My favorite turkey pot pie recipe is made easily and completely from scratch with seasonal veggies and flavors. It’s the perfect way to use up the last of your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers!
Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
What do you usually do with your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers? Do you pick at them cold from the fridge? Do you slap them on bread and have dry turkey sandwiches? Or do you revive them by making something totally new, delicious, and cozy, like a turkey pot pie?
I’m hoping you’ll consider the latter this year. Here’s why this needs to be on your weekend-after Thanksgiving menu:
What’s to Love about this Turkey Pot Pie:
- Incorporates a combo of fresh & frozen veggies.
- Has unparalleled depth of flavor. Thanks to sweet potatoes, smoked paprika, and fresh rosemary (or dried, if it’s all you have) this tastes both appropriately seasonal and incredibly flavorful. There’s not a bland bite to be found.
- Includes my favorite pie dough recipe for the topping. It comes together easily and quickly and has great flavor, but in a pinch you can swap store-bought pie crust.
- Versatile. Easy to swap ingredients for what you have on hand! Swap the corn for mushrooms, use all russet potatoes if you used up all of your sweet on sweet potato casserole, etc.
- And, perhaps the number one reason, it’s a great recipe for using leftover turkey! Turkey pot pie pays homage to Thanksgiving dinner without feeling like you’re eating the same meal twice (looking for another leftover option? Check out my turkey chili!)
My recipe is completely from scratch. It starts with a simple sauce made with near-caramelized onions for lots of flavor, then we’ll add in the veggies and meat, lay the crust on top, and bake! It’s so simple, and that’s exactly what we all need after prepping a big Thanksgiving dinner.
What You Need
While this recipe may look fancy, it’s actually seriously easy to make with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Here’s what you need to make it.
- Pie dough. While you can use a store-bought pie crust if you’re really pressed for time, I really, really recommend that you try to make your crust from scratch–it makes such a difference in taste. My pie crust recipe works perfectly here; it’s no-fail, uses only 5 ingredients, and takes about 15 minutes to prep. It’s my go-to recipe for a perfectly light, flaky, golden crust, every time! Sometimes I’ll make an extra crust when I’m prepping my Thanksgiving pies and tuck it away in my fridge to use for this recipe after Thanksgiving.
- Sweet potatoes & potatoes. The sweet potatoes are a nice change-up from traditional chicken pot-pie and adds a nice, subtly sweet, distinctly fall flavor. Of course you could just swap them for more regular potatoes, instead if you prefer, but give the recipe a try this way at least once! As for the other potatoes, I usually use peeled russet but gold potatoes would work great instead!
- More veggies. We’ll use frozen veggies like corn and green beans (feel free to substitute fresh for either) as well as carrots and onions.
- Turkey. You’ll need 3 cups of cooked turkey. You can use either light or dark meat (or a blend, my preference), and you will need to cut/shred it before adding it to the filling.
- Chicken broth. Chicken broth or chicken stock will work here, or if you have some turkey stock, feel free to use that instead!
- Smoked paprika. This might seem a bit unexpected, but it adds a lovely depth of flavor to this recipe. I also use smoked paprika in my chicken and rice soup, which gives it its unique and so good flavor.
SAM’S TIP: If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can use a ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary instead.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Turkey Pot Pie
- Melt the butter, then add the onions and cook until softened.
- Whisk in the flour, spices, and salt until smooth, then let this mixture cook for about 30 seconds or so. This will help lightly toast the flour and develop the flavor of the pot pie even more.
- Gradually stir in the chicken broth until incorporated.
- Add in the cream and stir to combine.
- Add the potatoes and carrots and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Cook til the veggies are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Add in the remaining veggies and the shredded turkey, then reduce the heat to low. Stir until everything is well combined, then remove from the heat.
- Roll your prepared pie dough into a 12″ circle, then carefully lay it over the top of your pan. Press the crust up against the inside of the pan (it shouldn’t drape over the edges, it’ll just melt and fall off if it does!), then cut a few slits to vent the crust.
- Brush the crust with egg wash, then bake until golden brown. Because my skillet is usually quite full, I’ll often place a foil-lined baking sheet underneath it, just in case there are any spills!
SAM’S TIP: Feel free to change up the veggies if you like. Peas, celery, leeks, mushrooms, turnips, and parsnips are all great options here too!
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s no bottom crust for this pot pie, and that was an intentional choice. It makes the recipe even easier so that you can bake the pie in the same cast iron pan that you used to prepare the filling. It also results in the perfect ratio of crust to filling.
If you’d like to use a bottom crust, you will need to transfer the filling to a prepared crust (you may even want to blind bake it first).
Sure! Feel free to substitute an equal amount of shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works nicely!) for the turkey, no other changes needed.
Absolutely! 8-oz ramekins work well for this, divide the filling into them and cut out individual circles of pie crust. Don’t forget to brush them with egg and vent them, and keep an eye on them as they won’t take as long in the oven as their larger counterpart!
I don’t know about you, but I have some leftover turkey calling my name right now 😉
Enjoy!
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Turkey Pot Pie
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) very cold unsalted butter cubed
- ¼ cup (57 g) sour cream
- 1 large egg well-beaten (to brush over the pie crust before baking)
For the Turkey Pot Pie Filling
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (79 g) diced onion
- 6 Tablespoons (47 g) flour
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary may substitute ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups (315 g) sweet potatoes peeled and diced into pieces smaller than 1"
- 1 cup (215g) russet potatoes peeled and diced into pieces smaller than 1"
- ½ cup chopped carrots (about 2 carrots)
- 3 cups (445 g) shredded turkey
- 1 cup (140 g) frozen sweet corn
- 1 cup (110 g) frozen green beans
Recommended Equipment
- 1 10” skillet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
- To prepare the crust, pulse together flour and salt in food processor.1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon table salt
- Sprinkle butter pieces over-top the flour mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs begin to form.6 Tablespoons (85 g) very cold unsalted butter
- Add sour cream and pulse until dough just begins to clump together.¼ cup (57 g) sour cream
- Remove dough from food processor and form into a smooth disk. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment and place in refrigerator while you prepare the pot pie.
For the turkey pot pie filling
- Melt butter in a deep, oven-safe 10" skillet (or large pot, see note).6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- Once melted, add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent.½ cup (79 g) diced onion
- Add flour, rosemary, paprika, salt, and black pepper and whisk until smooth. Cook another 30 seconds longer, while stirring, to lightly toast the flour.6 Tablespoons (47 g) flour, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon table salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- While stirring, gradually stir in chicken broth and heavy cream.2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth, ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- Add sweet potatoes, potatoes, and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, and bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.1 ½ cups (315 g) sweet potatoes, 1 cup (215g) russet potatoes, ½ cup chopped carrots
- Reduce heat to low and add turkey, corn, and green beans and stir until well-combined.3 cups (445 g) shredded turkey, 1 cup (140 g) frozen sweet corn, 1 cup (110 g) frozen green beans
- Remove from heat and roll out pie dough to an even 12" circle. Carefully lay the crust over the top of the pot pie contents (it does not have to drape over the sides, rather push the crust up against the inside of the pan).
- Cut several slits in the crust and lightly brush with your beaten egg. Transfer to center rack of oven and bake in the oven on 400F for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. To minimize any spilling, place a foil lined baking sheet beneath the skillet while baking. Enjoy!1 large egg
Notes
Crust
You may use any unbaked pie crust for this recipe, I prefer to use my homemade version.Baking dish
I like to prep everything in a deep 10″ skillet then simply bake in that skillet. However, alternatively you can prepare the pot pie filling in any dish that is large enough then transfer to a deep 10″ pie plate to cover with the pie dough and bake in the oven. If you’re worried about your dish being deep enough, place it on a foil lined baking sheet before putting it in the oven to catch any possible spills!Storing
Once cooled, cover leftovers (or transfer to an airtight container) and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This recipe was originally published November of 2015. I updated the post with new photos and, while all of the ingredients have stayed the same, I have very slightly altered the method to make the dish easier (we cook the potatoes and carrots right in the broth instead of separately — same end result, just a faster process).
Joanna
I tried it tonight, but I used fresh corn and celery and cooked it with the onions and butter. My family loved it, and my friend who doesn’t like pot pie said how delicious it was 🙂 thanks!! It was fun to make
Sam
I’m so glad it was a hit! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you!! 🙂
julie
Can I make this a double crust pot pie with Turkey Ham? Please say yes lol
Sam
I think you could do it in a double crust, you would have to make the filling separately though and then transfer it to the container with the bottom crust. I haven’t made it with turkey ham before but don’t think that would be a problem!
Jodie
Sam, Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I tried it with turkey left over from Thanksgiving and it was delicious! I made it again using chicken I had roasted in the oven and it was amazing. It is a true comfort food dish and one I will make regularly for years to come. Can’t wait to try more of your recipies!
Sam
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe so much, Jodie! It is definitely one of my favorites, too. Thank you so much for coming back and commenting how you liked it, that means a lot to me! 🙂
Annie hoffman
Oh my goodness, I just made this recipe and for reals it was the best pot pie I have ever had, the rosemary gives it the best flavor… yum!
Sam
So glad you enjoyed it, Annie! 🙂
Ronda Morris
OMG!!!!! I made this for dinner tonight and it was oh so very good. I cant wait to taste it tomorrow when the flavors are more meshed together 🙂
Sam
Oh yeah this makes for great leftovers, too! So glad you enjoyed the pot pie, Ronda! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out! 🙂
Christina
Hi Sam!
Do you think the Pillsbury crescent roll dough as a crust substitute would work? Trying tonight!
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Christina! That should be fine, just watch for the crust to turn golden brown because it may not need to cook as long (or even it may need to cook longer), I haven’t used the crescent rolls before so I can’t say for sure how long.
Joanne
This is such a beautiful crust, and love the filling! I don’t usually eat pot pies, because of the double crust, but I like your recipe and will try it out for my husband.
Sam
Thank you so much, Joanne! This one sounds just perfect for you, then, because of the single crust! I hope you and your husband both love it if you do try it! 🙂
Sharice
5 stars isn’t enough! This is the only thing my kids want for dinner anymore, and me too! Thanks for such a fantastic recipe!
Lauriux
This is delicious! Will be my new go to potpie. Crust perfect, veggie innards just right without being runny. And the house smells heavenly. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Sam
I’m so glad that you loved it! Thank you for letting me know!! ☺️
Lauriux
Wanted to share a picture of mine but don’t see an obvious upload button. Eager to try more stuff here!
Sam
You know I actually don’t have a way to share pictures in my comments, I may have to look into that. If you have a Facebook or Instagram you should definitely post it and tag me, though! Facebook.com/sugarspunrun and Instagram.com/sugarspun_sam 🙂
Natalie
Such a great recipe and love that it’s all in the cast iron! Crust was easy to make and although I didn’t have green beans or corn on hand found that it was more than stuffed with enough goodness! I also didn’t have the cream ( was running low on ingredients after Christmas!) so substituted it with a can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup (with another cup of water) and it was fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
Sam
I’m so glad to hear that you loved it, Natalie! Good improvisations, too! 🙂
Amanda
I love pot pie. It’s probably my favorite comfort food, and I love finding new recipes for it. I’ve never tried making it in a cast iron skillet before. It looks so darn cool in there! I’ll have to try it. And I always use potatoes, but I’ve never tried sweet potatoes. Sounds great!
Sam
Making it in the cast iron was so easy, you should give it a try! 🙂 The sweet potatoes really helped lend some flavor to the turkey, I don’t think I”m ever going back to just regular potatoes 😉
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four
This is a gorgeous pot pie, Sam! Looks so cozy and delicious. I also love your photos – beautiful styling. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving at your Grandma’s <3
Sam
Thank you so much, Beeta! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, as well! <3
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu
Sam! Wow, just wow! What a delicious-looking turkey pie. Loving that flakey golden crust and the addition of paprika for a bit of flavour. Gorgeous girl!
Sam
Thank you, Jessica! 😀
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel
Ok, the crust on this!! Oh my gosh! It looks amazingly flakey and PERFECT! This seriously looks to die for, yum! Happy Thanksgiving!
Sam
Thank you, Jess! Seriously, this crust recipe is my FAVORITE 🙂
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction
I love chicken pies, so I know I’ll love this pie just as much! Gorgeous pie recipe, Sam!
Sam
Thank you, Marsha!! 🙂