini pie dishes (for mini pies) or 1, 9-inch regular pie dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the shallot, parsley, thyme, and sage and cook until almost soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables, 2 cups broth, the bouillon, salt, and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the flavors meld.
- Add the turkey.
- Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 cup broth with the cornstarch in a bowl and mix well to dissolve. Add to the skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to the prepared pie plate(s). Place the plate(s) on a sheet pan to catch any drips.
- Roll out the pie crust to be slightly larger than your dish (if cooking mini pies, cut out 4 rounds slightly larger than the pie plates). Place the crust over the turkey filling. Crimp the edges or fold over the edge of the pie plate. Cut slits in the top of the crust with a thin, sharp knife. These small cuts will function as vents to allow steam to escape while the pie bakes.
- Brush the crust with the egg and immediately transfer to the preheated oven to bake on the sheet pan for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is hot and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Freeze the pot pies without the egg wash: let the filling cool completely in the pie dish before adding the crust. Top with crust, then flash freeze for 1 to 2 hours, then cover each tightly with plastic wrap or transfer carefully to zip-top plastic bags. To cook, remove from the freezer, brush the pie crusts with egg wash, and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes (for mini pies; otherwise 1 single pie will need a little longer), or until golden and heated through in the center.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate pot pie in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a pie dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- TO FREEZE: Store pot pie in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- *You can also make this recipe with chicken; see How to Cook Shredded Chicken for an easy method.
- Recipe from Skinnytaste Meal Prep by Gina Homolka; used with permission from the publisher.
Nutrition
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Are those turkey leftovers filling your freezer? Here are some of my very favorite turkey recipes:
Hi. I am making the pie today but will eat it at tomorrow’s dinner. Can i leave the baking for tomorrow? Or should i bake and put it in fridge?
Thanks
Hi Sundus! You could definitely bake it 1 day in advance, refrigerate it, and reheat it just before serving. I hope you enjoy it!
Wow, that turkey pot pie. Is so delicious that I am commenting for the first time about a recipe. I am contemplating that for next Thanksgiving there will not only be a turkey and cranberries but a turkey pot pie. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Brian! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
We package and freeze leftover turkey in amounts needed for the turkey corn chowder my husband normally makes, so when we pulled out a package, it had more than the recipe called for. No problem, we thought, we’ll just see if it makes enough for two pies, and it did, after we added the full 10-ounce package of frozen mixed veggies and some onion. The one thing we did not do and should have is double the spices for two pies. Still, this recipe really worked out well for us, since the recommended Pillsbury pie crust package had two crusts. We followed directions to freeze the second pie and had it a couple of weeks later. Sorry, Hubby, the last bag of leftover turkey is going to more pot pies. Delicious!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Cecilia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Erin, thanks for answering my question about sheet pans. Last night we used up the last of November’s turkey to make two more pot pies. This time we remembered to double the spices since we had more turkey than called for and were spreading the turkey and extra veggies out in two pie plates. We also had cooked a couple of extra slices of bacon at breakfast, so we added that in. This is an amazing way to use leftover turkey, and the recipe is so forgiving and so easy to make our own. I wanted to post a picture, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to do that. I’ll try to tag Well Plated on Facebook.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Cecilia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can this recipe be pressure canned if I leave out the cornstarch until ready to serve?
Hi Dennis! I have no experience with canning so I am unsure about that. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!