Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Make this Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving! This comforting dinner totally transforms your leftovers!
Also be sure and check out our Homemade Turkey Soup that will use up your entire leftover turkey!
What Is Shepherd’s Pie?
Shepherd’s pie (sometimes called Cottage Pie) is a meat pie or casserole that’s topped with mashed potatoes. There are a lot of different variations of Shepherd’s Pie made with beef, chicken or turkey.
For us it depends on what kind of leftovers we have!
The basic recipe is some sort of meat, like I mentioned before, mixed with vegetables and a cream sauce or gravy. Topped off with mashed potatoes instead of a crust. It’s really the most perfect leftover recipe because it totally transforms your leftovers!
A Comforting, Leftover Turkey Recipe
There’s nothing more comforting that a casserole like this turkey shepherd’s pie for dinner. Unlike a pot pie, there’s no pie crust in this recipe, just a layer of smooth and creamy mashed potatoes.
This shepherd’s pie recipe can actually use ALL of your Thanksgiving leftovers, not just the leftover turkey! We always have too much food so a recipe like this one that can use up almost everything? That’s a dinner win.
You can swap out the peas and carrots for other vegetables you might have on hand like green beans, mushrooms, corn or broccoli. If you have leftover sweet potatoes you can use those too!
All that matters here is that you have tender turkey and vegetables swimming in a cream sauce topped with potatoes. So use up what you have and just follow that basic recipe here, swapping out whatever ingredients you need to!
How Do You Make Shepherd’s Pie?
First we start by making the filling. Butter and onion go into a large skillet, then peas and carrots (or whatever vegetables you might be using, just keep the measurements about the same).
Add flour and cook for a minute, then pour in chicken stock, jarred gravy (or any leftover homemade gravy if you have it) and cream.
Add your leftover turkey and this delicious, creamy filling is done. No leftover turkey? Grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and you’re all set. No need to wait for Thanksgiving to make this recipe!
Now add the filling to a baking dish or you can use individual crocks like we did, then top with mashed potatoes. You can pile them on, right on top there. You don’t have to pipe them on like we did, as long as those potatoes get on top somehow it’ll be delicious.
Pop your Shepherd’s Pie in the oven for about 20 minutes, then under the broiler for a few more so you can get that crispy potato topping.
See that? Leftovers transformed and nothing goes to waste! I mean, there’s only so many turkey sandwiches you can have, am I right?
Looking For More Leftover Turkey Recipes?
PIN IT!
Description
Trying to figure out what to make with all those Thanksgiving leftovers? This comforting casserole uses ALL your leftovers, including the sides!
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded, leftover turkey (can substitute chicken)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup jarred gravy (or leftover gravy, or try our 5 Minute Brown Gravy, no drippings needed!)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups leftover mashed potatoes (or you can buy pre-made mashed potatoes at the grocery store)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Next add the peas and carrots, stirring in with the onions.
- Add the salt, pepper and flour. Stir and cook for 2 minutes then whisk in the chicken broth.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil pour in the milk and gravy. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Taste for seasonings then add the cooked turkey to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Spoon the turkey mixture into a 2 quart baking dish then top with the mashed potatoes.
- Bake, uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Check to make sure the filling is warmed through and serve.
Keywords: leftover recipes, Thanksgiving leftovers, leftover turkey, casseroles, shepherds pie, comfort food, dinner recipes
I just got to the end and noticed there’s no preheat temp for baking it… I hope 375 is good cause I’m not a cook, as you can see… ????
★★★
You’re right, 375! So you’re better than you think…
It says 400 ????
I made this recipe and have Frozen the pot pie. when reheating should I defrost it first or should I put it in the oven frozen? Thanks I can’t wait to eat it!
I’ve never cooked it from frozen, but I’d probably let it defrost first and then cook! Even if it’s not fully defrosted it should be fine, just give it a few more minutes in the oven.
Loved this recipe! We used sweet potatoes for the top because that’s what we had leftover. It was a hit, everyone loved it!
★★★★★
That sounds delicious! I bet the sweet potatoes were a perfect addition
This recipe is delicious but when I made it it was very soupy, despite following the directions to the letter. I had to drop spoonfuls of mashed potatoes on top, like little islands, and there was no possible way of smoothing them across the top. Next time I’ll try one cup of stock instead of two.
★★★★
Did you bring the broth to a boil and let it thicken? This is a very important step after adding the broth, otherwise it will be too loose.