Made in a cast iron skillet with seasonal sweet potatoes, fresh rosemary and a hint of smoked paprika, this Turkey Pot Pie is the perfect way to use up the last of your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers!
I originally shared my favorite recipe for turkey pot pie after Thanksgiving last year. Since I imagine many of you have a fridge full of leftover turkey, I thought it would be a good idea to share the recipe again today. I hope you enjoy it!
So, how was your Thanksgiving? Did it go by way too fast?
Mine definitely did.
After hours, if not days, of preparation (not on my end, my grandmother always does the cooking!), it seems that it took just a matter of minutes for Thanksgiving dinner to be over and done with. The last bits of stuffing are picked over, the pies are paraded out and put on display, and the turkey is packed into Tupperware to be eaten for the rest of the week.
What do you usually do with your turkey leftovers? Do you pick at them cold from the fridge, like my sister? Do you slap them on bread and have dry turkey sandwiches, like my dad?
Or do you revive them by making something totally new, delicious, and cozy, like a from-scratch turkey pot pie.
I’m hoping you’ll consider the latter this year.
While this turkey pot pie may look fancy, it’s actually seriously easy to make with fresh, seasonal ingredients and a homemade crust.
This turkey pot pie is made with a combination of frozen and fresh vegetables. There are sweet potatoes as well as russet potatoes, seasoned with fresh rosemary and a touch of smoked paprika, and the end result pays homage to Fall and to your Thanksgiving feast without feeling like you’re eating the same meal twice.
It’s completely from scratch, no cream of chicken or cream-of-anything soup — the filling is made with a simple sauce (technically a roux, but I guarantee it’s the easiest one you’ve ever made) over near-caramelized onions and is made right in your cast iron pan.
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 and keeps things from getting too messy. It also results in the perfect ratio of crust to filling.
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 turkey pot pie crust from scratch — it makes such a difference in taste!
I’ve included my favorite ever easy pie crust in the recipe below (it may look familiar to you…), it’s no-fail, uses only 4 ingredients, and takes about 10 minutes to make. It’s my go-to recipe for a perfectly light, flaky, golden crust, every time.
I don’t know about you, but I have some leftover turkey calling my name right now.
P.S. Be sure to check out my Turkey Chowder recipe, also made from scratch and with leftover turkey!
Turkey Pot Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- tsp ½ salt
- 6 Tbsp butter cut into pieces (I cut into Tbsps and then cut those pieces in half)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 egg beaten (to brush over the pie crust)
Pot Pie
- 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 cup russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots about 2 carrots
- 6 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 6 Tbsp flour
- 2 cups organic chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups shredded turkey
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
Crust
- To prepare the crust, pulse together flour and salt in food processor.
- Sprinkle butter pieces over-top the flour mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs begin to form.
- Add sour cream and pulse until dough begins to clump together.
- Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth disk.
- Wrap in clear wrap and place in refrigerator while you prepare the pot pie.
- Cut potatoes and carrot to approximately the same size (erring on the smaller side so the potatoes finish cooking along with the carrots). Place in medium saucepan, add water until vegetables are just covered and lightly salt the contents.
- Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to sit covered for 8-10 minutes (until vegetables are tender).
- Drain potatoes and carrots and set aside.
- In your 10" cast iron pan, melt 6 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat.
- Add chopped onion and cook until tender and translucent (about 4 minutes).
- Sprinkle the onion with the with flour and stir until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients (chicken broth, heavy cream, turkey, green beans, corn, and spices ) and bring contents to a boil, stirring frequently until liquid has thickened.
- Reduce heat, add potatoes and stir. Remove from heat.
- Remove your pie dough from the fridge and roll out into 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, lightly brush with your beaten egg, and bake in the oven on 400F for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Nutrition
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Updated 11/25/16 — originally published 11/25/15
Charlotte says
How would you modify the recipe if you want to do a double crust in a traditional pie plate?
Sam says
Hi Charlotte, I think this filling will be too much for a traditional pie plate. If you wanted to leave some of it out though, you’d need to double the pie crust, cook the filling as indicated, then bake for probably about 45 minutes or so.
Bob Somerville says
Wowza. A big success and the crust was easy!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Bob! 🙂
Jen says
I have never left a review for a recipe and I’m not even a fan of pot pie. Made this last night – what a winner! It has just the right twist to take it to next-level pot pie. I made several modifications, mostly out of necessity, but they were minor. I will make this every time I have leftover turkey. Hands down the best pot pie I have ever had. Thank you so much!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Jen! 🙂
Marie says
Can I make this pie on conventional oven glassware or stoneware..No skillet available.
Sam says
Yes you can, the baking time would just take a little longer to cook. 🙂
Jennifer says
The recipe is a great baseline technique that can be adjusted in any number of ways. Having the proportion of meat and veggies, the proportion of broth / cream and crust allows for an infinite number of dishes. Delicious and not overly complex. I roasted my veggies, used a different combination but your recipe made it work perfectly. Kudos!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer. ☺️
Laura says
My husband said “you should make it every day” when I asked him if he liked it! The crust was so easy and rolled out like a dream. I usually have trouble with crust so I am thrilled! Thank you for a great recipe.
Sam says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it! It must be good if he wants it everyday. ☺️
Elizabeth says
This was delicious! I used puff pastry for the crust and peas instead of green beans. It didn’t come close to fitting in a 10″ pan so I had to dump into a 12″ before putting the potatoes back in. Thanks for posting!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth! ☺️
Ashley says
My goodness this was simply amazing! My boys went back for seconds and the little one looks like he might explode. Thanks for sharing!
Sam says
😂I am so glad everyone enjoyed the pot pie!
Jan says
We have made this recipe several times now. It’s one of our favorites. Thank you so much. And the crust is so good. It’s my go to pie crust recopr now.
Quick question. I want to make this as a meal to take to a friend after baby came. If I put it all together tonight and leave crust on it unbaked until they’re ready to cook it, will it hold up okay? Suggestions?
Sam says
I think this would be fine except you would want to be sure let the pan and its contents cool completely before adding the pie crust on top, otherwise it will melt as it sits. I hope that helps!
Joyce says
Excellent recipe! Came out perfect. I will definitely make this again & again, thank u 👌
Tina says
This was so yummy! Only suggestion I have is make the Rue with the sauteed onions, butter, sprinkle with flour, blend and then add the stock (I used TURKEY stock) then add the rest! Easy peasy!
Cheryl says
This was so good I made it again a few days after Thanksgiving too! And tonight I’m shredding a Costco rotisserie chicken in place of the turkey. This is so delicious, and using the cast iron skillet is great – super easy cleanup! Thank you so much!
Jill says
Made this last night with leftover turkey and it was so good. Adding this to our holiday recipe pile.
Sam says
Glad to hear it was such a hit! 🙂