The best part about cooking a whole turkey? The fact that you can make a homemade stock and use some of the meat for this Leftover Turkey Pot Pie From Scratch!
Friends! How were your Thanksgivings? I hope they were filled with significantly more pie than family drama and soo much turkey that you have tons of leftovers! Is it terrible that before dinner was even over I was already dreaming of this Leftover Turkey Pot Pie From Scratch? 😉
Anyone else also in it for the leftovers? Yes yes the big meal of the day is lovely, yadda yadda, but that turkey cranberry sandwich the next day, it's just as delicious in my opinion. And this Leftover Turkey Pot Pie From Scratch, it's our new go-to for turkey leftovers!
First step to this leftover favorite, is making the stock! And if you're not making turkey stock with your turkey carcass, you have no idea what you're missing.
To make the stock we just stripped the bird (mostly) and then left it right in the roasting pan and put it back in the fridge (thank goodness for a second on in the garage) still with all that flavor goodness on the bottom of the pan. Then, add water, some veggies and spices and simmer for at least an hour, but the longer the better and the richer it will be! It makes the most amazingly rich, flavorful stock. And that's really the key to this recipe. A killer stock. Even if it's just a Chicken Stock From Scratch, you're going to want something rich delicious. Then you're ready to make your pie!
Ingredients Needed
First, the Filling.
- Turkey - Whatever you have leftover - white meat, dark meat, a mixture of both. Whatever you have will be delicious.
- Peas - Fresh, frozen, or canned. Whatever you have.
- Carrots - Diced, make sure that they're all evenly sized for even cooking.
- Mushrooms - Whatever kinds you have
- Garlic - Fresh is our preferred but you can also use jarred minced if that's all you have.
- Butter - Salted is what we prefer, but unsalted is fine, too.
- Milk - I prefer whole in this recipe but you can also use 2% or whatever you have.
- Dried Onion - Of course you can also use fresh onion, too! Honestly, after the holiday I didn't have any fresh onion left and I had no desire to go to the store. Also, have you tried making your own dried onion from scratch?
- Turkey Stock - No stock? No problem, you could also use some chicken stock.
Also great about this recipe is that it's Customizable! In true leftover pie action, go with whatcha got. No mushrooms? No problem. You could also use, corn or celery, or just add more of what you do have.
You could also substitute in for the milk, stock, and flour a Cream of Soup like:
Cream of Mushroom Soup From Scratch
Cream of Chicken Soup From Scratch
Cream of Celery Soup From Scratch
For the Pie Crust
Now you're also going to need a killer pie crust. A buttery, flakey, savory pie crust that'll be the perfect final love hug to your bowl of comfort. This crust is silky soft thanks to not only a ton of butter, but also shortening.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: (Well, after the stock) is to make your pie crust! This crust because it has so much butter and shortening, I made it in the food processor.
My little M loved helping to shape it into a ball before it was popped in the fridge to chill.
Step 2: In a large sauté pan, melt some butter, cook of your veggies, stock, and milk in a roux to make it nice and creamy.
Step 3: Then add it all into a deep dish or large pie pan.
Step 4: Then just a roll of your pie crust to top of that dish of love.
And because it's the final hug to your bowl of love, I had to put some of the extra pie dough to work, too 😉
Step 5: Add a little egg wash and baked in the oven for 30 minute and it's a Leftover Turkey Pot Pie of love!
Truly, a big ol' pie of leftover Thanksgiving love. That crust is sooo deliciously flaky and buttery and the filling is full of rich turkey flavor.
So for those quiet days following Thanksgiving when all the family is gone and your fridge is still full of turkey, here's a way to put all of that turkey to work! 'Cause remember, calories don't count until the New Year!
Other Ways to Use Leftover Turkey
Make some sandwiches with:
Easy Dinner Rolls From Scratch
No Knead Rosemary Garlic Bread!
Add it / substitute it in a pasta dish like:
Chicken and Broccoli Sesame Noodles
Substitute it in a rice dish like:
Super Easy Vegetarian Fried Rice
Cauliflower Shrimp Fried "Rice"
One Pot Cheesy Kielbasa and Rice
Enjoy, Friends! If you make this recipe tell me what you think! I love to hear from you on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram!
Leftover Turkey Pot Pie From Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover turkey, cubed
- 2 cups fresh mushroom, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup peas, frozen
- 1 1/2 tablespoon salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup homemade turkey stock
- 1/2 cup milk 2% or whole
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon onion flakes or 1/2 cup fresh diced onion
- salt and pepper to taste
Pie Dough
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, cubed and chilled
- 2 1/2 tablespoons shortening, chilled
- 3-4 tablespoons ice water
- 1 egg whisked
Instructions
- Make your pie dough. Take chilled butter, cube, place on plate and return to fridge. Measure out shortening and also put in fridge to chill. In a cup or small bowl, mix water with some ice.
- Meanwhile, add flour and salt in a food processor with the s-blade. Pulse a few times to mix. Take butter and shortening out of the fridge and add to food processor. It's very important that they are chilled!
- Pulse until combined and butter is about pea sized. Then, while running, add tablespoons of water from your ice water one at a time until a dough forms.
- On a floured surface, roll your dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and put back in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and place rack in center.
- Meanwhile, heat a large, deep saute pan with butter. Add garlic and onion (if using whole onion not flakes, if using flakes, wait) with carrots and peas and mushrooms.
- Stir for about 2 minutes until onion is translucent or when garlic begins to brown. Add onion flakes (if using)
- Add flour and mix well until flour begins to brown. Then add turkey stock and milk, whisking as you add until it begins to thicken.
- Once all combined, add in turkey and mix well. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Your flavor here will depend on the flavor/richness of your stock. Optional additions: 1/2 - 1 teaspoon rubbed sage, 1/2-1 teaspoon fresh minced or dried thyme.
- In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish or pie pan (about a 10 in X 2 in pan) add your turkey mixture and set aside.
- Remove dough from fridge. Roll out dough until 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick round and gently place over the top of your dish. Trim excess dough from the edges just below the lip of the pan edge and pinch edges around. With excess dough add addition cut outs, if desired, and with a sharp knife cut cut 4 small vent holes in the top of the pie.
- With a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with egg wash.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden.
- Cool for 5 minutes and then enjoy!
