After any holiday is the perfect time to whip up my Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie. Transform your leftovers into a creamy dish packed with veggies and tender turkey!
Dad’s twist on this delicious classic dish makes for a perfect dinner that comes together quickly with minimal effort. Start with my Crisco Pie Crust, for a delicious, crisp, flaky crust, that pairs well with the creamy sauce. Containing the incredible flavors from your amazing turkey and veggies that have been made with love, turkey pot pie is the ultimate cozy comfort food that you'll look forward to making after the holidays.
What is Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie?
Pot pies date back to early Greek and Roman times, and has been varied over the years throughout history. English cooks during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign made meat pies to use up leftover ingredients to create a dish that is nutritious, hearty and delicious.
Jump to:
- What is Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie?
- Why You Will Love Dad's Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
- More Recipes You Will Love
- How to Store Dad's Turkey Pot Pie
- What to Serve with Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
- Top Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions About Dad's Turkey Pot Pie
- More Recipes You Will Love
- Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
This was inspired by my Herb Butter Turkey recipe, and pairs well with a simple salad or green side.
Why You Will Love Dad's Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
- Flavorful: While I might be a little biased, this pot pie has the best flavor; it's rich and creamy, and balances so well with the seasoned turkey and light crust. The flavors from your turkey dinner have even more time to meld together, making for a delicious end result.
- Hearty: This turkey pot pie truly eats like a meal, though you can pair it with lighter sides.
- Easy: It’s a quick dish to put together once you get started, since most of the prep has already been done for you.
- Tradition: This classic dish will quickly become a family favorite for yours as it is ours.
- Economical: Reimagining leftovers to make one meal go the extra mile is easy on your budget.
Ingredients
You can start with our Crisco Pie Crust recipe or use store-bought crusts, but from there all you need is your leftover turkey, some frozen veggies, flour, butter, onion, seasoning and chicken stock. Check your kitchen, you can probably start right now!
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Pie Crusts: Homemade or store bought crusts will be the base and top of your pot pie.
- Unsalted Butter: Allows for control over salt content, and adds additional flavor.
- Yellow Onion: A mild flavored onion adds freshness to the dish.
- All-Purpose Flour: This will help thicken the sauce.
- Fresh Sage: Fresh herbs are an easy way to up the deliciousness of any dish.
- Sea Salt: This is to enhance all the flavors.
- Garlic Powder: Gives a roasted garlic flavor to your dish.
- Ground Pepper: Adds a nice peppery flavor.
- Dried Parsley: Dried herbs are great for a more intense flavor.
- Chicken Stock: We recommend a low-sodium option; this helps to create the filling.
- 18% Cream: This builds the rich, saucy filling.
- Leftover Turkey: Use your leftover turkey, but any meat can work.
- Peas and Carrots (Frozen): A simple way to add some veggies to your dish.
- Egg: The egg wash is important to get a beautiful flaky crust.
For this recipe, you'll want to have on hand a pie plate, rolling pin, large pan, spatula, measuring cups and spoons, and a basting brush.
Substitutions and Variations
Love this recipe but want to make it your own? Here are some helpful ideas for you to change Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie.
- Ground Turkey: Just because you haven't cooked a turkey recently doesn't mean you can't make this delicious pot pie; make a turkey pot pie with ground turkey or a roasted turkey breast. Add some dried sage and butter when you are cooking it before adding it into the filling, and there you have it.
- Rotisserie Chicken: If you don't have leftover turkey, pick up a Costco rotisserie chicken and make a chicken pot pie.
- Vegetables: You can mix up the veggies in this pot pie with your favorites.
- Vegetarian: If you want to make this recipe as a vegetarian pot pie you can swap the meat for some beans, mushrooms, or even cubed potatoes.
How to Make Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
It is easier than you think to make a pot pie. Home cooks of any skill level can put together this delicious, filling meal.
Preheat oven to 400F. If using our homemade pie crust, lightly flour a surface and roll dough out ⅛” thick, and lay the dough into a 9-inch pie dish leaving about ½ “ overhang. You can roll out the second pie dough to be ready for the top as well. If using store-bought, thaw pie crusts based on package instructions.
In a large pan with deep sides, on medium heat melt butter, then add onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add in all-purpose flour, sage, salt, garlic powder, ground pepper and dried parsley, cook for 1 minute, then whisk in chicken broth and cream. Continue to whisk until thick (about 5-7 minutes), then add in turkey and vegetables, mix to combine.
Transfer the turkey mixture into the prepared pie plate. Then egg wash the perimeter of the bottom dough and place the second dough on top. Cut off any extra dough, leaving enough to line up with the bottom excess.
Lightly but with enough pressure, use a fork to pinch the edges together. Egg wash the rest of the dough then cut 4 slits in the top and bake for 30 minutes.
Allow it to cool for 1 hour minimum before slicing.
Hint: Resting time is imperative for a pot pie dish. When you remove your pie from the oven, it will be bubbling underneath that golden crust. Rest time allows the fats to redistribute and the creamy filling to set up.
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How to Store Dad's Turkey Pot Pie
Be sure to store this one out of sight, it is so tasty you will not want to share.
- Refrigerator: Once cooled, place in an airtight container and store for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Place sliced pot pie in a freezer safe dish and store for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Once you have thawed the frozen slice, (or one taken from the fridge) place in the microwave to reheat on 50% power for about 2-3 minutes depending on the size.
- Make Ahead: You can make this in advance, simply reheat in the oven on a low temperature before serving.
What to Serve with Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
This dish is a meal on its own, but it can be paired with a few sides.
- Salad: A simple salad is all that is needed as there is so much flavor within the pot pie itself.
- Green Vegetables: Steamed green beans, broccoli and Brussels Sprouts are great options. Give our Maple Brussel Sprouts a try!
- Roasted Vegetables: Roasted carrots and cauliflower pair nicely with this dish.
Top Tip
Pot pie can get runny if you don’t allow your filling enough time to thicken up before adding to your pie crust. As the pie bakes, the moisture from your filling ingredients will release water, thinning out the cream sauce. Make sure the consistency is thick before you begin filling the crust.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dad's Turkey Pot Pie
Do you have questions about how to make my Dad's Turkey Pot Pie? Here are some answers to a few frequently asked questions.
Yes, using store-bought crusts are a convenient and time-saving option if you aren't able to make your own from scratch.
Leftover turkey can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and we recommend making your pot pie within that time frame for the freshest result. Another option is to freeze your turkey and vegetable pieces and reserve them to use in a pot pie at a later date.
Yes. You can assemble then freeze an entire pot pie either before baking it, or after it's been baked. To bake it from frozen, add 20-30 minutes to your cook time or until the pot pie is fully cooked through.
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Dad's Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Pie Dish
- Rolling Pin
- Large Pan
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Basting Brush
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 homemade pie crusts or store-bought frozen
- 1 stick butter unsalted
- 1 yellow onion, medium diced small
- 62.5 grams all-purpose flour about ½ cup
- 1 tablespoon sage, freshly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock low sodium
- 1 cup 18% cream or higher
- 3 cups leftover turkey chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots thawed
- 1 egg, large beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. If using our homemade pie crust, lightly flour a surface and roll dough out ⅛” thick, and lay the dough into a 9-inch pie dish leaving about ½ “ overhang (check out our Homemade Pie Crust recipe here). You can roll out the second pie dough to be ready for the top as well. If using store-bought, thaw pie crusts based on package instructions.
- In a large pan with deep sides, on medium heat melt butter, then add onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add in all-purpose flour, sage, salt, garlic powder, ground pepper and dried parsley, cook for 1 minute, then whisk in chicken broth and cream. Continue to whisk until thick (about 5-7 minutes), then add in turkey and vegetables, mix to combine.
- Transfer the turkey mixture into the prepared pie plate. Then egg wash the perimeter of the bottom dough and place the second dough on top. Cut off any extra dough, leaving enough to line up with the bottom excess.
- Lightly but with enough pressure, use a fork to pinch the edges together. Egg wash the rest of the dough then cut 4 slits in the top and bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow it to cool for 1 hour minimum before slicing.
Notes
- Both dark and white turkey meat work well for flavor and texture.
- Make sure your filling is the right consistency, if it is too thin, continue to simmer it until more liquid is reduced.
- If your crust is browning too quickly, cover the edges with aluminum foil.
- Be sure to allow your pot pie time to set after baking, rest it for at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition
We would be so grateful for you to leave us a rating and review on any recipes you try. If you make any alterations, let us know how they turned out.
Seija says
From the flaky crust to the creamy filling, this was one of my favorite dishes ever. Now I know what I’ll be doing with all of my leftover turkey every holiday season!
Eva Filer says
That is so wonderful to hear. Thank you! We really love this one too.
Richard says
It’s a shame that we only eat turkey three or four times a year. This turkey pot pie is great and will be missed until the next holiday season. I guess we’ll have to get two turkeys next time, and make a couple extra.
Eva Filer says
Maybe a monthly turkey is in order moving forward! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.